14 May Dealing with Flakey Clients
It’s unfortunate that this needs to be said. But apparently it does.
Flakey clients happen. All too often.
In the realm of professional erotic work, it happens too often and clients get away with their bad behavior. And it’s inexcusable. It’s disrespectful. It’s inconsiderate. And it makes all new clients look potentially suspicious.
Just today I had a client schedule an appointment, and then when he was 5 minutes late, I texted him and he responded letting me know that he was still at work and that he had to cancel. His excuse: “Unfortunately it happens every day, all day in my industry. I just couldn’t get to my phone.” That’s your excuse? It’s so rude and inconsiderate.
In the last year, I have seen several instances of unbelievably rude behavior from flakey clients, including:
- One man scheduled days in advance, was so excited and eager to become a new regular client. Only to show up WITHOUT ANY MONEY TO PAY FOR THE SESSION. Then he left, drove to the nearest bank, and a cop car was driving behind him. So he got scared and left, and never came back. NO APOLOGIES. I was completely shocked and appalled.
- Another man came to have an appointment a few months ago and left because he was nervous about my neighbors looking at him while he was waiting in the car (because he had arrived early). So he left, because… my neighbors made him uncomfortable. Really? I’ve lived in this residential neighborhood for 3 years.
- Another client – just last week – came 5 minutes early and knocked on the door while I was on the phone, and I didn’t hear the client knocking. So he left. Even though in my location info, I very clearly state that if you arrive early, you need to wait in your car until it’s on the dot. I walked to the door at the time of the appointment, and saw him driving away.
It should go without saying that, like any other professional service that you schedule an appointment for, an erotic practitioner depends on this work – because this is our livelihood. And I, like any other professional service provider, put Time and Attention to making myself and my space ready for my clients. It takes up to an hour to get ready and prepared for an appointment. This includes preparing the space, as well as preparing myself physically to be available for our meeting.
Deciding to ditch at the last second, and worse – to NOT communicate about ditching the appointment at the last minute – is far too common and shockingly disrespectful. It’s so shocking to me that people do this kind of behavior, because I value my integrity. Don’t you value your integrity with your word and your agreements and your time?
Perhaps you feel that these client’s fear, worry, anxiety and stress were excusable. It’s true, there are plenty of pitfalls with this line of work, including the very real fact that there are people in the erotic industry who ARE sketchy and who do not provide a real service. There are stings. There are people out there who are operating scams. It’s true.
But there are those of us who have dedicated our lives to being an erotic healing arts practitioner, and this is our work, this is our career. We are good, high quality practitioners who operate from a place of professionalism and integrity. I do my best to treat my clients with the level of care and respect that I would want to receive from a professional massage therapist. I offer my work from a place of service to the work and dedication to the practice, regardless of who walks through the door.
So please respect an erotic practitioner that you schedule an appointment with. Show up. On time. With your money. And if you need to cancel, Contact Them SEVERAL HOURS (at least!) in advance. Otherwise you’re acting like another disappointing male chauvinist who does not respect women.
In any other line of work, you would be expected to cancel 24 hours in advance, otherwise pay the full amount of the appointment if you cancel. Why do Tantric Bodyworkers deserve any less respect than Naturopaths or Massage Therapists?
Is respect too much to ask? I think not.