Well, this won't be a very flattering post; but it will be a necessary one.
A client told me about this most recent episode of Undercover Boss: Massage Heights (S5 Ep10).
(click the link and you can watch the full episode)
I don't know if you've ever seen the show, but basically they take the head (CEO, COO, President, etc...) of a large company or corporation and put them in the shoes of their employees. You know, "walk a mile in my shoes" if you like.
Sometimes these head-honcho moguls get enlightened, and sometimes they fall short of the mark.
In this particular instance the co-founder of Massage Heights falls WAY SHORT! This gal just does not get it.
IMHO:
1. She gives band-aids to a select few of the employees she encounters - while missing the big picture! Maybe if MTs were paid a living wage we wouldn't have to have 2+ jobs, just to make ends meet! Make ends meet! Not support some lavish lifestyle she seems to think we all have.
2. Who in their right mind would let a complete stranger into a massage session with a camera crew? This totally breaks a million legal and sacred rules! Massage space is sacred and the space shared with your therapist is a healing personal gift! Makes me think this whole thing is a total set-up! Everyone knew they were on UCB!
3. MTs go through 100s, sometimes 1000s of hours of training, exams, continuing education to keep our licences to practice. Not to mention our yearly insurances to practice and registration; including police background checks... just to be able to place our hands on another person! This woman should have never been allowed to touch people! Again: SET-UP.
4. She focuses on Brand and Consistency - Business Buzz Words, that have no place in a 'healing' industry. MTs are like snowflakes as are guests/clients to a spa/clinic/retreat. The relationships we build with regular clients is sacred. Like the client who followed Colin from another spa. Loyalty is NOT to the company, but to the therapist! Large corporations and some smaller privately owned 'retreats' need to wise up and accept this! You may pay for the marketing and advertising to get the guest/client in, but it's the MT that keeps them coming back!
5. She gets all bent out of shape when she discovers that one particular retreat is NOT using Massage Heights 'branded' creams and lotions. Well.... did you ever ask an MT to test the product for usability? Did you ever ask the guests to your retreat if they liked the products? Just like every profession involves the use of proper tools to get the job done right the first time, MTs are no different! You give us crappy product to do our jobs and we'll give you shitty work! I'm proud of those MTs taking a stand and saying - "NO, We want our clients to be happy and benefit from our madd skills with the use of good quality products." - Well done!
In conclusion (oh, don't get me wrong... I could go on.), in conclusion; I'm not sure What UCB was trying to achieve with this particular episode... but they did get my feathers all ruffled on issues that consistently come up in my profession.
So, you want to say: It's the nature of the business? Well you can stick that up your dark side. I should be able to do my job, share my madd skills and be a facilitator of health - while being able to support a family, myself and have the support of my employer; including health benefits! I worked hard (and continue to work hard) to stay in this profession. I love what I do! I Just wish more people understood that it is NOT JUST RUBBING LOTION ON ITS SKIN!
We got Madd Skills!
A client told me about this most recent episode of Undercover Boss: Massage Heights (S5 Ep10).
(click the link and you can watch the full episode)
I don't know if you've ever seen the show, but basically they take the head (CEO, COO, President, etc...) of a large company or corporation and put them in the shoes of their employees. You know, "walk a mile in my shoes" if you like.
Sometimes these head-honcho moguls get enlightened, and sometimes they fall short of the mark.
In this particular instance the co-founder of Massage Heights falls WAY SHORT! This gal just does not get it.
IMHO:
1. She gives band-aids to a select few of the employees she encounters - while missing the big picture! Maybe if MTs were paid a living wage we wouldn't have to have 2+ jobs, just to make ends meet! Make ends meet! Not support some lavish lifestyle she seems to think we all have.
2. Who in their right mind would let a complete stranger into a massage session with a camera crew? This totally breaks a million legal and sacred rules! Massage space is sacred and the space shared with your therapist is a healing personal gift! Makes me think this whole thing is a total set-up! Everyone knew they were on UCB!
3. MTs go through 100s, sometimes 1000s of hours of training, exams, continuing education to keep our licences to practice. Not to mention our yearly insurances to practice and registration; including police background checks... just to be able to place our hands on another person! This woman should have never been allowed to touch people! Again: SET-UP.
4. She focuses on Brand and Consistency - Business Buzz Words, that have no place in a 'healing' industry. MTs are like snowflakes as are guests/clients to a spa/clinic/retreat. The relationships we build with regular clients is sacred. Like the client who followed Colin from another spa. Loyalty is NOT to the company, but to the therapist! Large corporations and some smaller privately owned 'retreats' need to wise up and accept this! You may pay for the marketing and advertising to get the guest/client in, but it's the MT that keeps them coming back!
5. She gets all bent out of shape when she discovers that one particular retreat is NOT using Massage Heights 'branded' creams and lotions. Well.... did you ever ask an MT to test the product for usability? Did you ever ask the guests to your retreat if they liked the products? Just like every profession involves the use of proper tools to get the job done right the first time, MTs are no different! You give us crappy product to do our jobs and we'll give you shitty work! I'm proud of those MTs taking a stand and saying - "NO, We want our clients to be happy and benefit from our madd skills with the use of good quality products." - Well done!
In conclusion (oh, don't get me wrong... I could go on.), in conclusion; I'm not sure What UCB was trying to achieve with this particular episode... but they did get my feathers all ruffled on issues that consistently come up in my profession.
So, you want to say: It's the nature of the business? Well you can stick that up your dark side. I should be able to do my job, share my madd skills and be a facilitator of health - while being able to support a family, myself and have the support of my employer; including health benefits! I worked hard (and continue to work hard) to stay in this profession. I love what I do! I Just wish more people understood that it is NOT JUST RUBBING LOTION ON ITS SKIN!
We got Madd Skills!
ICYMI: There are deleted scenes at the CBS site - that will make you cringe! Argh......
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