Quality will always win! People looking for a 'cheap' massage will get exactly what they pay for. I tried similar discount specials and the customers it attracted were not repeat clients. It was just people looking for a bargain. Clients who appreciate professional and educated therapists, will pay extra for the knowledge.

Hire me. I'll show You the quality! I work in Massage Envy! Not quality, Dear Cynde, marketing, marketing, marketing.

And we have therapists who do "own" they clients. Are they good? Who cares? People like them. Is Your Doctor good? How do you know? You just like him!

I believe there are enough aching bodies and stressed-out people to go around. Competition is healthy for everyone and the economy in general. I don't care if Massage Envy moves in next door. There will be a certain amount of people who will go there for the cheap experience–but I believe the vast majority would stick with us because of our excellent therapists, high standards of personal service, and atmosphere.

This is a business where human beings TOUCH other human beings in very intimate ways. Therapists are the talent, the stars if you will… not the products on the shelves. Most owners don't understand this and thus treat staff like immigrant labor.

Many owners also forget this is AMERICA where we have FREEDOM of Choice to take our business where ever we please. A spa cannot tell me I cannot follow my stylist or therapist… if my therapist has a website and I find out where she is, that spa owner has no right to harass my stylist or therapist because they now work somewhere else. If I was an attorney and not a massage therapist I would FIGHT non-compete agreements in all the courts of the land as they violate right to work and right to choose were to spend ones consumer dollars. If a therapist quits and takes customers it is because the spa owner FAILED to treat them like valued professionals, failed to pay them enough or offer creative retention bonuses or plans.

RE: Massage Envy… I got a massage there once and it was a poor quality speed massage… they called it an hour, but I was only on the table for 40 minutes and the rest of my hours was spent filling out their too many forms. All the good therapist I know who did work there have since left. When I worked at the big spa my commission was 50% which is decent and that rate made the good therapists not want to leave… so for 2 years we had NO turnover in the massage department of 18 therapists, until some Wall Street private equity group bought the spa and then ran it like a Supercuts joint and lowered the pay scale, 95% of all therapists left within a year and now the place is struggling to stay open. So much for the Wall Street business model.

THE THERAPISTS ARE THE CORNERSTONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. THEY CARE ABOUT PEOPLE. IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE GOOD ONES, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE CLIENTS WALKING IN THE DOOR. 95% OF the GOOD SPAS ARE CREATED BY "WORD OF MOUTH." By telling the client that "oh, you must try all of the therapists," and trying to create a level playing field is horse hockey. Yeah, they might try all of them, but they are not going to come back if they can't request the therapist that they like. The client connects with the therapist, and massage is just one of those things that you (the spa owner) will never be able to control. Sorry.

Neither do MOST therapists feel that they "own" their clients. The therapist has a report with the client that we the spa owners will never have… non-compete agreements in this arena are just silly, unenforceable, and downright dumb on the part of the spa owner. The returns on a "win" are less than what it would cost you to sue the therapist anyway… especially if they can't work anymore, and the clients you asked to testify would be mortified to be associated with you anymore anyway, and you've now also lost the client, their return business, and their referrals. Is it really worth it?

If a therapist is happy, the client is happy, and the spa owner is guaranteed a good return on his investment; then he's happy!

That's why the most successful spa owners were (and still are) therapists themselves, and those of you who are, are torn with the concept of implementing a "non-compete" agreement and are unsure of the prospect and how it will affect your current therapists. Yes, this WILL create a feeling of distrust by the spa owner in the eyes of the therapist. Yes, unfortunately, there are those few therapists who hold their abilities "hostage" with the owner. HOWEVER, if they do, let them go elsewhere. Why would you want a therapist like that in the building anyway? If this happens (listen to this concept). go immediately to the phone and call all of the returning customers that the therapist has scheduled on the books first and then call all of the others that the therapist worked on and tell the client the truth. Give them the option instead of the therapist calling and whining to the client. The client will usually chose the truth. Unless the therapist brought you the client in the first place, the customer will usually respect this and return to find another therapist in your establishment that is a "good fit" for them.

If you're a good employer and treat your therapists well, you won't need a "non-compete" agreement or a "reward" system.

No matter how hard you try, if you're a bad employer, it trickles all the way down to the front desk personnel, and the clients eventually go elsewhere anyway. Not only will your clientele turnover rate be higher, you will automatically have a higher turnover rate for therapists, and especially the really good ones.

They are the MOST valuable asset of your business, and unfortunately, some spa owners only think of the bottom line — not the well-being of their employees or customers.

Post Script to really think about: Yes, you may also get lucky and get a good therapist at the massage chain that you envy so much, but it's ONLY with those therapists who don't have the confidence to know that their trade/massage ability is worth more than $15 per hour. This establishment (and it's really sad) isn't taking a higher percentage of the market by lowballing the price of a massage to the customer at all. THEY ARE LOWBALLING THE VALUE OF ALL THERAPISTS AND THE WORK THAT THEY DO.

Just do a great job — enjoy your work, enjoy your customers, reward your employees just like any other business and you will do fine. I tell my employees when I hire them that it is their job to keep clients coming back, be punctual, friendly, give a great service that's beyond your clients expectations and you'll do great. Now, in return I tell them it is my job to keep them happy here with a great working environment, flexible schedules, fun and of course a good pay scale. And, if they find something better — good luck! I should have kept them happier or maybe they need to be on their own a bit and see how independence is — either way it's all ok. Your good customers stay with you because of you!!!

Larry.

Well, he came in like he was cracked out on stimulants, couldn't stand still, barged into my office and wanted to know why there weren't candles, wanted to change the music to silence, etc. Then once I took his intake and left the room — I came back from the bathroom only to find him dressed and in the waiting room. He said he couldn't relax enough from his basketball practice and he felt bad for taking up my time… but could he prepay for the next session to make it up to me? (of course I didn't accept).

But, the whole point of the story being — People that are looking for cheap massages and deals are not in my 7 years of experience respectful of us, the art of massage, or our time. You don't want those clients.

So Nancy — don't worry! People will continue coming to your spa…

On another note, there's a company called Massage Envy that is opening all across the country. They offer massages at an incredibly discounted rate if you become a member. Membership is $49 per month and thereafter an hour's massage is $39. This rate is very difficult to compete with. Do you have any suggestions?