Half hour sessions

So, when I first started, I used to offer half hour massage sessions.   The money wasn't worth the effort, and also, I'd get bad reviews posted about me "rushing the service" from people who booked me for a half hour.  I'm sorry, but what do you expect?  15 minutes into your back massage, I am going to ask you to flip over, because your release will take that long at the very least if its done properly.  And then during the release you again will complain that its "not enough time, 5 more minutes".  Lets get one thing clear, I am not, nor have I ever been what you would call a "clock watcher".  I tend to give my clients a 10 - 15 minute grace period, but once you're getting into a 45 minute session that you booked only a half hour for, you really ought to be booking me for an hour.
So I decided a few months ago that I would stop offering half hour sessions.  Nothing but bad business, and I hate having to tell my regulars who book me for 90 minutes that I don't have time to see them that day because I'm booked up with 3 half hour sessions.  The clientele who books for an hour plus tend to be the ones who are there for both the therapeutic massage and the sensual aspects.  I like having time to make a connection with people.  A massage is a form of therapy, think of it as an hour long vacation from your every day life.  The person you are sharing this experience should be somebody you can establish a moderate level of trust with, don't you think? I'm not implying that I like to talk incessantly during a massage because that can be just as unpleasant as keeping the session cold and impersonal.  But I do like a few friendly words before your massage, maybe some inside jokes, just something to make it feel like we aren't strangers.  And the clients I'd like to attract are the ones who are looking for the same.
So today, I get a call from a client who I used to see a year ago.  He only came to see me twice before and I hadn't seen him in, like I said, about a year.  Clean cut, works in the "healthcare field", nice guy, never had an issue.  Well, today he gets on my table and says "It's been a while, but your half hour rate is ___, right?" (you didn't think I was actually going to tell you how much I make, did you?)  I roll my eyes (luckily his head was in the headrest so he didn't see that, ha) And I figure what the hell, for old times sake "Yes, that's right, is that how long you'd like to stay today?" he says yes and we continue with the massage.  I start out by evening the oil all over his skin, and I can immediately feel knots.  Knots that need an hour to be worked out.  I feel bad for the guy, so I end up letting him stay an hour.  He doesn't thank me or tip.  He knew what he was doing.  So I sent him a text when he left letting him know that I actually no longer provided half hour sessions and I'd love to see him for a full hour if he'd like to book again.  Didn't hear back, shocker.
Being easily guilted into things is not a good trait to have in my line of work, I tell you what.  Which is why I'm glad to slowly be starting to figure out how to weed out the ones who will play on that...along with any other undesirables.  Not to imply that what I do is safe, I know and understand the risks involved.  But I do what I can, and its been going just great.

xoxo
I've been watching too much Gossip Girl