Why cant people just ring and cancel?

[leonnib]

erghh
its so annoying that people just dont turn up..
i have one that works in the shop across the road she didnt turn up and we normally see pass the shop every morning but 'strangely' havent seen her for a week now so obvioulsy doenst want to see us and have to explain herself.

some people call and book for the next day and dont turn up
they obviousy have a phone and know our number as they managed to call in the first time.
ive tried to think of ways to prevent no-shows but i guess if they aint going to turn up they wont.

is there anything people do to decrease the amount of people who just dont turn up..?

 

[seniorbee]

Have you tried calling to see where the client got to? I usually phone on the pretence of "checking that i hadnt made a mistake in the appointment book". then when they say they totally forgot...i just say "no problem, its just that we are starting to take a cancelation fee for clients who "forget" to phone and cancel. I wouldnt want them to get stung if this situation should arise again!

usually does the trick!

 

[***juice***]

They probably feel awkward about being a let down - why they don't feel that awkwardness next time they strut past the salon/call for another appointment is beyond me though.

If you're getting a lot of cancellations, might be worth ringing people the day before appt to remind them.

 

[leonnib]

funnily enough the ones that not turned up have booked the day before anyway.
or have walked in and booked it for later that same day

its hard to comment on if its alot as not been open long not double figures anyway.
but even so i cant understand why peole would call at 6pm the day before for 12pm the next day and not come.

its hardly long enough to 'forget'.

 

[leonnib]

Have you tried calling to see where the client got to? I usually phone on the pretence of "checking that i hadnt made a mistake in the appointment book". then when they say they totally forgot...i just say "no problem, its just that we are starting to take a cancelation fee for clients who "forget" to phone and cancel. I wouldnt want them to get stung if this situation should arise again!

usually does the trick!

i may just use that.. but ive tried calling about 15 minutes after thier appointments and can you believe apart from one there numbers arent right.. why give a 'wrong number'

 

[seniorbee]

Always worked for me...in my previous employment and my own business. polite way of saying you have picked up on it but will take the blame ... THIS TIME! lol

xxx

 

[kylieb]

I understand your frustration huni and it's one of the things that bug me the most!!!
In the spa i work in, we allow them to do this twice then if they book again,take a payment over the phone before hand. Do these people not understand, people have a business to run!!!!! It's so rude! xxx

 

[jes]

I think it's just a sign of the times. There's a lot of hardship around at the moment, so I guess it only takes one, unexpected, utility bill to drop through the letterbox to loose you an appointment.

I do believe we have to grin and bare it though. I can't see no point in threatening fines for late cancellations or no shows, because you'll just never see these people again, including the ones who genuinely couldn't make it or forgot!

Jes

 

[leonnib]

I understand your frustration huni and it's one of the things that bug me the most!!!
In the spa i work in, we allow them to do this twice then if they book again,take a payment over the phone before hand. Do these people not understand, people have a business to run!!!!! It's so rude! xxx

.

it is rude..we had walk in and book at 12pm for 4pm and didnt come:irked:
they dont seem to care its a business and we make time for them

 

[leonnib]

I think it's just a sign of the times. There's a lot of hardship around at the moment, so I guess it only takes one, unexpected, utility bill to drop through the letterbox to loose you an appointment.

I do believe we have to grin and bare it though. I can't see no point in threatening fines for late cancellations or no shows, because you'll just never see these people again, including the ones who genuinely couldn't make it or forgot!

Jes

how could you forget your appointment the next day or that evening:irked:..
its more of them changing their mind i reckon...or just doing something else

 

[spanishbeauty]

its one of the things that annoys me the most. this year i'd had enough. i have a lot of holiday makers during the summer that walk in and expect an appointment there and then, or say ' can i get a manicure, pedicure, facial, full leg wax, etc etc for today' and when i say no sorry not today, but tomo, they just stand there with this look and say to me, oohhh but im going home tomorrow!!!!!!!! aaaaaarrrrggghhhhhh!!!

i solved my problem but putting a sign up and asking each client (except my real regulars) for a small deposit for their booking..........so far ive had 2 people that havent turned up so ive been able to keep their deposit as they havent given me enough notice with cancelling or just not turning up. apart from that, everyones turned up.......problem solved!

 

[leonnib]

what do you do if its done by phone do you still take a deposit by card?

 

[***juice***]

how could you forget your appointment the next day or that evening:irked:..
its more of them changing their mind i reckon...or just doing something else

More of a "can't be bothered" if you ask me!

 

[spanishbeauty]

i only have a small business and dont take cards yet, but if they book by phone, i take a contact number and phone them before their appointment......again, thats worked for me so far....

 

[leonnib]

i only have a small business and dont take cards yet, but if they book by phone, i take a contact number and phone them before their appointment......again, thats worked for me so far....

yeah i dont have a machine either ... wel il have to see if the deposit thing helps

 

[StudioTracker]

I think a lot of people aren't very good at telling other people bad news and avoid confrontation at all costs. These type of people feel awkward even ringing to cancel, as they think they're letting you down, even though you'd rather have a cancellation than a no-show! Anyhow, you can overcome this problem by sending out SMS reminders and these reduce no-shows. Contact me for more details if you're interested.

 

[Ruth Mills]

I think a lot of people aren't very good at telling other people bad news and avoid confrontation at all costs. These type of people feel awkward even ringing to cancel, as they think they're letting you down, even though you'd rather have a cancellation than a no-show! Anyhow, you can overcome this problem by sending out SMS reminders and these reduce no-shows. Contact me for more details if you're interested.

Good call! Many companies offer "SMS gateways" via which you can send SMS messages from the Internet; often they will provide an HTTP interface for sending messages, and some will also let you schedule messages to go out at particular times. Such companies generally charge between about 5p and 10p per message.

I think some mobile broadband providers also offer the facility to send SMS messages from your PC - if you have inclusive messages as part of your monthly price plan, then it would make sense to take advantage of those, even more so if you can link the mobile broadband SMS software to some sort of scheduling system (you would need to leave your computer on for that to work though, so maybe not so good if the electric costs outweigh the savings - it would need carefully working out, I think).
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[leonnib]

well we call them to confirm them the day before. but the only ones not turning up are the ones booking the day before or the same day later on.
in those circumstances we dont call due to the time period.

i prefer to call rather then sms that way ive spoken to them and i definetely know they have got my call
but weve only had a handful of people book a few days before the appointment (they have turned up)
most are within 24 hours of the appointment ( they dont bother coming)

i think its the fact they book so close to the appointment and dont come that makes me even more annnoyed .. its just blatant rudeness

 

[Ruth Mills]

well we call them to confirm them the day before. but the only ones not turning up are the ones booking the day before or the same day later on.
in those circumstances we dont call due to the time period.

i prefer to call rather then sms that way ive spoken to them and i definetely know they have got my call
but weve only had a handful of people book a few days before the appointment (they have turned up)
most are within 24 hours of the appointment ( they dont bother coming)

i think its the fact they book so close to the appointment and dont come that makes me even more annnoyed .. its just blatant rudeness

Maybe you could phone those people early on the day of the appointment (if booked before), or an hour or two before the appointment (if booked on the same day) - or ask for a deposit to be taken in such cases? But no deposit required for your regular customers that you can trust...
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[leonnib]

Maybe you could phone those people early on the day of the appointment (if booked before), or an hour or two before the appointment (if booked on the same day) - or ask for a deposit to be taken in such cases? But no deposit required for your regular customers that you can trust...
Posted via Mobile Device

im going to give the small deposit a go. i do it at the moment for longer jobs e.g 3 hours which has worked so far.
but im going to use it in general (not really small bookings like kids cuts).
until they become a regular customer that i know wouldnt just not turn up.



hope that does the trick