Twenty years of Society Service: Quality, consent, and why “no” can be care

Two decades of running an escort agency: quality as a choice

In part 2 we talked about what people are often really looking for, and why this work, despite all the outside projections, is at its core simply people work. Warmth, attention, humour, a sense of connection and fulfillment. Precisely because it is so human, it can only be done well if you organise it carefully. In this third part, I zoom in on what it takes behind the scenes to maintain that level for twenty years.

Making choices again and again that ensure it feels right for both sides, for the client and for the escort. That is not always the easiest route, but it is the route I have enjoyed the longest, and the one my team can build on. Because of that, twenty years in business does not feel like one long straight line, but like a sum of decisions. Sometimes small and practical, sometimes big and exciting, sometimes under pressure, sometimes from a place of calm. Always returning to quality and joy. And that is exactly what I want to show in this part: what it takes behind the scenes to keep that level consistent.

Part 3: protecting quality, consent, and why my “no” can also be care

Twenty years in this industry is exceptional. Many agencies disappear, change direction, or become something completely different. Why are you still here?

Marike: "Because I take it seriously, I think ahead, and I work very hard. It is not my job to be liked. It is my job to be trusted. And I am here to protect the interests of the escort, and to offer clients an experience that lives up to my promises. Or better yet, exceeds them. And I've been doing that for twenty years. I'm proud of that."

You also say: sometimes the best thing I can do for someone is to say no.

Marike: "Yes. And sometimes that clashes with the idea that luxury services mean: I pay, so I decide. You do encounter that reflex. But that is not how I work. Society Service is not about a purely erotic service. There is nothing wrong with that, but it is not what we offer. For us it is about a truly intimate time together, also outside the bedroom. Wining and dining, talking, laughing, feeling, cuddling, warmth, excitement, fulfilment. The whole package."

You accept about half of the booking requests.

Marike: "Correct. And I explain it in two ways. If I explain it personally, I say: it simply does not feel right. It is not a match. It does not fit the experience we want to offer. I take no pleasure in mediating an experience that I know in advance will not be enjoyable for either party. If I explain it from a business perspective, it is very simple. If I place the ladies in bookings they do not enjoy, or that are just 'so so', they will be gone in no time. And in the end I will lose more than the clients I am saying no to now. So saying no is sometimes the smartest way to protect continuity."

Your selection of escorts also sounds very careful.

Marike: "Yes, because it is about much more than beauty and eroticism. The cliché that true beauty is on the inside is absolutely true. It is about being able to connect, and the extent to which someone is willing to invest in that. I am cautious during the introduction period. I want an escort to feel that we introduce her to this world carefully and calmly. I do not see 'new' as a marketing tool, but as vulnerability that needs to be protected. That requires patience and respect, from me and from clients."

You mentioned three pillars: professionalism, transparency, integrity.

Marike: "Yes, and it sounds simple, but in practice it is quite demanding. Transparency means I have to be honest about what a client and an escort can expect from a booking with Society Service. Integrity means they should be able to trust, without hesitation, that I am protecting their interests. Professionalism means I simply have my affairs in order. I set the bar very high, but mostly for myself. And I am honest about this too: I hear quite often that people find “the rules” annoying, and that in my communication I can come across as too businesslike or distant. Sometimes even irritated and short. I do not like hearing that, because it is not how I want to come across. Ideally, I would skip those rules too, but experience has taught me that things go wrong more often without them, and that in the end the escorts are the ones who carry the consequences. And with forty plus escorts, things also simply have to run smoothly, so agreements and procedures are necessary. At the same time, this is a daily learning point for me: in email and WhatsApp, miscommunication happens quickly, and I want to keep paying better attention to tone, even when it is busy. In private, I am softer than I am in business, just a warm and easygoing southern Dutchie. I should bring that side in more often, without letting go of my boundaries."

You gave an example of a client where you stopped mediating, even though financially he was a major client.

Marike: "Yes. That wasn't a spectacular incident, but a pattern. Pushing boundaries, ignoring agreements, making derogatory remarks. And when escorts also indicated that it was becoming increasingly unpleasant, I knew enough. For me, customer service doesn't mean I have to take insults with a smile. So I stopped mediating."

Where exactly is your line?

Marike: "I've softened my tolerance for mistakes. People make mistakes, that's normal. Especially in an industry with so many different people, clients, and escorts. There has to be room for that, and I've definitely softened my tolerance for it. But I've become tougher on respect. If someone insults me, threatens me, or denigrates me, that's it. I won't let anyone treat me disrespectfully. And I also base my approach on something very practical: if someone can't treat me decently, they're unlikely to treat an escort decently."

Consent is a theme you emphasise a lot.

Marike: "Boundaries are sometimes tested. That is not fun, but it is reality. So it is my job to prepare escorts for that, to inform clients, and to intervene where necessary. Consent is about awareness and communication. And I also see it as something positive that in recent years there has been more attention to the other person's comfort. This has made my focus even stronger: it should be a wonderful experience for both. I think many clients underestimate how much it matters with what mindset they enter a booking: 'we are going to make it a great time together' instead of 'I pay you to give me an amazing time'. It sounds almost the same, but it is not. A great booking is the result of two (or more...) people genuinely making an effort for each other."

Covid in 2020 was a turning point.

Marike: "Yes, that was truly turning point number two. Before covid, I had faced many challenges, and with creativity, flexibility and perseverance I usually got through them. But a pandemic that can shut your business down, that is a different category. It changes how you look at risk, how you look at resilience, and how you structure your business."

And turning point three was in 2022 and 2023.

Marike: "In 2022 I ended up in an employment related dispute. Ending a collaboration after a serious breach of agreements resulted in a claim. And in 2023 the Deliveroo ruling came. That influenced how I look at safeguarding the escort’s independent status and my role within that. It coincided with the period in which consent also became more explicit. It sharpened my thinking, and that carries through into everything. Also legally and organisationally."

You also mentioned the industry culture around newcomers and elbow work, and that you have changed in how you respond to that.

Marike: "Yes. I sometimes see drama in the industry, and I have less and less appetite for it. I would rather put my energy into my own path, my quality, and my people."

And yet, twenty years later, you are still here. And there is only one competitor who has been around at least as long, who you are friends with.

Marike: "Yes. That is truly special. Twenty plus years is a rarity in this industry. And it shows that continuity is possible if you build it well. I also like that there are colleagues who understand that you do not have to burn each other down in order to exist yourself. There is room for all of us. And maturity always works better than drama."

What do you hope readers feel at the end of this anniversary piece?

Marike: "That clients are eager to book one of the fantastic high class escorts from my team. And above all, that it's clear they can blindly trust my integrity. That's the core. For twenty years now. I also hope that people just think: okay, this is less 'weird' than I thought. It's work. It's people's work. And I still do it with great pleasure."

Last question: where's the party at?

Marike: "You'll have to wait five more years for that. I am contemplating throwing a big party at our 25 year anniversary and inviting all escorts I ever worked with throughout those years. I would love to see what's up with their lives now."