Gratuities & Private Practice: My Two Cents
I make it very clear from the get-go, I do not accept gratuities in my practice.
You see, before becoming a massage therapist I always hated the tipping game. ‘He’s the owner, do you tip the owner?’ ‘How much did I tip last time?’ ‘What if I tip less by mistake, will she think I didn’t like my service?’
For me, there was always an air of confusion around tipping. Many times I found myself thinking about it during the session which undoubtedly diminished my experience.
When I decided to become a massage therapist, I knew two things: 1) I would go into private practice 2) I would not accept gratuities.
As my education ensued, I learned more about the ancient skill of massage and felt, many times over, it’s profound benefits. I learned that massage is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Everyone in my class recognized that massage therapy is health care. We talked casually in class a few times about tipping and I think it was summed up best by one of my classmates who compared it to tipping a doctor. Of course, it made so much sense, decision not to accept tips confirmed.
Now, I understand that this policy would be difficult to uphold in a spa, clinic type setting when the therapist is receiving a percentage of the actual cost. But for me, it made sense. I was going into private practice. I would have complete control over my business, my rates and my policies. I would be collecting 100% of the fees (me and Uncle Sam that is) and I figured if I ever needed my clients to pay me more, I would simply raise my rates.
It’s been 4 years since I started my practice and I have only received positive feedback from clients about my non-tipping rule. They respect it and they appreciate it. I know this because they tell me all the time.
Tags: Business, Education, Health care, Massage, massage therapy, Tip (gratuity)
JessG
