AIBU to feel short-changed by reduced time during massage?

[Floatingdownriver]

Am I alone in feeling cheated when the therapist steps outside for 5-10 minutes at the start whilst I undress and then again at the end, hugely cutting into the treatment time?

You should insist on her staying.

You’re paying her for an hour of her time, not an hour’s massage as such. She can’t do anything else while she’s waiting for you to undress/dress.

Anywhere I’ve gone, they suggest you arrive ten minutes early so you can change etc before the appointment time starts.

Yes

I have regular massages. He leaves the room for about 3 minutes whilst I get undressed and on the bed. Same afterwards. The massage itself lasts around 55 mins (for an hour booked).

If he did what yours is doing I wouldn’t go back.

I tell them I’m quick and will only be a sec getting undressed, so they don’t go far.

I booked a one hour massage once, reviews were excellent and it was quite local, actual massage lasted about 40 mins and he took an order for dog food over the phone while doing massage...i left a bad review and never went back...not sure how he has hundreds of good reviews, cant all be fake ! I did mention that the session was quite fast but he didnt respond.

I've had this on occasion. The best way around it is to be proactive and point them to an additional problem area just when you sense they're getting to an end.

I’m quite lean and once had a massage therapist finish early because she had run out of places to massage since I’m slim - not sure that’s a thing and felt pretty annoyed!

Where I go, the massages are booked on the hour but you pay for a 40 minute treatment. Ten mins at the start for changing and a quick medical history, and ten mins at the end to get re-dressed and clear the room. The therapist also needs a sit down and time for a drink and a wee! Massaging is quite hard physical work.

Yes, this is one of the reasons I stopped going. I obviously don’t mind a few minutes but I’m undressed in a nano second and not much longer to get dressed so 5-10 minutes is a rip off

Things like timings should be made clear at the point of booking, otherwise it can be really jarring for the client. As a practitioner, one can build rests into scheduling -clients should not be subsidising these.
My 1 hour sessions used to look like this: I will have taken a brief medical history at the time of booking, and got a sense of why you are coming for a massage. When you arrive for your session, I briefly review your notes. I ask what you would like from the session -any particular issues you want me to address, any parts of the body you especially enjoy being massaged or parts you would rather I avoided. I propose a treatment sequence for you to either consent to or tweak. I step out for 2 minutes max -most clients arrive wearing clothing that is easy to step in and out of. The whole welcome through to you being ready on the couch takes 5 minutes max. I then massage you for a further 50 minutes, and finish in time to give you 5 minutes to get dressed, have a glass of water and exit the room. You can relax in my hall for a bit after the session if you like while I set up the room for the next client. Sessions should never be booked completely back to back.

When I used to massage, I made it very clear at the time of booking that the slot is 75min (and charged accordingly) but the massage lasts 60min. 15 extra minutes you pay for is for me to do a consultation and for you to rest and get ready after the treatment. And if you arrive late, the session will be adjusted accordingly.

I went to the Cowshed spa at Shoreditch house recently (big treat as I had a gift card from my last job) and the massage was booked for 2pm. I arrived early as instructed having already filled out the medical etc. she came to get me at 2pm on the absolute dot, but I still needed a wee as the loo had been occupied by her previous client, and she was in there an absolute age and the massage didn’t start until 2:12…and still finished at 3. It wasn’t her fault but I was so annoyed.

Whenever I've had a massage they start the time when they start massaging. Not taking into account my getting rdy etc.

Best to clarify the actual amount of minutes you will be massaged at the time of booking. Then you can choose if you are ok with that and you know what do expect.

Horrible to come out feeling angry rather than relaxed!

My - wonderful - massage therapist stands just outside the door so that she can hear me get on the table and then comes straight in. I get the full hour massage. She then leaves the room, I assume she allocates herself fifteen minutes admin time/rest between patients so I can take my time getting dressed.

Mine is usually an hour all in but I’m only left for 2 mins to take clothes off. And again a couple of mins at the end. Massage must be 55mins. Seems fine.

I had a massage birthday treat from my son 1 hr slot and the she did nothing but talk really annoyed me

That’s the worst!! Who goes to get a massage to have a chat.

I once went for a massage and just after I arrived another woman walked in off the street asking for her brows to be done. The owner told my therapist that she could do it while I got changed. So a good 15 minutes. I immediately said, nicely I think,that I hoped it wouldn’t affect my massage time.

She came back and did the massage and I can tell you that being massaged by someone who clearly now hates you isn’t to be recommended.

Both the therapist and her boss gave me death stares when I left.

I remember a new counsellor behaving like this with me once. Her daughter phoned and she answered rolling her eyes. Then the same happened two more times. She decided to offload to me what was going on - not in an apologetic way of explanation but general moaning. She launched into two stories of her own life too that I had no interest in along with some bizarre musings about celebrity news.

The whole time I watched the clock thinking I'm paying her 1.50 a minute for this self indulgent shit.

I didn't book back in and when she phoned to find out why she massively took the hump with me saying that's how life goes. I stood firm and was proud of myself. Now, twenty years later I would have deducted the fifteen quid when I paid her.