Business Overview
Michael Forrest started StGeorgeMassage as a solo entrepreneur more than 15 years ago. As his client base grew, so did the need for additional service providers. The business now includes two locations in Southern Utah with multiple treatment rooms, front desk areas, and a full team of more than a dozen licensed massage therapists.
Business Stats
- 11+ years operated with Square
- Team of 15–20 massage therapists
- 2 locations, 15 treatment rooms
The Objective
As his business scaled, Michael needed a modern solution for both payments and appointments that enabled clients to book online with specific therapists.
He wanted to be able to easily view reports and analytics, to ensure at a glance that business was running smoothly, from booking appointments to making payments. Michael also wanted a tool that could provide quick, automated money transfers so that earned funds could be transferred to his business bank account as early as the next day. Some payment processing options require a manual transfer of funds from the platform to a bank account, which can take days at a time.
The Challenge
StGeorgeMassage started with Square by taking payments using credit card readers on individual staffers’ phones. As the business expanded, Michael wanted an elevated customer experience that would differentiate the business from competitors. Businesses were moving online, and clients wanted convenient booking options.
In this digital age, a lot of people just don’t want to call. We have people that just love setting their appointments online.”
”Michael → founder and licensed massage therapist of StGeorgeMassage
He wanted a tool to help him digitize his business to reduce paperwork and clutter and manage multiple aspects of his day, from booking to team management. He also wanted to provide clients with more information about his massage therapists — who they are, and what they specialize in — so clients could choose the right service provider. The team is a key element that sets StGeorgeMassage apart from others, and he wanted to make sure their expertise was known.
Over the past decade, both StGeorgeMassage and Square have grown, providing Michael with new tools and solutions to increase operational efficiency.
The Solution: Square Appointments
Since getting started with Square over 11 years ago, Michael has taken advantage of the full Square ecosystem of tools to help him run his business. With Square Appointments, Michael has been able to create a robust online experience for clients to book directly with their preferred massage therapist, or any massage therapist available, at a time that best suits them. Square Appointments also lets him seamlessly manage his entire team’s schedule, take payments, and view all the reporting and analytics he needs to keep the business running smoothly.
This includes a customizable booking website powered by Square Online that features bios and photos of his team, the services they provide, and flexible booking options. This helps StGeorgeMassage stand out from the competition.
“We find that they [customers] are reading the therapist bios, and they’re selecting the therapist based on that information. With other booking software, all you get is a name. You don’t know if you’re getting somebody fresh out of school or somebody who’s got 20 years of experience. And this allows people to book with their favorite therapist and see their schedule without ever having to bother to call us.”
Square Appointments also helps the team streamline customer booking and keep track of client preferences. Michael can see exactly who is getting booked for appointments and what sales are generated from each massage therapist.
Square Appointments also integrates with Google Calendar to make managing bookings easy. Team members and clients alike can see their appointments on their calendars in real time online and on their phones.
With Square, Michael can take advantage of free next-business-day transfers, where funds automatically move to StGeorgeMassage bank accounts within 1–2 business days. He is also able to easily track earnings and pull sales reports so that he is always on top of every financial aspect of his business. It provides a little marketing boost as well because he has the data to support decision-making.
“We’re a sales-driven organization in spite of the fact that we’re a service organization, especially since my son has come on to partner with me. He’s not a massage therapist, but he has an accounting degree and marketing degree. He’s been able to elevate the business utilizing Square. With the marketing tools and the social media integrations, he’s been able to nearly triple our sales since he came on board five years ago.”
Michael continues to use other Square products, too, such as Square Terminal at the front desk and trade shows and expos, as well as Square Reader for quick payments taken away from the shop. With Square Appointments, Michael has been able to easily manage bookings and his team and take payments from anywhere, which has helped the business triple overall sales in the last five years.
With Square Appointments, StGeorgeMassage can also link their booking page with social media accounts such as Facebook, Instagram, and Google to boost discoverability and bookings with clients. Finally, they use Square Invoices for commercial contracts as well.
Compared to other financial services, I’ve always felt that Square was ahead of the curve. Square has made it easy to use digital services to book clients, take payments, and stay on top of sales. In turn, Square also keeps our cash flow healthy with next-day transfers. ”
The Results
- Sales increased over the last two years, in spite of the pandemic
- Tripled overall sales in five years since using Square Marketing
- Implemented Square Marketing and Square Online Checkout Links in 2019 and have seen a $50–60K increase in sales every December since
- Saw a $50K spike in sales in July 2021 after implementing Square Marketing and Square Online Checkout Links
