Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/68173
MASSAGE FRANCHISES THE VALUE OF COMPETITION For those concerned that franchises will take business away from independent therapists, MT veteran Toni Roberts says there's always been somebody willing to do the job for less. "However, it takes a long time to become an excellent practitioner, and a lot of practice and study. We lose a good many before they reach that point. I think higher-skilled practitioners will remain rare enough to earn higher wages, and it should give new practitioners something to strive for." Still, she says, she's concerned that the days of the independent practitioner are numbered. "Although a few will probably survive, I think the days of solo practices may be numbered, which makes me sad ... Those who survive as independents will probably be forced to step up their skills and business practices, which can be a good thing," she says. "Independent [practitioners] have their place and will always have their place, but they have to compete," says Marco, from Hand and Stone. What might have been acceptable sometimes in the past—a portable table, a shabby, not-so-comfortable massage room with a television playing somewhere in the background—no longer holds muster, he says. The franchise has created a new expectation. Les Sweeney, president of Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals, says the question should really be not how to compete with these franchise businesses, but how to use them to strengthen your own business. "Whether viewed as the 'bad guys' or not, their presence has changed how independent practitioners need to view practice development and pricing," he says. Hill, from Everest College, doesn't believe massage franchises are taking clients away. "They're accessing clients of massage who possibly have never had a massage. They are expanding the power of touch and isn't that what it's all about?" as the consumer knows this is not a full- service day spa. "It is a simple formula of educating the consumer," she says. Now that the spa component is being added to the Massage Envy mix, will the spa industry be welcoming of its new competition? "The question raises, I am sure, some concerns from spa owners," says Hannelore Leavy, executive director of the Day Spa Association. "My view is that competition breeds business." She says a great example of this is Restaurant Row in Manhattan's off- Broadway theater district, where more than 20 restaurants took over a run-down city block and transformed it. "Now, they all thrive," she says. "I see similarities within the day spa. I have always saluted salons [hair and nails] that added spa services to enhance their offerings to clients. Those are possibly clients who never dreamed of trying spa services." Once exposed to the value and benefi t of these services, clients are more inclined to become regular users of spa treatments. "Those clients who will fi nally try a massage or a facial at the salon they trust will eventually graduate to visit a 'real' day spa and after that, hopefully graduate to make a destination/resort spa their next vacation." Leavy says Massage Envy and others are no different from the salon offering spa services, as long WHAT HAVE WE LOST? Despite the obvious changes massage franchises have brought to the profession, critics say there are some less evident things we've lost along the way. "I do believe there are two sides to this balance sheet, and like it or not, franchises are here to stay, but one of my biggest concerns with franchising massage is that business people, more than MTs, will have the power to infl uence the public's perception of the profession," says Michael Koplen, DC, a California chiropractor who began as a massage therapist in the 1980s. "It's the business and franchise owners who create the rules and policies, so they are the people who can primarily shape the public's perception of massage." But, he says, they don't necessarily have a true passion for massage or the quality of client care provided. After massage school, Koplen says he and his fellow graduates were fi lled with a strong, passionate purpose. "We had a passion to heal people through massage ... We had a passionate purpose driving us to do that. Franchises, on the other hand, can tear the heart, passion, and quality from massage through assembly line policies and fast-paced standardization of touch." Without a passionate purpose, Koplen says you likely miss the quality of care that touch can bring. "Combining passion with purpose is very important, especially in healing professions. There's a different quality between a practitioner giving someone a rub only because they want a paycheck at the end of the day versus one who's interested in the quality of care and clients' outcomes." Denver-based practitioner Nancy Saunders says she thinks one of the things missing in retail massage is the client-practitioner relationship. "In an [independent] setting such as mine, I pride myself on creating a connect with your colleagues on massageprofessionals.com 41