You may have encountered more than one difficult client in your practice. Demanding clients place their convenience above yours, for example, calling at the last minute and expecting that you fit them in for a session. Others may be critical. No matter what you do for them, something is always not right. You also may have experienced the “always in a crisis” client. These difficult clients always have an emergency and need your time and attention right away
And you cannot talk about difficult clients without adding the “knows more than you” client. Clients in this category do not want your professional advice. They want to tell you how to do things. They may even undermine the success of the treatment by demanding you do something that will not get desired results. On the other hand, indecisive clients are no less difficult. They just cannot make up their minds. Hopefully, they just leave treatment “in your hands” and are pleased with results.
You may decide to show extremely difficult clients the door since they make life stressful for you and other therapists, if you have a team, begin to dread their arrival. There are, however, tried, and true ways of dealing with difficult clients should you decide they are worth the trouble:
· Get control of yourself: Do not try to deal with a difficult client right when they are doing something that annoys you. Be sure you are in control of yourself so that you can manage the situation.
· Listen: Some clients just like to complain. Showing genuine feelings toward a client may be all it takes to end the complaints. Ask them questions, listen to their answers, and assure them that you intend to address the problem because you value their business.
· Establish boundaries: Let people know nicely when they are encroaching into areas – your schedule, your expertise, even your product and treatment pricing - that conflict with your business operations.
· Set expectations: Make sure clients understand what to expect from the treatment and how long the effect will last.
· Try to sympathize: Put yourselves in the clients’ shoes for the moment and try to understand what may be motivating them. Your anger or annoyance may go away and instead you will feel compassion for the person who may be acting out of hurt, disappointment or worry.
Awkward client situations
Dealing with difficult clients are one thing and as noted, there are ways to manage them. But there also are awkward situations that arise with clients and when they come up you need to be prepared
Clients who share too much information: Among massage therapist awkward situations are clients who are inclined to share very personal aspects of their lives. They may not be difficult clients, but they create a difficult situation.
Overtime you may develop a personal relationship with clients and share information about family and outside interests. But some clients may see their time with you as a therapy session and share information about situations that you are neither able to resolve or feel is too personal for you to know about. If you feel the session crosses that line, it is time to steer things back toward your role. You might want to try saying something as simple as “let’s use this time to help you relax as much as possible so we’ll focus on the treatment and how that is easing your stress.” If you think that the client needs professional help, make a recommendation if you know of someone but offer it in a diplomatic way.
Also, a way to discourage communication of this nature is to listen but do not ask questions, provide counsel, or give advice. Hopefully, the client will realize that you do not want to engage.
Bad hygiene: It is not every profession where a client’s hygiene issues can make the job unpleasant or even unsafe. A client may have an issue with a body odor or even more concerning, a rash or foot fungus. If the situation causes you worry, have a polite but direct conversation about rescheduling until the problem clears up.
Inappropriate client behavior: Lewd comments or “seeing more than you need to” of a client can create an uncomfortable situation. If you deem behavior inappropriate, tell a client to stop. If the behavior continues, end the session and ask the client to leave
Constant distracting talk: Some clients may talk too much. It may come from much from feelings of discomfort in a new situation, or they just do not realize how much they are going on. Silence or little conversation creates a more healing environment and enables you to focus more on your work. You can see how the session plays out and try to coax your client into less talk or you can discuss the issue during the intake and find out their expectations for conversation during the session. Though you do want to encourage feedback during the session. They should let you know if they are uncomfortable about pressure you are applying, room temperature, comfort of the table and even if they do not like the background music. Also advise them to let you know if they are experiencing any pain or discomfort.
Physical abnormality: The human body is not perfect and for some people whether from birth or because of an accident or ailment, a body part or parts do not meet usual expectations. For example, someone may have a deformity in their hand, arm, or leg or maybe there is an unusual scar from a surgical procedure. If there is a need for background for their comfort level and to ensure the treatment goes smoothly, ask respectfully. Your goal is always to make the client as comfortable as possible and provide a session with best results.
Whether the problem is difficult clients or an awkward client situation, keep it professional. Be mindful of client needs but above all, your goal is to provide quality service. When you stay in charge of the situation, and do not let it take charge of you, you will achieve outcomes you want for your business and your clients.