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Economic Slowdown Shows Impact on Massage Therapists, But
Practitioners Find New Opportunities
Trends observed by My Receptionist indicate positive benefits with a broader b
09.18.2009 – EAU CLAIRE, WISC. – The flagging economy has taken its toll on
small business owners nationwide during the last year, and massage therapists
appear to be no exception, according to call volumes observed by My Receptionist. A
front office support partner specializing in call answering and appointment
scheduling, My Receptionist also noted that practitioners willing to adapt have seen
benefits to diversifying their business, as well as their approach.
Serving more than 400 independent and multi-therapist practices, My Receptionist
has noted a 12-month drop in call volume of roughly 9 percent for massage
therapists, according to Jeff Noe, the company’s president.
“Like many industries, the last year has been more difficult for many massage
therapists,” said Noe. “While our call volume doesn’t reflect the entire industry, the
drop in calls is certainly indicative that massage therapists are seeing some
changes in their business.”
My Receptionist also has observed some change in the reason for massage
appointments – massage clients more often have been citing treatment of pain as
the impetus for seeking massage, and less for the purpose of relaxation, Noe said.
“With nearly 15 years serving massage therapists, we’re seeing a shift in customer
motivation for booking appointments,” Noe said. “Similar to trends we observed
during the economic slowdown in late 2001, massage customers are placing a
greater emphasis on restoring health, which typically means a stronger interest in
modalities like neuromuscular and deep tissue massage.”
An Opportunity to Re-Tool the Business
Despite the troubled economy, many massage therapists are using the current
climate as an opportunity to re-tool their business approach and realize some
positive benefits. In consulting with clients about business goals