Massage client gets upset after therapist follows her exact orders, accuses her of a lack of customer service, therapist smiles: ‘The session is paid for already’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Aug 30, 2026 12:00 PM EDT

Some people are never happy, which is exactly how they want it to be.

We all know that one person who likes something better when they get to complain about it. They can come back from the most luxurious vacation, and the only thing they would comment about is how the food wasn't good enough or how the AC in their room was too loud. They nitpick absolutely everything, but the funny thing is, they wouldn't have it any other way.

After you get to know someone like that, you realize that complaining is an integral part of their experience, and in some twisted way, it actually brings them joy. They like finding something wrong with a service they paid for; they like giving a disapproving look or even demanding a refund. They want to feel superior, and without these complaints, they wouldn't know how to do it. So they make a point to find something wrong with everything, everywhere, all at once.

That is exactly the kind of person we think the client below is. She booked a massage therapy appointment for the first time with the therapist who shared the story, and she had very strict instructions. The main ones were: Don't talk to me or ask me how I'm doing during the session, and don't keep going after the time is up. Pretty weird requests from a massage client, but the therapist knew better than to go against someone like that. So she complied with every single demand.

But the client, like any other professional complainer, was still not happy when the session ended. She was upset that the therapist didn't check on her at all, and didn't like it when the session ended after exactly 90 minutes. All the therapist could say in return was, "Well, I did exactly what you asked for."

This, of course, led the unhappy client to go on her rampage of further complaints, but luckily, the therapist remained unfazed…

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  • 01
    Female Massage Therapist at Workplace
    via pixelshot

    Female Massage Therapist at Workplace.

    Not actual story subjects.

  • 02

    My latest new client set the strictest rules I’ve ever heard. I obeyed every one of them. She still claimed I was the problem and lost her mind.

    Yesterday I had a new client who was referred to me, book a 90-minute mobile massage. She was very specific over text before I even showed up.
    via Best-Pirate5073
  • 03
    She told me exactly what she wanted: Deep tissue only • Focus on her upper back, shoulders, and neck
    via Best-Pirate5073
  • 04
    • "Do not check in with me at all. I hate when therapists keep asking if the pressure is okay. Just do the work." • "I don't want any small talk either. Just quiet."
    via Best-Pirate5073
  • 05
    "When the time is up, that's it. No free extras." I confirmed everything back to her so there was zero confusion. She replied "Perfect, see you then."
    via Best-Pirate5073
  • 06
    I get there, set up, and go over the same list one more time in person just to be safe. She nods and says "Yep, that's exactly what I want. Don't ask me anything once we start."
    via Best-Pirate5073
  • 07
    So I did exactly that. I put my headphones in to get some much needed audiobook time (one ear only so I could still hear if
    via Best-Pirate5073
  • 08
    she actually needed something), started the timer on my phone where she could see it, and worked in complete silence. No
    via Best-Pirate5073
  • 09
    check-ins. No "how's the pressure?" No small talk. Just the exact work she requested.
    via Best-Pirate5073
  • 10
    Massage therapist massaging woman
    via nd3000

    Massage therapist massaging woman.

    Model portrayal.

  • 11
    Every time I felt her body tense or shift I kept going at the same pressure she had asked for. No adjustments. No questions.
    via Best-Pirate5073
  • 12
    When the 90 minutes hit, I stopped. Immediately. I didn't offer the free scalp massage or hot towels I normally throw in. I just said, "That's time."
    via Best-Pirate5073
  • 13
    She sat up looking annoyed and said, "Wait, that was it? The pressure felt hard toward the end and you never even checked on me. Most therapists give a little extra time."
    via Best-Pirate5073
  • 14
    I looked at her and calmly replied, "You specifically told me not to check in, not to ask about pressure, and that when the time was up that was it with no free extras. I followed your instructions exactly."
    via Best-Pirate5073
  • 15
    She got quiet for a second then said, "Well I didn't mean it like that. You should have known to check anyway. I'm not tipping for that."
    via Best-Pirate5073
  • 16
    about how I was "too rigid" and "not customer service oriented." I just kept packing my stuff in silence the same way she had requested the entire session.
    via Best-Pirate5073
  • 17
    I have never felt more at peace ending a session. Was I supposed to ignore the very clear rules she set and somehow read her mind instead?
    via Best-Pirate5073
  • 18
    Greywatcher There would not have been any way to make her happy.
    via Greywatcher
  • 19
    1hero_no_cape Some people aren't happy unless they're miserable. This customer sounds like one of those people.
    via 1hero_no_cape
  • 20
    nychockeyman She planned on not tipping, no matter what.
    via nychockeyman

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customer service therapist job work customers client tipping order massage
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