Client Wants to Break GC into Smaller Segment Appointments

[Chloe]

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[skeptik]

Do you gift certificates have a monetary value listed on them, or do they just list the time?

 

[Barb L]

This is what I have in my brochure regarding packages, but it applies to GC's as well:

"Packages can only be used at set price; there is no changing time length of session. Packages can be shared with other family members, with previous written approval by the package owner. Packages can also be purchased as gift certificates."

I write it out on the GC as "1 - 90 minute massage session" or 5 - 1 hour massage sessions" that way it is clear that it isn't a minutes total... if she wants 30 minute sessions, I would create a package for her, not as if she was purchasing 90 minutes of massage at that rate. I hate doing 90 minute sessions so I charge $60/85/125. I don't have a package for 30 minutes but I could create one if someone asks.

 

[Erin N]

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[sunnym5]

Wow! What is it with clients wanting to manipulate the meaning of a GC purchase around here lately?

I don't have any ideas for what to tell this particular client, but I do have a suggestion for the GC wording. "The Superior - a 90 minute massage ($70 maximum value - not redeemable for cash - must present original certificate to receive goods/services - office appointments only)

Maybe that way it is clear that it is for one specific service, AND that there will be no more than $X worth of goods & services delivered, AND it might even cover that situation where they come in for a massage 2 years later and your prices have gone up. Oh, and the outcall situation too. (I don't think that was you, but it came up for somebody else recently.)

I am going to have to redo my GCs. I haven't had any problems, but I am always interested in keeping my glutes draped, so to speak.

 

[john w]

Grrrr, had this situation come up a couple years back. Woman buys 90 min massage GC for hubby. He wants to break it up into 3-30 min sessions. I tried to explain the service difference, he got irate. I did 3 25 min sessions, he was happy, I wasnt really. I caved, because I didnt have it in writing clearly, and I wanted to hopefully gain a regular by being so accomodating. Have not seen him since. I am once again going to check the working in my brochure, to make sure this dont happen again. It IS frustrating!

 

[Gizmo13]

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[jessika721]

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[Scotty J]

sounds good to me, but then Im up very late, I have insomnia...and you could probably get me to write you a blank check right about now lol
seriously, though, does sound reasonable. Im still working on re-wording my info. Shame we have to do this, eh?

 

[Freddy H]

i have this stuff happen to me to. although i've never had someone ask to split 90 min. into 3 sessions. thank goodness 'cause i will actually let people split their hour up into 2 - 30 minute sessions. it doesn't happen real often and i figure it's not that big of a deal and if that's what they'd rather have, whatever. BUT turning a 90 minute massage into 3 sessions is a whole different scenerio. maybe next time it happens (hopefully never with your new wording) you could make people pay the difference each time they come in. let me explain.

if the 90 minute massage balance is $70 and they want to split it into 3 and your half hour rate is $30.... the first visit would deduct 30 minutes and they owe you $7. the next visit you deduct 30 minutes and they owe you $7. the 3rd visit they use the remainder of their card and owe you $6. you know what i mean? charge them the difference each session. i guess it can get a little confusing seeing as it's 3 visits. i've thought about telling my clients that they can divide their session at the cost of $5 per session. but that's because that's the difference in my price from 1/2 hour to an hour when they split it. but, when your splitting it into 3 it really changes things.


so maybe on your certificates you could state it as "dividing time into different/separate sessions will incur an extra charge". that way, it might deter them from doing it because the problem i see with putting it the way you have it is it seems it may encourage people to split it up. it's sort of stating, well here is your session but feel free to change it if you like. do you know what i mean? and i assume you'd rather them just use their gift as it is intended - all at once. anyway, i hope all of that is not too confusing. i've been up too too late too many nights in a row. :roll:

 

[StephenWeinstein]

I also have a policy that states sessions can't be broken up. It's not listed that way on the GC itself, but if a client ever called up and asked about it, I'd simply say, "I'm sorry we don't do that." This hasn't happened to us yet, but I can understand that eventually someone might want to break up a 2-hr session into 2 1-hr sessions. Well, there's a big price difference between 2 1-hour sessions and a 2-hr session ($30 difference, as 2x$70 = $140 and a 2-hr session is $110). If they absolutely did not want to be here for 2 hours at a time, I would say, "that's fine. A 2-hour massage is $110, so you may divide it into a 1-hour session and a half-hour session" (at $70 and $40 respectively, which would equal the cost of the GC) OR they could break it up into 2 1-hour sessions if they paid the additional $30 difference.

Just my thoughts
I'm sort of a hard-butt sometimes, but it can pay off ks we deal with "problems" only once, if at all Hope it helps someone!

Hugs,
~Jyoti