UGH...appointment waste...

[Anonymous]

So I'm not the only one this has happened to!  I had a first-time client flake out on me like that a few weeks ago because he supposedly didn't want to fill out the paperwork.Him: "What is this for?  I've never had to sign any form before and I've had plenty of massages."Me: "It's just a short health screening form, required by the state.  It'll help me know if there are any medical considerations I should keep in mind or any reason that you shouldn't have a massage today.  Once we have that filled out and go over it together, we can go ahead and start your massage."Him: "I don't need to fill this out. I'm healthy, no problems."Me: "Yes, I'm sure you are, but I'm required to have this form on file for everyone who comes to see me."We go back and forth like this for about another five minutes... I end up explaining what the pretty framed document on my wall is about... he pretends not to understand... and we pass the clipboard and pen back and forth a few times while I go over my privacy policies.  He also tells me that he gets massage once a week and mentions that he would really like to come see me instead because I'm closer to home than where he's been going.  (Dangling a carrot, to see if I'll bend the rules just for him, you think?) At this point, I'm losing patience... but still trying to remain as polite and tactful as possible.Me: "I'm getting the impression that you're having some second thoughts about your appointment.  Do you still want a massage today?"Him:  "No, I'm not having second thoughts.  I'm just too tired to fill out a form."  Then he walked out of the room...Ha! Looked like a second thought to me... makes me wonder if he was just looking for an "easy excuse" to get away from a situation that had become apparent to him not to have the happy ending in store that he was hoping for.  *snicker*Despite the fact that the missed dinner with my family and the extra trip to the office (he was my only appointment that evening) had proven to be a completely worthless waste of my evening, I was very relieved when he left.    I figure - even if he wasn't looking for something inappropriate, it's likely that he would've found other ways to become a problem client.  Who needs that?Most of the day spas I've visited for massages or my pedicures or whatever ask for a credit card "to confirm" when I schedule the appointment, then let me know that there will be a cancellation fee charged if I don't show up, 60% of the normal fee.  (And they really charge it - I found that out.)  Seems fair to me.So far, I've been really lucky and haven't had to implement a cancellation fee - my flakes are few and far between - but if/when I do, I'll follow that model.

 

[CARAMEL LOVE]

My friend and I both have had weirdos like this.  I can usually weed them out in the first phone call, but not this time.  One slipped through the cracks when I was advertising the 1/2 hour free w/first visit.  He called from several payphones and wouldn't give me any info.  When he got to the office, he filled out just his name and none of the health info (I suspect it was phoney, anyway), then actually asked for it back when I told him to leave!My friend and I belong to a barter/trade organization.  She had a funny story about a trade client who called her and came in, and filled out his first name only.  He then stumbled through his wallet and said he couldn't find his trade membership card, so he said he would go to the car and be right back.  He didn't come back.  The funny here was that not only did this guy seem to expect a happy ending, but that he was going to try and have it on trade, too?  LMAO!It amazed me that when I ran that 1/2 hour free special, I had MANY more callers seeking happy endings than when I ran my regular ad.  I always thought people sold sexual favors as a way of making MORE money.... I mean, come on....LOL!  I suppose the "1/2 hour" caught their attention, and they assumed that it implied something it didn't.Fortunately, it doesn't happen that often.  I have few No Shows as well, though strangely, I have found that the amount of female no shows I have had seem to outnumber the males by quite a lot!

 

[ifehearted]

At the day spa that I work at, if people refuse to fill out the form, then we have them write refused on the form and have them sign their name.  But it sounds like these guys where looking for happy endings so thankfully they left.

 

[catnipnbones]

Some people don't like giving out there personal information to anyone unless they deem it very important.  Could be conspiracy theorists, someone who doesn't want phone calls or junk mail sent to them, maybe they were looking for the happy ending or could also be an individual who has been a victim of identity theft or very fearful of it.  Often times I have been asked specific questions on forms or on the phone to "verify" some things by legitimate businesses and I have no problem asking specifically what it will be used for or if its even necessary.  Be suprised the number of times they actually let you know it will be used by other companies they are affiliated with (meaning junk mail or phone calls are coming soon).  Never be afraid to ask why.Or is it because I live in Idaho?     LOL

 

[Yosoccerboy]

[quote author=MichelleTX link=board=bus;num=1091345273;start=0#1 date=08/01/04 at 02:45:13]So I'm not the only one this has happened to! Ha! Looked like a second thought to me... makes me wonder if he was just looking for an "easy excuse" to get away from a situation that had become apparent to him not to have the happy ending in store that he was hoping for. آ *snicker*I figure - even if he wasn't looking for something inappropriate, it's likely that he would've found other ways to become a problem client. آ Who needs that?Most of the day spas I've visited for massages or my pedicures or whatever ask for a credit card "to confirm" when I schedule the appointment, then let me know that there will be a cancellation fee charged if I don't show up, 60% of the normal fee. آ (And they really charge it - I found that out.) آ Seems fair to me.[/quote]The guy who won't fill out the paperwork was probably up to no good... It happened to me 7 years ago in MT school! The guy was rude and wouldn't fill out the intake health form, claimed he had no time. Unprepared for resistance, I did the massage anyway. I was very nervous, but I gave him a massage, though the advisor kept checking on me.  Other than being rude when he left too, he wasn't a problem for me.But he was a problem for the Next MT student (my cute Filipino classmate). Apparently he was enjoying the massage a little to much... It was brought up in class after that if they don't fill out the the paperwork... no massage.  His name was banned from the list at the reception desk. The thing is... when you don't see ID... what is to say he won't give a fictitious name and address and try it again sometime?As for the no show/24 hr cancellation policy, that's great. I requested the salon that I used to work for do that. But they were adamant they would not, and they said that I could easily be replaced.   (Both the co-owners had a "my way or the highway" mentality.)I knew that such a cancellation policy is de rigeur in the day spa business... but being hair stylists, they just apparently couldn't understand the massage side of the spa business.  All they saw and cared about, was the money coming in.I live in a resort area, and it is just to easy for the client to blow off their massage if they decide that something else sounds like more fun.  Meanwhile... I'd be standing next to a table all ready to do massage for 3/4 of an hour... until the salon finally agreed they probably weren't just late. *sigh* Income? $0 Experience? Priceless!

 

[Czech.]

I take bookings by phone and email.   For first time callers, I hardly every will let them make an appointment within in 48hrs, even if I am able to fit them in - that seems to filter out the happy ending clients, probably filters out a few that don't need to be filtered out, but as I work alone, I feel safer that way.One time when I did let a guy make an appointment the next day I ended up with one of the real weirdos - he had said he had regular injections into his butt and needed the area massaged to get them absorbed better, a sad tale of a car accident, upset glands, no body hair and most people he had seen making him feel uncomfortable.  He brought his own sheet of plastic in a briefcase to lie on, his own oil, wouldn't take his socks off, nor his t-shirt and didn't want any draping.  I got the feeling he was either loopy or someone from the city council checking nothing funny was going on, so I just kept saying I had to have some draping, he kept saying he couldn't have any scratchy fabric on him because his skin was so sensitive due to the injections.  He finally agreed to a paper napkin.  So I started with him face down, with him complaining that I was massaging his legs and me saying that it was all part of getting the circulation going. Needless to say, eventually he decided it was time to roll over and did so without warning me, exposing something that really wasn't worth exposing, him pretending to be asleep. I left the room for him to calm down (and called a taxi cab, as he had arrived by cab). When I knocked on the door and came back in he was up and off the table, half dressed and annoyed. He paid and wouldn't wait for the cab (which I was quite relieved about) and walked out. Before he left I suggested he see a sex worker for the treatment he was after, but he kept saying he wasn't "allowed" to.  He rang up 2 days later getting my number confused with a different MT, organising his appointment with the other MT that evening.  Once he realised I was the one he'd already seen that week he just hung up very quickly.  The other MT was about 40 miles on the other side of town, so he obviously was prepared to travel to find what he wanted.After that experience, I have pretty well stuck to my "I haven't got anything available until...." rule and haven't had any problems.  About the only ones I make exceptions for are heavily pregnant woman that don't sound like they can go on without something being done for their back  I'll fit them in as soon as possible.I actually think that having "are you pregnant?" on the intake form makes men realise what kind of massage they are not going to get before it starts.  A couple of times I've noticed the brain almost ticking through the "pregnant???? women must get treated here!!! that means it's not THAT kind of massage, oh well, I have tight shoulders..."

 

[February1]

I agree with everything that has been posted so far!  However in my typical fashion I feel the need to bring up another point of view...He may not have been able to read.There are so many adults that are unable to read, and they get by on life by having others help them to fill out forms (my husband see this all the time at his work).Chances are, he was just a flake.  But there is another slight chance he wasn't.  Just a thought.

 

[Sandy K]

UGH...appointment waste...

I NEVER even thought of that! But its so true that could be a possibility. Its interesting to me... One of the test exam questions in one of my NCE study guides had a question about refusal to fill out an intake form. The correct answer (in their guide) was to discuss the items with the client & to tell them that consenting to go ahead with the therapy equalled understanding/compliance with the house policies & code of ethics.In my practice, I've only ever had a person refuse one time. A regular client brought her elderly, visiting Mom & decided at the last minute to 'give her appointment' to her mom while she got a manicure. The mother flat out refused to write or sign anything. Long story short... we didn't do the work. The gal was truly experiencing a degree of delusion or dementia (classified government work, can't have her real name out there, etc... the only thing that didn't make it funny was that she was flat out serious) that caught me off guard. The daughter did try to help & offered to fill out the form with her mom, but the paranoia kept escalating. To diffuse the situation, I told the woman that I truly understood her preferences & that I would get her some tea while she waited for her daughter, etc. She told me that she understood my point of view as well... not knowing the details of health conditions, medical care & perscriptions, etc left me at a loss as to how to work responsibly. We chatted in the lobby instead of my working on her. Wasted appointment, yep, but it was such an off the beaten track experience that I never even thought of the lost income, etc.I think maybe an offer to fill out the form together, or to do the intake as an interview might help in some cases... but I still feel like I need that 'contracted understanding', consent, etc.Jill/Sagetherapist

 

[puppy]

I completely agree...I do not work on anyone with out them filling out a consent form.  I have had to have interpreters help clients fill out a form, or a wife/husband, or I have read the intake form to the client and point to where they need to sign (once for someone that could not read, twice for sight impared.)Just want to cover my butt!  ;D

 

[SarahM]

UGH...appointment waste...

How do you feel about clients that fill in a PO Box? I had a client come in last week that put a PO Box as her address. I have still yet to recieve an answer as to if this is legal or not as per health history forms in Texas.

 

[Donna E]

regarding po boxes...I have no problem with them.  I don't feel that I need to know where the client lives so much as I want to know where I should send any pertinent mailings...

 

[Pompal 09.]

UGH...appointment waste...

[quote author=Kneadfulthings link=board=bus;num=1091345273;start=0#12 date=08/02/04 at 08:50:31]He may not have been able to read.Just a thought. [/quote]Well, I am patting myself on the back because normally I would reply before reading all the posts/replies.You took the words right out of my mouth.More than likely he wa a flake but illiteracy could be the reason.Robyn