Hi, Mr. Larry. Since this interaction with you, the business owner, is by extension an experience…read moreI'm having with Kneads Work, I believe it's appropriate to add this updated review:
Mr. Larry,
I'm going to respond directly to several points because your reply contains contradictions and mischaracterizes what I actually wrote.
First, your comment implying that because I fell asleep my recollection is somehow unreliable is both dismissive and contradictory. You state my falling asleep makes it "difficult to determine how much you actually remember," then say you "won't argue that point" after doing just that.
It was a nap, Sir, not a coma.
Falling asleep during portions of a two-hour massage does not somehow prevent me from accurately assessing the overall pressure, how little time was spent on the areas I specifically requested, or how my body felt when I left. Those are the central issues I raised.
Second, you acknowledged that Chris "had been struggling" with pressure calibration during training. That directly validates the primary criticism in my review rather than undermines it.
Third, your repeated emphasis that I answered "yes" when asked if things were okay ignores the context I already explained. Yes, I acknowledged I could have been more explicit when Chris asked whether things felt "ok." I took accountability for that. But "ok" is an inherently vague check-in. So given how vaguely that was phrased, I interpreted it as a comfort check, not a technical question about treatment depth. A therapist working with someone who explicitly disclosed thoracic outlet issues should communicate with much greater specificity if pressure depth is being calibrated. You and your past therapists were quite capable of understanding this, Sir.
Fourth, I did not indict your entire business. I explicitly referenced positive past experiences and explained that those experiences are exactly why this visit was disappointing. That's honest context, not an attack.
Fifth, my pricing criticism was never about transparency. I knew the listed cost. My point was that the service delivered did not justify that cost based on what was requested and what was actually provided. Posted pricing does not exempt a business from value-based criticism. Yes, including how your prices haven't changed for some time, Sir.
Asking why I tipped is also not the strong point you seem to think it is.
Many people tip out of courtesy, awkwardness, or because disappointment is processed more clearly after leaving. A tip is not automatic evidence of satisfaction. Not sure how questioning me doing a nice thing was worth you pointing it out. Perhaps you can explain the logic behind this.
Your suggestion that I should have complained privately instead of posting a public review misunderstands the purpose of public reviews. They exist for clients to honestly document their experiences, positive or negative. Since I'm a paying customer, not your employee, going to yelp to share my experience shouldn't be frowned upon by you.
For added context to what I told Chris, when he asked me "how I felt," I specifically said without any abrasive or rude tone, "I don't think you're a bad person at all, I just didn't get the massage I asked for, so I intend to leave a review."
As advice, it's actually you that could've reached out (you have my entire contact information) or left a message saying you'd like to rectify this matter and get better understanding of the experience after my review. I never cared for a free massage. Instead, I was more than willing to change my review after you demonstrated any good faith attempt in rectifying this matter. I assumed a business owner as successful as yourself understood how to navigate this sort of issue. Which leads me to my next point.
Most concerning was your decision to publicly mention staffing consequences involving Chris. Whether that was meant as explanation or implication, internal personnel decisions are yours alone and should not be framed in a way that attempts to place that burden on a client for leaving honest feedback. Hope you absorb that advice.
My original review was detailed, measured, and even acknowledged where I could have communicated more clearly during the session, while expressly avoiding personal attacks. That is accountability on my part.
Thank you for illuminating me to the thought process you harbor when confronting unfavorable reviews like mine. It might've been to much to expect a simple acknowledgment that the session missed the mark and that communication broke down on both sides. Instead, much of your response focused on deflecting responsibility, questioning my credibility, and reframing legitimate criticism as "destructive."
I stand by my review because it accurately reflects the experience.
Hope this removes some of the things that were "difficult to determine." You have my contact if you care to continue this, Sir. Either way, thank you.