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I just received this email:

"I am seeking a part time massage therapist to work at my spa located on Capitol Hill. I have sold over 600 gift certificates online within 7 days for a 50 minute promotional Swedish massage. Mostly, the clients are Congress staffers. It is $12 a hour plus cash tips. The average cash tips are $15-$25 each client. In addition, the commission on full priced massages is 50%"

It sounds like she sold gift certificates she did not have the staff for?   $12 won't even cover the commuting cost into DC for me.   I'll keep the contact info if anybody is interested but I'm tempted to give the person a good b*tch slapping...

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If there is any resolution to this would be offering chair massages instead... $12 an hour for a full body massage sounds like more than a good b*tc slapping but a foot where the sun don't shine... I also work on Capitol Hill in the evening... not as a massage therapist. Currently, I'm scheduling to take the state test next week -- please keep me in mind.... send correspondence to btuckerx2@gmail.com... thank you in advance.

I would just send a polite, no thanks. Everyone runs their show differently. :)

Gael - you are correct.  It might be a good opportunity for somebody who lives/works near that location.  Though I'd probably try to convince them that what we do is way worth more that $12/hour for a discounted service. 

Brian - I'll forward the information.

That's crazy. Having worked near the DC area in the past it is insulting to pay someone $12/hr when the market can pay so much more. And usually people who buy a rock bottom deal don't tip very well, so don't expect much more than your $12. Plus the conversion rebooking to a full massage would be very low. Obviously this person put something up on Groupon or Living Social and didn't take the time to read the horror stories on how they don't benefit small businesses in some cases (they may actually lose money).

These are the kinds of pay that MTs get within the massage franchises; advertisements to customers for a custom massage may be $59.95 or some such figure but that doesn't mean the MT performing the massage earns that; often the MT earns $12/$15/$17 or maybe $20 per massage. That ad might be from a massage franchise... I saw a TV commercial for Massage Green Spa offering a massage for $29.95... makes me wonder what the MT earns from that massage... where are our associations regarding this matter? Aren't our associations supposed to be MT advocates?

Why all the hysteria?

 

There are many factors into whether or not this is a reasonable opportunity or not that aren't even listed here, just a focus on the "list price" of what the therapist gets paid.

 

- is this an employee position?

- is the $12 an hour for all hours on site or just when providing services?

- tips are much higher than franchises see. $20 average tip implies service prices $90+ normally

- 50% of what? % Commission is meaningless without knowing the other half of the equation.

- this is a PT position -- is it partial days or a few full shifts a week?

- this is a PT position -- no way one PT person can handle 600 voucher clients, so how many MTs work there, how many treatment rooms are there ? this would give you an indication how busy they are with non-discount clients

- who would you be working for? Does it matter?

- How do you travel to DC? Via limousine? Last I checked, metro was about $5 each way.

- What is better? A job that pays 60% commission where you might have zero clients in a day and have to shell out commuting expenses or a job that guarantees you $12 an hour every hour you are on site, and pays 50% commission on full price customers with average $20 tips on all customers. I have no idea, and can't make a judgement on this thread without knowing all the relevant information.

 

I am not advocating $12 an hour, but I am even more opposed to all the hysteria wtihout all the facts.

$12/hr is less than what a therapist makes in places in Michigan.  So that's rediculous.  Maybe someone just starting out, looking for anything to get a client base going, but that's terrible.

Groupon strikes again I guess.

How is this Groupon's fault?  No one forces to sign up with them.

 

More like "percentage pay strikes again"

 

And, for the record, when we run any kind of discount, our therapists earn their usual fee per service.

JP said:

Groupon strikes again I guess.

From where?  Obviously not from where I live out at the end of the blue line!   It cost $5 just to go 3 stops away during rush hour, $7 to get down town.  Then there's the bus fare to get to metro.  This is a contractor/on-call position.  If I lived down the street, it may not be such a bad thing but it's still lower than Massage Envy pays in our area...

Relax & Rejuvenate said:

- How do you travel to DC? Via limousine? Last I checked, metro was about $5 each way.

Might want to check Metro's Fare Finder...from Franconia/Springfield -- end of the blue line -- to Union Station -- on Capitol Hill, about as far into DC's business area you can go I find much different fares. YOu can go all the way into town for just $.60 more than you claim it cost you to go 3 stops, and after 9AM you can get there for 1/2 of what you claim it costs (not sure how many establishments are even open before 10AM

 

Metrorail Fares from Franconia-Springfield

Note: Fares below are for trips paid with SmarTrip®. Fares paid with farecards cost $1 more.

Arriving Lines
Served
Peak
Fare
Off-Peak
Fare
Senior Disabled Medicare Fare
Miles Time
Union Station R $5.60 $3.50 $2.80 15.05 45



Laura Garza said:

From where?  Obviously not from where I live out at the end of the blue line!   It cost $5 just to go 3 stops away during rush hour, $7 to get down town.  Then there's the bus fare to get to metro.  This is a contractor/on-call position.  If I lived down the street, it may not be such a bad thing but it's still lower than Massage Envy pays in our area...

Relax & Rejuvenate said:

- How do you travel to DC? Via limousine? Last I checked, metro was about $5 each way.

Peak Fare - (5.60 + bus fare of $1.65) * 2 = 14.50 round trip.  Plus it can be about an hour each way to get there. Not worth it for 1 or 2 massages.  Off Peak may be cheaper but longer time time with the train change (blue to red)...

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