how to get a client to leave

[ladyni]

Most of my clients after their appointment will stay for about 10/15 minutes for a drink/chat about their treatment, but I have one client who after a treatment doesn't want to go, for example last time her apt was at 4 pm, and at 6 pm I finally got her to go! Same client is booked in for a Reiki session at 5 pm tonight (the other problem I have is that she seems to like to turn up at early and expects to be seen!

any advice thanks.

 

[Spaby]

At the end of the appointment say to her, I hope you enjoyed your treatment, I have another client coming shortly, so better get my room ready again, and usher her towards the door, if she seems as though she is still not going to leave open the door.

Or say I'm sorry I would offer refreshments but I have another client coming shortly.

Oh regards your early bird, say I hope you don't mind, but would you please come at your allocated time, I like to meditate beforehand ?? or something similar

You have to be firm

 

[LOREEN]

It takes two to tango, and I find the clients who like to stay on for a chat are under the impression that I want a chat too. That usually means I am responding to something provocative that they are saying, and in turn I must be feeding them conversation they latch onto.

This takes personal discipline - however engaging the conversation, I have to take my own attention out of it, and if the client continues, then I just look at my watch and say 'Sadly I have to leave it there'.

Occasionally, if that isn't enough, I have caught myself saying 'I'm afraid I'm going to have to boot you out now, very nice to see you again'. They don't get offered tea -there is a cafe nearby. They get offered water.

For early arrivals, I make it quite clear 'I'm not quite ready for you, make yourself comfortable and I'll be with you shortly'. I then leave them alone and get on with something else, if that is what I need to do, eg preparing the room.

Obviously, if I am happy to see them early, I will always ask them first - some people have ten minutes texting or reading to catch up on while waiting. Their earliness does not mean they are ready either.

In the case of your specific client, you may have to play tonight by ear, but for future bookings, make it clear they are being 'fitted in to a slot' from the start, tell them when it starts and when it finishes, and act like you mean it.

These disciplines help our client as well as us - many have problems that mean they expect others to orbit around their own scattiness. Not healthy to get sucked into their problems, be the solid base they need, not the shifting sands they expect.

 

[buy levitra on-line]

I 'walk & talk' i.e I start walking to the door as we chat and hold it open for them to leave - it's a subtle, but big hint

 

[Old Folkie]

This is a trick one, Jane. I leave half hour between each appointment which allows for people to be early or late and allows me extra time for the treatment if I feel it needs it. But some people do like to chat and can take advantage of that.

I found a good 'trick' in a book about NLP for dealing with this. If my client is particularly chatty after an appointment, and I think they are going to go on more than I can allow for that time, I start to mirror them. Copying their tone of voice, body position and movements, etc. Then after a minute or so, quite suddenly, I'll sit forward and slap my hands on my thighs (or, if I'm standing, I'll stand 'to attention' suddenly and clap my hands together) and say something like, 'Well, it's lovely to chat, but I must get on. I'm already looking forward to our next appointment.' It works every time! Sometimes they do look a bit startled and the process probably isn't as aggressive as it sounds by the way I've written it, but they do leave - and they do come back!

 

[Omar Barriga]

This is a boundaries issue. One of the challenges for a therapist is to be clear with your boundaries around your practice. For a client it may be a special treat being with someone who listens deeply to them and just accepts them without judgement so they want to get as much of it as they can. For you it may also be lovely (I hope so) but it is also your business and the clarity of boundaries around what you are offering for the agreed fee should be no different from the boundaries around a meal in a restaurant. Do people hang around waiting for seconds of apple crumble? No, they know that that isn't what's on offer.

One way around this is to provide all new clients with a clear list of your practice agreements when they first arrive. This could include things like:
fees, availability for advice between appointments, time keeping, charges for missed appointments. Even things like parking if that is an issue where you work. As long as there is clarity I don't think your clients will think you mean or stop liking you, on the contrary, it is professional. If you agree the boundaries to start with you can prevent abuses before they occurs.

 

[pe chu?i]

I take it you work from home and not renting a room? Just wondering as if you were renting a room and time is money etc then there would be less likelihood of going "over" time. I presume you aren't charging for the extra time people stay over? Just thinking that the woman who stayed til 6, she got an extra hour of your time for free? (I presume the session was for one hour?)

I do agree it is totally a boundary issue. For me I usually finish about 5 mins(or a little more depending on treatment given) before the end of the session to give them a chance to get dressed (if massage is given, also gives me a chance to leave room to wash my hands) give me any feedback, aftercare advice, payment, book the next appt, take them to the door. Yes if people want to linger I have used the excuse of I have another treatment in X minutes, or in the case of someone coming too early, I did it in two ways, I didn't answer the door until a few minutes before the session starts, and said that I have just seen someone else and I need to get the room ready.

I would definitely say that working at the spa for those months really got my timings down to a fine art, and with less than 5 mins between people you really need to get people out quickly without them feeling they are being rushed out. Quite often even in that environment people wanted to hang back for a chat.

 

[Monte134]

I've had that problem a few times. One client kept changing the subject while I was giving aftercare advice. I just tried to answer yes or no then asked if she wanted to make another appointment. Next I looked at my watch and told her someone else was due, pretending our time had well overrun.

 

[uineumz]

Many thanks everyone for your replies. Yes I do work from home, I have a treatment room in the garden. As for a drink after treatment I only offer water.

 

[Randomly]

A bit off topic, but I just have to say how surprised I am that so many therapists are happy to tell their clients lies in order to get them away or make them wait!

Why can't you just say it as it is - I need to finish, you'll have to go now, or, I'm not ready for you yet, please wait.

I know that saying you have someone coming in a few minutes when you in fact have not, is not going to stop the world from turning, but if it is not the truth, it is a lie.

I just wonder how that affects our therapy, whatever that may be.

 

[~Volcom~]

I have only fibbed twice with regard to having to see someone when I didn't actually. Any other time have been a genuine reason of needing to see someone straight after. Thank you for saying it as it is (lie) I will be truthful in future.

 

[MovieMama]

We mainly do office massage & sometimes it's hard when we're working in 20 or even 10 minute slots if clients want more time.

If they need more advice I'll ask for an email or phone number & follow up afterwards.If they're just keen for a general chat there's good advice above but my approach if it's dragging on is to glance at the clock, say "Well I must get on - see you next time" & a brisk walk to the door & hold it open.

 

[staisil]

I have to agree strongly with Derek. there is never any need to lie unless you are ashamed of something you've done or are about to do. Whatever you need to say, when you speak the truth openly from the heart it is received in that spirit and your clients will respect you more for it.

 

[So Fierce]

This is a difficult situation, you need to make it quite clear you've got other clients coming afterwards or you're busy that evening so you need to get ready.

There are some real advantages to treating clients in their homes, this being one of them - you can escape without being too rude!