Setting up Bontro as a massage therapist
Services, buffer time, deposits, consent forms, and a HIPAA note.
Your booking page, service menu, and policies need to be configured a specific way to run a massage therapy practice cleanly. Here is a setup walkthrough.
Step 1: Create your services Go to Dashboard → Services → Add Service. Common services to add: - Swedish Massage (60 min, $80) - Swedish Massage (90 min, $110) - Deep Tissue (60 min, $90) - Deep Tissue (90 min, $120) - Hot Stone Massage (75 min, $100) - Prenatal Massage (60 min, $85)
Keep names simple — clients should instantly know what they're choosing.
Step 2: Set buffer time Add 15–20 minutes of buffer time to each service. This blocks cleanup, table resetting, and prep time between clients without showing it on your public schedule.
Go to each service → Edit → Buffer time → 15 minutes. A 60-minute service with 15 minutes of buffer effectively occupies 75 minutes on your calendar.
Step 3: Require deposits for longer sessions For 90-minute and premium sessions, a deposit dramatically reduces no-shows. A $20–$30 deposit is standard. For shorter sessions (30-minute chair massages), no deposit is usually needed.
Set the deposit amount in the service editor. The remaining balance is collected at the appointment or via a payment request.
Step 4: Set your cancellation policy Massage therapists lose full revenue on late cancellations because the slot can't be filled last-minute. A 24-hour window with a $25–$50 fee is the most common setup.
Go to Settings → Cancellation Policy, set your window and fee, and write a short plain-language note explaining it.
Step 5: Use consent forms for intake Bontro consent forms collect the health intake information you need before the session: - Medical conditions (injuries, recent surgeries, chronic conditions) — use a text question - Allergies to oils or lotions — text question - Areas to avoid or focus on — text question - Pregnancy status — yes/no question - Digital signature acknowledging scope of services
Go to Dashboard → Consent Forms to set this up. Clients fill it in after booking and before they arrive.
Step 6: Set your availability with personal buffer Consider setting a hard end time (e.g., stop at 7 PM), blocking mid-week personal time, and leaving the first and last slot of each day as padding. Go to Dashboard → Availability.
Important note on HIPAA: Bontro is a scheduling and payment platform. It is not a clinical notes or medical records system and is not HIPAA-compliant. Use Bontro for booking, deposit collection, and health intake forms only. Keep clinical notes, SOAP notes, and treatment records in a separate HIPAA-compliant system.