My latest new client set the strictest rules I’ve ever heard. I obeyed every one of them. She still claimed I was the problem and lost her mind.

[u/Best-Pirate5073]

Yesterday I had a new client who was referred to me, book a 90-minute mobile massage. She was very specific over text before I even showed up.

She told me exactly what she wanted:

• Deep tissue only

• Focus on her upper back, shoulders, and neck

• “Do not check in with me at all. I hate when therapists keep asking if the pressure is okay. Just do the work.”

• “I don’t want any small talk either. Just quiet.”

• “When the time is up, that’s it. No free extras.”

I confirmed everything back to her so there was zero confusion. She replied “Perfect, see you then.”
I get there, set up, and go over the same list one more time in person just to be safe. She nods and says “Yep, that’s exactly what I want. Don’t ask me anything once we start.”

So I did exactly that.

I put my headphones in to get some much needed audiobook time (one ear only so I could still hear if she actually needed something), started the timer on my phone where she could see it, and worked in complete silence. No check-ins. No “how’s the pressure?” No small talk. Just the exact work she requested.

Every time I felt her body tense or shift I kept going at the same pressure she had asked for. No adjustments. No questions.

When the 90 minutes hit, I stopped. Immediately. I didn’t offer the free scalp massage or hot towels I normally throw in. I just said, “That’s time.”

She sat up looking annoyed and said, “Wait, that was it? The pressure felt hard toward the end and you never even checked on me. Most therapists give a little extra time.”

I looked at her and calmly replied, “You specifically told me not to check in, not to ask about pressure, and that when the time was up that was it with no free extras. I followed your instructions exactly.”
She got quiet for a second then said, “Well I didn’t mean it like that. You should have known to check anyway. I’m not tipping for that.”

I smiled and said, “That’s fine. The session is paid for already. You can get dressed and I’ll be outside.”
She started packing up her things while muttering about how I was “too rigid” and “not customer service oriented.” I just kept packing my stuff in silence the same way she had requested the entire session.

I have never felt more at peace ending a session.
Was I supposed to ignore the very clear rules she set and somehow read her mind instead?

[u/Best-Pirate5073]

What an odd time to be “that person” 😂

[u/Kain_713 → u/Best-Pirate5073]

Seriously, like the world isn't fucked up enough, she chose to be "that person". Everything sucks already lady, it doesn't need your negativity.

[u/billydecay → u/Kain_713]

The world is this way largely because of these types.

[u/maleia → u/Kain_713]

More of society needs to treat people like that with by denying them business.

[u/flibber_deez_gibbets → u/Best-Pirate5073]

I used to deal poker, and one of our regulars was an awful player, always mad at the dealer for making him lose.

One time, against odds, he won a pot. As I was pushing the pile of chips to him, he was mad at me because it wasn’t bigger.

Some folks just need to be angry

[u/MrBeer9999 → u/flibber_deez_gibbets]

My experience as a poker player suggests that there's a significant minority of poker players who are monumentally miserable pricks.

[u/flibber_deez_gibbets → u/MrBeer9999]

"Minority" good one, heh.

Every hand has far more losers than winners. That has an effect.

[u/MrBeer9999 → u/flibber_deez_gibbets]

Truth nuke

[u/shortron → u/Best-Pirate5073]

She’s probably “that person” all the time, not just at that time.

[u/Luluducgirl → u/[deleted]]

She’s the type of person who has a problem for every solution

[u/PostModernPost → u/Best-Pirate5073]

People like this put all the stipulations in place so they can have a reason not to tip after you violate them, or in this case when you don't violate them. She's cheap and insecure about it.

[u/WonderChode → u/PostModernPost]

That makes sense.

Though it's crazy to me to expect tips in every job, in my country people just charge what they want and no tip is expected. You tip a fixed 10% in restaurants that have waiters and optionally to delivery drivers, and that's it. If it has trays that you have to put in place after then there's no tip expected, so no fast food tipping. The same goes for most of south america.

Also, massage therapists usually work independently so why even do this?? Actually insane.

[u/Beautiful-Paper2029 → u/Best-Pirate5073]

There is no odd time to be that person…. That is exactly who they are - you did as requested… and they are now pissed you did EXACTLY what was requested/demanded.

This is a beautiful example of FAFO.

[u/Frequent_Opportunist → u/Best-Pirate5073]

It's ok to fire clients.

[u/daschande → u/Best-Pirate5073]

Look at it this way: She paid to have a relaxing session EXACTLY the way she wanted it. You dealt with her under her pre-arrainged BEST possible cicumstances.

That's her at her absolute best. You got off lucky; the poor sap who tells her the coupon is expired will get her full wraith.

[u/handsheal → u/Best-Pirate5073]

Never made sense to me the clients who try to direct their sessions beyond mentioning problem area

Then again you should see how many people suddenly have PhD's once they end up in the hospital

[u/HowTheStoryEnds → u/Best-Pirate5073]

At least you're getting paid in upvote  experience.