Project: It Came from the Breakroom Part 1
Format: E-Learning
Software: Storyline Articulate 360, HMTL5, Flash
Features: Multiple Characters, Text Dialogue Exchange, Multiple Choice Interaction, Drag-and-Drop Matching, Check List Interaction, Hot Spots, Sounds, Layers, and Motion Paths
Scenario: This story-based mini-course is designed to build empathy and awareness of body shame in potential massage clients. A new client, nervous, overhears part of a conversation between two employees in the breakroom.
As a massage therapy instructor I often have conversations with local employers. Something that new therapists often lack is a situational awareness of what they say, how it comes off to others, and how far their voice will carry. I got this!
This training module starts by establishing that a client is nervous about getting a massage. We see the thoughts from the client’s perspective for each step of the process.
When the client arrives at the location she is greeted at the door. And, like many clients, she needs to use the bathroom before her massage.
The learner has several doorways to click in the hallway setting.
The first doorway leads to a luxurious facial room. The learner is informed that the client has been looking for a regular skin care person and is willing to invest money in a routine. That is, if all goes well today.
The second doorway leads to a managerial office.
The third doorway leads to the restroom. The client is pleased with how clean it is and starts to relax.
On the way back is when the trouble begins.
A group of massage therapists are standing in the breakroom having a conversation. It has nothing to do with the client at all.
The scene shows the colleagues and what each says. It’s innocuous conversation. It’s a little too loud.
Then we see the client’s side of the door. The client, hypersensitive and anxious already, overhears key words and assumes the worst.
This happens several times and after the last interaction, she’s done. Her feelings are hurt and she decides to leave.
Few massage training courses (to my knowledge) address the client’s chain of thought and their experience. What could be more important?
This type of interaction is critical to witness from a client’s perspective. Therapists who talk too much in the breakroom often become defensive and irritable when confronted in the moment. This type of training helps them make the connection that anything that’s said could be taken the wrong way and lose a massage client for good. It’s not a matter of being right or wrong or spending your break how you want to.
The goal is to provide the best client experience possible.
Employees, who often understand that repeat clients mean more reliable work, and better tips help them make their rent, need to understand the “why” behind the rules and regulations. Once they connect the knowledge to their paycheck and their human values, they’ll start to comply.