Beyond Technique: Why Soft Skills Matter More Than Ever

With 21 years in the industry, massage therapist and educator Tonia McGeorge has built a career not just on technical expertise, but on communication and connection. A service provider at Revive Day Spa in Aberdeen, South Dakota, she believes modern professionalism requires mastering soft skills to future-proof a career.

We spoke with her about emotional intelligence, client consultation, de-escalation and why communication gaps widened during COVID.

MODERN SALON: You talk about “modern professionalism.” What does that mean in today’s service industry?

TONIA MCGEORGE: Modern professionalism is evolving beyond hard skills. Technical training is essential but about 85 percent of job success comes from soft skills. In a world where AI and automation are increasing, human connection becomes more valuable, not less. 

Guests want to feel heard, they want to feel catered to, and the soft skills of attention, communication, empathy, they build trust...and trust builds loyalty. 

MODERN SALON: We assume someone who chooses a caring profession automatically has strong communication skills. Is that true?

TM:  Not necessarily.

Many entry-level professionals come in without ever being taught what professionalism looks like in a modern service environment. Especially younger apprentices — 17 or 18 years old — this may be their first job. They’ve never had phone training. They’ve never practiced de-escalation. Soft skills require coaching and modeling.

MODERN SALON: How do you coach someone in soft skills? 

TM:  First, I teach them it’s okay to take a breath. When you’re new, you feel pressure to fill the silence. But sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is stay present.

There’s a study about music and pauses and it says the space between notes matters as much as the notes themselves. The same is true in conversation. You have to hear the pause. What’s not being said.

Sometimes I’ll even stop writing on my consultation sheet so they can see I’m fully listening.

MODERN SALON: Do you have specific consultation questions that help you go deeper?

TM:  Yes. My first question when someone walks in is: “What’s going on today?”

It’s open-ended. I’m not asking “What hurts?” yet. I want to know where they are emotionally and logistically. Are they rushed? Are they overwhelmed? Do they have time for an add-on?

Then I move into specifics, like, “When you say your back hurts, is it a dull ache? Sharp? Burning?” And “Is this new or ongoing?” 

MODERN SALON: Let’s talk about that. How do you handle difficult conversations  like pricing concerns?

TM:  Scripts are powerful. An ineffective response to pricing pushback might be, “That’s our policy.”

A more professional response is something along the lines of, “I completely understand,  that’s a fair question. Let me explain where the value comes from.”

That shift changes everything. If there’s miscommunication, instead of saying, “I thought you meant…” try:
“It sounds like there was a misunderstanding. Let’s clarify so we’re aligned.”

Repeating back what you heard is another strong tool. It shows you’re listening and ensures accuracy.

MODERN SALON: You joined Revive in 2019. We’ve heard that COVID interrupted a lot of learning around soft skills. Have you seen that?

TM: Yes. Absolutely. Some professionals who were in school during COVID didn’t have as many opportunities to practice live communication skills. Less phone work. Less in-person consultation. Less exposure to de-escalation.

In our salon, we use scripts intentionally. For example: “Thank you for calling Revive Day Spa. My name is Tonia. Can I get your first name, please?”

If someone is new, we teach them to say: “I’m new and I want to make sure I help you correctly. May I place you briefly on hold so I can confirm this for you?”  That takes the fear out of it.

  This was an audio interview, organized for clarity using ChatGPT.