Cancelations policy Q

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loo

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surrey
Hello

I wonder if any of you could give me some advice.
I have the cancelations policy of 24 hours notice needed for cancelations there is a charge for missed or cancelled apointments after this time. I have been very generous in the past but I have one client that seems to have abused this. Basicly she has been late for every apointment she has had not just a bit but half an hour and I have had to phone her every time to see where she is. One apointment she missed and didnt even phone for days to apologise but I was kind enough to let her off the cancelation charge but pointed out that if it happened again I would have to charge her. She said she was really sorry and that she wouldnt let me down again. She rebooked her apointment then phoned me the other day to reschedual any way guess what yet again she hasnt turned up and no phone call or message. :evil: How anoying. So should I send her the bill in the post? What if she ignores it where does that leave me??? Not really sure what to do. :sad: :cry: :sad: It just makes me mad that some people have no respect for other peoples time. Sorry for moaning but what should I do next she also has an apointment for 2 weeks time she will probably not come to or be late. This has happened twice now for not turning up and quite a few times being really late.

Help!!!! :sad: Advice?

Love Loo xxxxxxxxxxx :cry:
 
It's a really difficult situation isn't it.....

I personally don't charge as i find that its only ever new clients that do this, once they've had their nails done they're like clockwork.... Doesn't really answer your question though doesn't it babe... :rolleyes:
 
loo said:
Hello

I wonder if any of you could give me some advice.
I have the cancelations policy of 24 hours notice needed for cancelations there is a charge for missed or cancelled apointments after this time. I have been very generous in the past but I have one client that seems to have abused this. Basicly she has been late for every apointment she has had not just a bit but half an hour and I have had to phone her every time to see where she is. One apointment she missed and didnt even phone for days to apologise but I was kind enough to let her off the cancelation charge but pointed out that if it happened again I would have to charge her. She said she was really sorry and that she wouldnt let me down again. She rebooked her apointment then phoned me the other day to reschedual any way guess what yet again she hasnt turned up and no phone call or message. :evil: How anoying. So should I send her the bill in the post? What if she ignores it where does that leave me??? Not really sure what to do. :sad: :cry: :sad: It just makes me mad that some people have no respect for other peoples time. Sorry for moaning but what should I do next she also has an apointment for 2 weeks time she will probably not come to or be late. This has happened twice now for not turning up and quite a few times being really late.

Help!!!! :sad: Advice?

Love Loo xxxxxxxxxxx :cry:
Hi Loo
Its the injured warrior here!! I think that you've given this woman enough chances and, frankly, that sort of client you dont need. I'd send her a polite note with an invoice in the post. The worst she will do is ignore it and not come back to you but would you have lost anything really??? She needs to understand that you arent joking and that your time is money. Hope this helps but be firm!!!
 
Hi Loo,

How annoying! I would be just as mad if it was me sitting there waiting!

I think you should give her a fone and remind her that she missed an appointment with you today, I would expect her to tell you how she completely forgot about it and to apologise. Then remind her of her next appointment and tell her that you will have to charge her if she misses the next one! And my guess is she'll be late anyway and you'll have to stick to your word and charge her! lol
I know how annoying it is.. one late person screws up your whole day!
good luck! xx
 
Hi all thanks for your replies

I had phoned her and left a message to say that if she didnt get to me by a cartain time I wouldnt have time to do her as I have a client booked in straight after!!! She only resceduled a couple of days ago so she wouldnt have forgotton. The last time she didnt turn up she came again and was really apologetic and said she couldnt ring as she had an argument with her boyfriend so I said dont worry but next time if it happens again just to email me if she cant talk or get someone else to phone me. Unfortunately she doesnt seem to realise the importance of calling!!! She is actually a realy nice girl and we get on really well when I do her nails we always have a really good chat so its a shame that she has let me down so many times. Especially after she said she wouldnt do it again. Well i suppose I could either ring her again or just send her the invoice in the post I dont like to be nasty and I think it is unprofessional but I do feel like screaming. I know it is only one client but I work for myself and am a fairly new business so each client is valuable to me and as I work from home It is harder to gain new clients as you dont get the walk in's and I dont advertise regularly enough yet as it's so expensive. I suppose these are the lows of owning your own business but it does come with lots of rewards so I guess I have to keep my chin up and look forward to seeing my loyal trusty clients!!! still upsets me though as i do take things to heart and I would never dream of not turning up to an apointment even if I am running five minutes late I would always phone. :sad:
 
Hi - I know I'm a newbie but my advice would be to send her the invoice and not accept any future appointments until she's cleared the debt. Example: if you went to Sally's/your local wholesaler to buy your supplies and they had an invoice outstanding from you they wouldn't sell you any further stock until you'd cleared your debt. I think it's that simple - you're running a business not a charity, otherwise you'd be doing it all for free. Be firm with your clients and you'll be rewarded with a loyal (albeit possibly smaller) client base, not one that feels they can mess you (and you're finances!) about as they see fit.

Blimey that sounds really harsh doesn't it - but it's your livelihood at the end of the day. HTH!x
 
Kitten said:
Hi - I know I'm a newbie but my advice would be to send her the invoice and not accept any future appointments until she's cleared the debt. Example: if you went to Sally's/your local wholesaler to buy your supplies and they had an invoice outstanding from you they wouldn't sell you any further stock until you'd cleared your debt. I think it's that simple - you're running a business not a charity, otherwise you'd be doing it all for free. Be firm with your clients and you'll be rewarded with a loyal (albeit possibly smaller) client base, not one that feels they can mess you (and you're finances!) about as they see fit.

Blimey that sounds really harsh doesn't it - but it's your livelihood at the end of the day. HTH!x
Couldnt agree with you more - business is business!!
 
Carole Lindsay said:
Couldnt agree with you more - business is business!!
Start as you mean to go on - I have become more business like since being on this site - my new policy is , i will not be taken advantage off, I had a client not turn up for an appointment this Tuesday evening, no call even after I sent her a text - so I wont take her business any more full stop no if and buts - its happended twice - so in my case 2 strikes and your out... :eek:
 
just my thoughts on this.
but if you sent her a letter demanding money i some how dont think you would get it, what i would do is have a standard letter sent to her with your cancellation policy on it and stating that any future appointments can be made if she so wishes BUT, a £`s non refundable deposit will need to be taken when re booking.
 
shropshiredawn said:
just my thoughts on this.
but if you sent her a letter demanding money i some how dont think you would get it, what i would do is have a standard letter sent to her with your cancellation policy on it and stating that any future appointments can be made if she so wishes BUT, a £`s non refundable deposit will need to be taken when re booking.
i have to say that sounds like a brilliant idea! nice one ;)
 
Yeah, the non-refundable deposit is a great idea - do you guys accept cheques/credit cards etc? I was planning on taking cash only? Naive or what?!!!!
 
Kitten said:
Yeah, the non-refundable deposit is a great idea - do you guys accept cheques/credit cards etc? I was planning on taking cash only? Naive or what?!!!!
i accept cheques (with number on the back) but have to say that never had a client give me anything but cash. why do you call it naive when you say you were only going to take cash??
 
I guess I'm so new to all of this that I have this crazy idea that everyone will turn up on time, pay me in cash & it'll all be lovely but the more I read, I am thinking that I've got my head in the clouds! Not that it's putting me off at all, but they are all just other things to think about aren't they? Anyway, I'm still a student at the moment, so my own business is still a little way off - getting excited though, want to be able to do it all right now!!!
 
Have to say i agree with what everyone's saying. Its very hard to be firm all the time when you get on with your client so well, but at the end of the day if someone messes you about they need to know how important it is for you to know what's happening.

You have to think about it another way, if you stopped doing nails tomorrow, she would probably just find someone else. I personally wouldn't want a client who messes me about so much as you probably dread the days she is due as you don't know if she's gonna show. You don't ned the added stress of it all. I hate being business like and most of us don't find it easy but it's our time and money they are wasting.

You can do it Loo.:)
 
Thanks everybody I know you are all right I must be a little firmer I also like the idea of a non refundable deposit good idea for those clients that could keep letting you down after all if they were going to keep losing money they would phone wouldnt they!!!! Thanks so much for your comments.

Love Loo xxxxx

I feel a bit perkier now as I have just had another client who always turns up on time!!! ;)
 
I have a few clients that do this, I find the best way to deal with them is to not make them an appointment , just say to them, i know you find it hard to make a commitment to an appointment, how about you just call me on the day or the day before you want to come in and see if i have anything available?


I find this the best way to deal with it , after a few times of not getting the appointment they want they seem to just learn that if they dont make and keep an appointment they just take pot luck lol and alot of the times they get really annoyed they cant get what they want so that kind of trains them to make and keep appointments.

Works for me :)
 
Just wanted to share my policies- and they are stated on the Client Consultation Form which they fill out at their first appointment/consultation- and also fill out a new one every year to update information.

No refunds.

No service exchanges.

Gift certificates not redeemable for cash or retail items, or transferable, and must be redeemed with the service they were issued for (1 yr. expiration date).

$25.00 fee for bounced checks (One bounced check=cash next time for service plus the $25 fee, second bounced check=prepay in advance for the service they book, third bounced check- they're fired.).

$15.00 fee for appt. not cancelled or rebooked within 24 hours.

20 minutes late grace period for appointments- after 20 minutes they forfeit their appointment. 10-20 minutes late they miss out on the extras (hand massage, gloss buffing, uv gel sealant, etc- whatever is the 'extra' in their appointment).

No show fee amounts to cost of service they missed.

No Show, No Call for one appointment is acceptable- No show fee applies. No Show, No Call for second appointment requires pre-payment for new appointment.

Enhancement services guaranteed/warranteed for 3 weeks. After 3 weeks, repair (if necessary) charges vary.


I also have my most important policy posted in the salon in a large frame at the front desk and in my Spa room:

"$15.00 Fee applies to all services not cancelled / rescheduled without 24 hrs. notice." (For example- if they call the morning of their appointment- the fee is tacked on to their next appt.)

Hope this helps!
 
Next time she tries to book, just make out you are so busy you cannot fit her in, eventually she'll go away.


Regards
Deb379
 
I think what I would do is still take her apointments but politley tell her that she has to pay in advance, and that she cannot change the apointment without at least 48hrs notice. Maybe even put it in a letter to her pointing out that by her not turning up results in you having to turn business away from someone else.
 
Thanks everyone for your ideas can you believe that she has not phoned back to apologise and she would probably have gotton her voice message. If she doesnt come for her apointment in two weeks then I will charge her cancelation missed apointment fees via invoice in the post if she ignores these but tries to rebook I will politely eplain she has to pay her fee's first. If she does come in a couple of weeks I will charge her the one fee and explain for future bookings she will have to leave a deposit which will be non refunable!!!! Therefore I will not keep losing out. A big thanks for all of your help I am going to print up my cancelations policy for the door too as I think not everyone reads it on my price list! I usually end up telling new clients straight away now about cancelations and missed apointments so that they know the score lol!!!
Thanks again
Love Loo xxxxxx
 
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