We recently wrote about the advantages of being a mobile massage therapist compared to working in a clinic or day spa. To balance that article, we are now discussing the corresponding disadvantages.

Now many of the advantages could also be considered as disadvantages depending on your point of view. For example, I enjoy the flexibility and variety that comes from being a mobile therapist whereas others may perceive that the more irregular nature and the variable hours of the work are a disadvantage. The reality of mobile massage Sydney is that the majority of clients want their appointments in the evenings (often relatively late at night when kids have been put to bed) or at weekends when they have the time. Being out and about at night in locales that you might not be familiar with is not for everyone (and particularly female therapists need to mindful of their security).

Similarly it can be argued that calls for mobile massage need to be screened more effectively than clinics. If you are working at a clinic then it is likely that there will be people you can call on at short notice should ever the situation arise. When you are out and about on the road then, although you can always take security measures of making sure that someone knows where you are, ultimately you are on your own. This is particularly relevant if you take appointments at relatively short notice.

As a male massage therapist, though, this has never really been an issue for me and only occasionally have I arrived at a clients house with a sense of unease about the fear of the unknown. In virtually all cases when this has happened, my concerns have been unfounded and the clients have often gone on to book regular appointments.

The previous comments are relevant with respect to the disadvantages of doing mobile massage and should not be underestimated. However, for most therapists the number one disadvantage when compared with being in a Sydney massage clinic or day spa comes down to the logistics.
– Traffic hold ups and delays can be stressful and add significantly to your total time for a given appointment.
– Parking can be a challenge in some locations (such as when someone books in for a hotel massage in Sydney CBD). You may have to park a significant distance from the house/unit/hotel and have to lug your massage table, towels and equipment to the venue. Some clients don’t realise as well that if you have to park in a car park it can take a considerable time and effort to get to the room
– Stairs. If you working in a block of units then if there is a lift you will be on the bottom floor, no lift top floor. Without fail.
– Room layout and environment. You are working in someone else’s house. The space may well not be ideal for massage in that it is too small, too noisy or the wrong temperature. Unfortunately, whilst there may be steps you can take to improve your working space a little, ultimately you are governed by whatever the client provides. In a clinic, you can (normally) control the environment to ensure that it is conducive to the bodywork session you like to provide.
– Limit to what you can carry. In a clinic you can make sure that there is all the equipment that you require eg bolster, pillows, blankets, heat pack etc. When you are working in someones home then there may be occasions when you simply do not have something that you could really do with. Whilst it may be possible to improvise, often once client is on the table you just have to accept that you may have to work in a sub-optimal way.

Ultimately if you consider yourself to be a mobile massage therapist, then it is just a case of accepting the disadvantages and working around them as best you can. If you only do outcall massages to occasional clients (and you would prefer not to do them) then many therapists will charge a premium to compensate themselves for the perceived hassles. However, effectively the clients make the ultimate decision, if the convenience of having a massage at home gives them a positive experience compared with the clinic then they will continue to rebook.

By Richard Lane