I received a Groupon certificate for a massage as a gift. Booking the massage was fairly easy and…read moreCathy not only confirmed the massage but also sent directions via text message. With her directions, it was very easy to find the location. I was a few minutes early and she was ready for me, having me fill out a quick information sheet before we started. The room was clean and immediately set me at ease. Cathy engaged in a bit of small talk with me in the beginning and communicated well with me throughout the massage.
The massage itself was great - very relaxing, very thorough, and took up just about an hour. I knew I was going to feel better for days, both physically and emotionally.
However, the after-massage is what is causing me to give 3 stars instead of 5, and ensures I will not be booking a second massage with Cathy. On a table in the room was a sign saying something to the effect of "If you enjoyed your massage, please feel free to leave a gratuity". I realized I had forgotten the cash I meant as a tip at home and only had a few dollars on hand. I had been really happy with the massage and thought I would get her card and book a second massage, with the intention of fully tipping her for BOTH at the second massage. When I walked out of the room, she asked how I felt and, with phone and Square chip in hand, told me that she accepts gratuities via card if I wanted to -- following that up with an explanation that she only gets about 1/2 of what Groupon charges and she only uses it for advertising.
I had told her that the massage was a gift, so it was unprofessional to complain about how much money she is losing from advertising she chose to do. Without Groupon, I wouldn't have known she existed. But if she hadn't prompted me for a tip, I would have booked another massage, given her a full tip for both, AND used both Yelp and word of mouth to help tell more people about her.
As much as I enjoyed the massage, and as relaxed as I felt going home, I was turned off by that experience. People will tip when and if they can and it was very uncomfortable to be prompted by the business owner for more money.