Joining an agency

If an agency wants any money from you up front, then avoid.

What % of the fee do they pay the therapist?

Do they demand an exclusive arrangement? If so do they provide a contractual minimum number of hours work?

IMO hotel guest rooms are not suitable places for massage, I would only work in a hotel if they provided a room specifically for massage.

Myarka.

If she hasn't joined yet, tell her to avoid it. It sounds very much like 'escort' work to me. Plus, as Myarka says, if the agency want a 'fee' up front, tell her to run in the opposite direction.

I talked to a girl who was doing that at a course. She enjoyed it. I asked her if the guys weren't a bit weird sometimes and she said that it did happen (that some of them thought there would be a 'happy ending') but the concierge knows she's up there so things are under control.
She goes around London by tube with her portable table. Sounds like a nightmare to me and the pay wasn't that good... Can't remember how much. Also they call you and you have to be there within the hour.
I'd much rather do less massages but with people I will see more regularly (and no weird foreign business man who wants a bit of fun).

A friend worked for one agency who had massage tables in the hotels that used their services. She did have problems with men wanting extras who would say therapists from the same company had provided them. Some agencies pay around £30+ per hour but this is not enough to make me want to do visits. On a few rare occasions I've taken my massage table on public transport and i've not been a happy bunny.

Massage Agencies

Not sure why Jabba the Hut thinks this mobile agency would be an "escort service". If you are in London there are a plethora of good providers for hotels (and private homes) and there is a great demand for the services of these therapists. Several of the therapists I know who do this prefer hotels to going to a stranger's house, because the risks are seen as much less.

You need to get the right agency that takes security seriously (ie knows the hotels) and also makes clear on their website what is and is not provided. There is a problem with certain male clients who (to put it neutrally) come from a culture where they regards women as objects and not equals. It does require a firm approach from the therapist with the client. Experience soon teaches you who to look out for.

The other problem with the hotel agencies is that they take often 25% of the fee and there is little repeat booking given that most guests are transient. The agencies like that as it means (as is often the case) that the therapist won't establish a relationship with the client and start treating him/her privately. Often home mobile massage through an agency is how many therapists establish their client base (despite being theoretically prohibited from doing so).

My general view is that this is a temporary or complementary sort of work, which you would not want to do long-term as your sole outlet. However it is a good pocket filler in the interim and quite safe if you use the right agency.

My tutor who has been a therapist for 23 years, said the only clients that come in to the practice and enquire about 'extra' services are Asian men, she said in all her time there have only ever been a couple of English men that have asked. She said to avoid these massage agencies because lots of men automatically assume hand relief (or more) is on offer,especially considering that lots of the picture of these so called legit masseuses are posed in a sexual and suggesting manor. I just had a look at a couple of the London agencies and they do look pretty suggestive, not sure if this us the cause else where around the country, but why would a professional masseuse have a picture of her in an evening dress with big dangly earings for example?!

My tutor who has been a therapist for 23 years, said the only clients that come in to the practice and enquire about 'extra' services are Asian men, she said in all her time there have only ever been a couple of English men that have asked. She said to avoid these massage agencies because lots of men automatically assume hand relief (or more) is on offer,especially considering that lots of the picture of these so called legit masseuses are posed in a sexual and suggesting manor. I just had a look at a couple of the London agencies and they do look pretty suggestive, not sure if this us the cause else where around the country, but why would a professional masseuse have a picture of her in an evening dress with big dangly earings for example?!

Interesting the calls I've had from guys asking if I do full body massage have sounded Asian but they have never actually booked an appointment. At the clinic no Asian men have ever asked for extras. The only man who did ask for hand relief was Nigerian. Anyway I think in reality any man regardless of his race could ask for extras. I don't have any issues with massaging men and apart from this one incidence have had no problems.

I believe that there are proper massage agencies around. The ones that show suggestive photos are generally using massage as a front for escorting/prostitution.

To feel safer the OP could look at agencies who offer on-site massage in offices or at corporate events.

I am thinking of joining the therapy agency, to get a few more clients. But as I work full time I think it may be a little difficult.
Anyone know of this company?

Thanks

Vickie

Of course there are serious agencies! I worked for one years ago in London and they are still operating.
They send massage therapists to 4 and 5 stars hotles in London and their message to clients and website is very clear in that they just offer a therapeutic service. Despite this, in about 1 year I had about 2 or 3 requests for "extras".
But when once explained that sexual services were not offered in a professional manner, they were never any problems.
Its bound to happen at some point. Unfortunately we use the same word "massage" for very different things and missunderstandings can always happen.
However, I never felt unsafe. All the opposite. The agency knew where I was. The concierges too...And you were dealing with mega rich clients that didn't really want any trouble and could perfectly afford a scort service as well.

My experience in fact was very positive. I worked very hard, the pay was not great but the tips were fantastic.
It gave me a great opportunity to get lots of experience. It gave me lots of confidence and interpersonal tools to then open my own practice and run it successfully.
In fact, I am very happy I did it. Probably I wouldn't be a massage therapist today without that experience!
If you feel like joining an agency, research the different agencies around and go for it! You can always leave you don't like it!
M

I am thinking of joining the therapy agency, to get a few more clients. But as I work full time I think it may be a little difficult.
Anyone know of this company?

Thanks

Vickie

Hi Vickie,
I know the Therapy Agency pretty well.. 🙂
We currently have around 60 therapists on our books. Some make thousands of pounds a year through us, others may not hear from us with work for a couple of years at a time. It depends a lot on your area, and the treatments you offer (and what work comes up in your area).
We however, only get paid when we find you work (of which we ask for a small percentage) and obviously we incur costs in processing each application, so we're keen to only take on the best therapists we can, that we believe we can get work, so we can recover our costs over time.
For most people though, it is only work to supplement your existing income (so working around your full-time commitments may well be possible).
It would be good to have some more quality therapists in South Wales again though!