First Impressions via Telephone

Good communication skills are very essential in the field of Massage Therapy. Statistically it is noted that 7% of our message is communicated through words, 38% by tonality and the remaining 55% is relayed with our body language. So the obvious question for a Massage Therapist is "How can I get my message across and at the same time receive what the client is trying to convey if most of my initial contact with the client is via telephone and I can not use body language?"  This particular disadvantage must be recognized and addressed if a therapist wishes to achieve a healthy therapist/client relationship. Because only 7% is conveyed through our speech and indeed speech is our primary tool over the telephone, we have a real insight into why a script or call guideline is so important. By choosing and having total clarity over what words we use, we leave ourselves free to concentrate on our voice and our delivery.  Without a guideline it would be very easy for our busy minds to forget what we need to communicate and inquirer from our clients. How we create our image over the telephone can either make or break us in the professional setting. Make sure your guidelines are simple, clear and to the point. Document the dialogue between yourself and the client thoroughly so that you may assess the clients needs and whether or not you will be able to meet the clients expectations for therapy or refer them to the proper treatment. This is also an opportune time for you to determine or notice any "red flags" should the client be potentially harmful to you, your staff or your business. Don't be afraid to ask pointed questions concerning your's or the client's safety. Remember, if you're uncomfortable talking with this client on the telephone, imagine how you would feel being in the same personal space and delivering a massage. Keep all of your correspondences and documentations thereof in a file for reference. It might even be advisable to keep this information in a data base for quick reference. Should the conversation become awkward or the client become agitated, using vile language, making threats or showing signs of suicidal tendencies never hesitate to get help. You might even consider calling 911 or notifying the police of a potential dangerous behavior. Be sure and share with the officials your documentation of the conversation. If at all possible you might want to alert other massage establishments of the caller's behavior. You can never be too careful in situations of this nature.