Those seeking to enjoy the ultimate in relaxation without even leaving the comfort of home have it even easier these days, thanks to the Delaware Massage Network — a new group that organizes massage therapists providing in-home services in southern Delaware.
DMN founder, certified massage therapist and Bethany Beach resident Bruce C. Young said the network was needed because, while Delaware already has established strenuous standards for the education and certification of massage therapists, “Most people didn’t group together, and clients don’t know where to find people to do in-home massage.”
Many massage-seekers think of spas and salons when considering the service, but Young said he and other massage therapists prefer to offer their services inside the home — a very different experience for the clients, and one that some clients prefer.
“If you want the frills of getting your hair done and your nails, and some special modalities or types of massage, you should really go to a salon or spa, and we’ll even recommend that,” Young explained. “But if you want the full relaxation in your own home, where don’t have to jump up after the massage and get into your car, you can have a massage in the quiet of your own home.”
Young said the in-home massage also appeals seniors with mobility problems, so those who can’t or prefer not to leave their homes for a massage can still enjoy the treatment. That option proved popular over the winter, Young said.
“We also have had a pretty good response from a number of the hotels in the area,” he noted. “It’s a way for them not to have a standing spa. Until now, they haven’t had a professional relationship that they could count on.” Otherwise, he explained, in-home massage options for hotel guests has simply been through word of mouth from hotel staff who knew of someone who knew someone who performed the service. “Now, they can deal with a company whose sole business is in-home massage.”
Young said that would-be clients need have a space in their home (or hotel room) where someone would be able to set up a table and work around the table. Beyond that, they just get to relax, stay home and not worry about getting spiffed up to head back out into the world once their massage is done.
For Young, the advantages and limitations of an in-home massage mean the DMN is not trying to compete with local spas and salons that offer massage. “I don’t see us as being in competition. These are two different types of markets and customers. We will recommend a spa or salon if it’s needed,” he emphasized.
Indeed, the main intention of the DMN was to help clients get information to connect with individual therapists who could provide in-home Swedish massage, instead of having them go out to a spa or salon.
By founding the DMN, Young said, “We made it a central way that people can get good-quality in-home massages.”
Above and beyond the basic standards enforced by the state, Young said the DMN’s goal was “a matter of making sure you have good qualified people and making sure they’ve been fully screened.”
The DMN imposes additional requirements on its members. “They all had to agree to requirements on dress code, punctuality, identification and others processes – above and beyond the state requirements,” Young explained. “We have basic internal standards that we feel makes us different from anyone else.”
And the DMN wants to ensure that beyond simply agreeing to those internal standards, DMN members are keeping up their part of the bargain when it comes to client care.
“At the end of every massage, we make a follow-up call to client and ask them about things that can be improved upon, he said. “If anyone doesn’t conform, we’ll give them a warning and then drop them if they still don’t conform.”
“The punctuality, presentation and cleanliness — those are the keys to quality in-home massage,” Young emphasized.
As it stands, the growing network is ready for referrals to all prospective clients in Sussex and Kent counties. “We have basic, primary areas where we have primary massage therapists,” Young said. “If the demand gets greater, we have associates that would do the area also. We have over 20 people now that have been certified and gone through special screening and testing above and beyond what is normally required.”
In fact, the DMN has more certified sets of hands than it really needs at the moment. “We went into the holistic fair and had 10 therapists ask to become part of the network. We put them on a waiting list,” he said. “We may need them. Hopefully, we will,” he added with a note of confidence.
Another area of potential expansion is in those massage modalities. Young said that while the DMN is concentrating on Swedish massage at the moment, if the demand is there, the network will add other types of massage to its repertoire.
Young — a senior manager for more than 36 years at various customer-oriented companies, including most recently, senior director at 1-800flowers.com — admitted that the upfront startup costs of establishing the network have eaten up any profit for him. But he said he does hope the business will soon provide some profit for him and all involved. “Want to make it so it’s a full-time job for all the therapists who are part of the group.”
The potential is there, with a recent survey conducted by the American Bodywork and Massage Professionals Association indicating that more than 20 percent of all Americans age 21 or older had had a massage during the past year.
And in forming the DMN, Young ensured it immediately became the largest network of massage professionals in lower Delaware providing in-home relaxing Swedish massage therapy. Simply put, “They bring the massage to the customer,” he said.
For more information, contact Young and the Delaware Massage Network at (302) 541-5339.