Hello Geekers!!

I've just had the salon telephone me as my first appointment in the morning has just cancelled. I asked if she re-booked and they said no.
It's for a rebalance. I have telephoned her saying....
' Hello, this is Kirsty nail tech, blah, blah. The salon has just phoned me to say you have cancelled. I am just ringing to see if there is anything wrong. I am hoping there isn't and to see if you want to make another appointment. Also, you ordered some cream and I wondered if you will still be wanting that. Please give me a call when you're free.
Thanks etc......
My question is: Do you telephone when people cancel? Or just shrug and say NEXT!?
I am still building a limited client base so was in need of an answer to this. I don't want to come across as an uncaring tech. If she has problem I really would like to sort it.
I am hoping it's work problems and not me though!!!!

I tend to call people if they just don't turn up. I think not only does it show you care but it shows you don't want to be taken for a ride ie people thinking "Oh I cant be bothered to go to the salon today, it's only my waxing/nails/massage...."

The only 'no-shows' I have got so far was in between xmas and new year. I did phone them and they all forgot and re-booked. It wasn't many to be honest.
But; if they have cancelled and not made another appointment I need to know why surely? To be able to offer them an alternative or a solution if its a problem with their nails.... or worse... ME!!! lolol

Hi PeepPaws,

I have been mulling over this very same thing but have been tipped off by a friend of mine that owns a hair salon, she says that sometimes people just forget to come and then feel such a moron that they daren't call (I have forgotten appointments before, I'm sure we all have!). So now they now call/text/e-mail clients a day or two before their appointment to confirm that they are still coming. She says that she gets a lot less no-shows now.

I hope this helps, it sure is something I'm going to start doing!

Em x

Please read my thread again. This isn't about a no-show. This is about clients phoning to cancel and not making another appointment.
Sorry to sound quick but I don't want this thread to get the wrong answers!!

I'm still in the process of setting up so havent got any clients yet, but I would say you did the right thing.
If you had actually spoken to the client you would have got the reason in the first call, it might purely be lack of funds hun, but people are to embarrassed to say.
The receptionist should have asked her if she would like another appointment.
If you havent spoken directly to the client it doesnt hurt to call them to see if they would like to re-book and how their nails are.

If it's one of my regulars, yes, I'll always call because I know that they have a good track record.

But tbh, if it's only a second appointment I would leave it. I'm confident enough in my work not to worry if the nails were ok or not. If they're not ok it's cos they've bashed them up or not oiled and worn gloves or whatever. So I wouldn't ring. If they've got a personal problem come up, they'll call you when they can to re-book. If they're just unreliable then they're not the sort you want anyway.

I ve had this problem a couple of times,one new client rebooked ,texted me a couple of days before her appointment to say ..was going away will cal me when she gets back ..never heard from her again.Had a call recently from a lady who I was really looking forward to doing,as she was a day time appointment and only lived a couple of miles away from me, so I was hoping shed become a regular..texted me two days before her app....Im going away to london for a few days will have to cancel,call you when i get back...no sign of any call from her!

What do you do with these people,do you have the guts to phone them back at a later date to jog their memory,or do you assume they werent happy with their nails,or they just dont want to carry on with the maintance.

I had my first nail bitter a couple of weeks ago,shes booked in for infills friday,i said to her id see her then,if she had any problems call me.Well Ive heard nothing so Im hoping shes sticking to her app.Im gonna call her tomorrow eve to make sure everythings ok still,if she cancels because she says...shes going away...Im gonna be so gutted.!!!

I think when people are in front of you they are bound to re book for a rebalance because it is face to face.

If they cancel later it may just be easier because they are doing it by phone.

I used to pursue these people but they were clearly uncomfortable with it and I still couldn't persuade them to come back.

It is just the way some people are I think

Sorry hun I did miss-read this but the principal of contacting them in advance could still help with last minute cancellations and at least give you the chance to re-book them in the future and fill the cancelled appointment with another client.

Already do that, but you putting it on here might help others, so thanks for that! xxx

HI

I go through this with my staff all the time often when someone cancels all it takes for them to re-book is for them to say 'would you like me to re-book that for you Mrs smith' !! Its pure laziness on the receptionist's part!

Its like when you have finished your client don't let them walk out the door without offering them another appointment! So many girls do this they just take the money say thanks see you next time................so annoying! Sometimes clients just need a gentle prod.

ie You will be due in again in three weeks Mrs smith would you like me to book that now for you?

Have a little word in the salons managers ear! Ask her to ask the staff to always offer another appointment after a cancellation.

I think your call was a good idea. Some clients though sometimes have a set of nails and don't manage with them so they cancel their re balance.

I hope you build up quickly x

I'm one of them that wouldnt chase up a client if they phoned to cancel.

Sometimes you can feel a little under pressure to re-book so the kind thing to do is just go through the motions of putting a day and time to another booking just to be polite. I think i would feel much better cancelling an appointment by phone if i didnt really want another one.

If one of my clients cancelled by phone, i would just wait for them to re-book the same way they cancelled if thats what they wanted but if i didnt hear from them i would just get on with life? I would hate to feel any of my clients were under an obligation to me?
but thats just me x

Heh guess what ,I phoned her shes cancelled, daughters caught her fingers in the stair gate n broken 2 of em,will phone you later to make another appointment....she said...still not heard...what a let down...

Well now firstly I think if you want to call then that is up to you. I think it's a good idea as long as you handle it well and it comes across as a courtesy call rather than a "how dare you cancel your appointment what do you think you are doing" type of call

Like you say, if there was a problem some people are too shy to complain and this could have been your chance to shine and sort out a problem that is easily sortable!

Clients are busy people and I know the number of times I have gotten into bed and thought, oh hell I've forgotten to phone XYZ AGAIN!!! So I have now started to text people when their rebalances are due and they aren't booked in, or maybe they have come regularly for facials and stopped for a while, and just reminded them that their regular appointment is now due so please call if they would like to rebook. 9 times out of 10 they do!

Don't panic or take it personally if clients don't return, it's probably just because they are too busy and can't make it.