Thank you for all your replies on this post. I originally posted this in Jan 2011 after having some no shows/late cancellation (hour before appointment) over a very busy Christmas and New Year Period. As our salon is in it's infancy we needed to find a way to manage these clients. We are a small family run business so cannot afford to turn clients away and this is what was happening. That to me is an inconsiderate client and one I do not want in our salon.
I have done a lot of research on this subject and posted on a few other threads about the rules and regulations of holding card details.
When we opened in 2009 we had over 50+++ no shows. I suspected that some were other salon owners/mobile business in the area but obviously couldn't prove it. I'm not stating, in the least, that other salon owners/mobile business are this unethical, but business is business and we needed to put a stop to it.
A few clients came in and said other business in the area really didn't like us opening up. However, that's all hear say!!
I looked into taking deposits for treatments/service over a certain time limit but really didn't want to upset new or old clients.
Basically, my research found that you cannot write down any card details and hold/store/file them anywhere. You can take deposits over the phone and just enter the details into the card readers with the customer copy being posted out to the client for their safe keeping. Alternatively, they can pop in and pick it up.
I also worked for a call centre and we were never, ever allowed to take details down on paper of card details or put on a computer system but that may have changed.
As with all our cancellation/deposit/pay in full policy, we are flexible. We understand fully that every now and again, people do have to cancel for genuine reasons and this is where we are flexible.
We send text reminders to clients, we have installed a caller id phone and set up caller display with BT. Any witheld numbers are called back to clarify that it is a genuine caller and those clients do not mind and fully understand.
This is working for us, our no shows/cancellation have reduced dramatically. Any clients playing up just have to pay in full for future bookings. All done above board using our card reader.
I was told only hotels and spa's have authorisation pdq's and my own provider does not have this software, which is a shame!
Respect should be earnt both ways, we are professionals and should act and be treated as such.
Once again, thank you all for your feedback
:hug: