Cancellations/no shows

[KrisKross]

Yes, I know this one's probably been done to death, just more of a rant really!

Since I started up I had the occasional no-show, but over the last couple of weeks I've had a whole bunch of no-shows and last minute cancellations.

Once cancellation last week (with 2 hours notice) who seemed really genuine, re-booked for this morning and didn't show up - no text, no apology, nothing - that's two appointments worth £100 to me that she's wasted, and I won't be offering her another one, though I doubt I'll hear from her again. Some of these clients actually work in salons themselves so you'd think they'd be more considerate... If I was paranoid I'd think they were trying to sabotage the competition ;-) A few people have asked a million questions by text or over Facebook and I've spent time answering their questions, reassuring them and being really helpful and I suspect they have bottled out at the last minute (first time intimate wax).

On the plus side I'm really really busy (so would expect a small increase in this kind of thing), but it's so frustrating that I could have filled those appointments.

I'm starting to get a gut instinct for who is going to mess me around, but even knowing that, what do I do? Refuse them an appointment? Ask for a deposit up front from everyone or just certain people? I don't want to start doing that as I think it could put genuine people off.

Any tips or ideas that have worked for you would be gratefully received? Thank you x

 

[kirstie1980]

Dont think im being rude by saying this but i find it strange that people that work in salons themselves are booking appointments at your salon. Why wouldnt they just get their treatments done at their own salon? It seems weird to me.
Unfortunately you get people that stuff you around when it comes to no shows. Theres not really all that much you can do about it except note it in your database so the next time they book you can be wary of it. When i get no shows, i give them 3 chances. After that when they try to make an appointment, i say im fully booked.

 

[EmmaLF]

Dont think im being rude by saying this but i find it strange that people that work in salons themselves are booking appointments at your salon. Why wouldnt they just get their treatments done at their own salon? It seems weird to me.
Unfortunately you get people that stuff you around when it comes to no shows. Theres not really all that much you can do about it except note it in your database so the next time they book you can be wary of it. When i get no shows, i give them 3 chances. After that when they try to make an appointment, i say im fully booked.

Just wanted to jump in and say its not that odd, I work alone as a therapist in salon (mainly hair) so have no one else to do my treatments and some things you cant do yourself! Or they may just not feel comfortable having their colleagues/friends waxing them. Not everyone is out to cause trouble
But I agree with everything you said the poster should do!

 

[kirstie1980]

Just wanted to jump in and say its not that odd, I work alone as a therapist in salon (mainly hair) so have no one else to do my treatments and some things you cant do yourself! Or they may just not feel comfortable having their colleagues/friends waxing them. Not everyone is out to cause trouble
But I agree with everything you said the poster should do!

I guess i never thought of it that way. Its not that common here to only have 1 therapist at a salon and i see your point with some therapists not feeling comfortable having their treatments done at work. I still find it somewhat odd though, especially them working in salons themselves and knowing what its like to have no shows.

 

[EmmaLF]

I guess i never thought of it that way. Its not that common here to only have 1 therapist at a salon and i see your point with some therapists not feeling comfortable having their treatments done at work. I still find it somewhat odd though, especially them working in salons themselves and knowing what its like to have no shows.

I work in a hairdressers as a therapist so thats why theres only me
Oh I completely agree about that part I would never DREAM of not showing up.

 

[squidgernetball]

We have several therapists coming to us because we offer treatments that their salons don't. We have everything on a data base and if they don't call and don't turn up, we note it. If they call 5 minutes before to cancel, we note it.

If someone doesn't show with no phone call, I ring them. "Hi it's vicki here. I had you down for a 2.30 appointment. I hope everything is okay". I leave this on an answer machine or if they answer a obviously talk to them.

I had one about 4 days before Christmas. A mother and daughter coming together. Just didn't turn up, so I called. She came to the phone. She apologised - "I've been food shopping. It's been chaotic, you know what is like" to which I said "no not really because I'm sitting here waiting for you".

If you don't call them, they may not know you're pissed at them. I went in really early to fit a good friend in on Saturday. She'd popped in the day before to see if I could squeeze her in. I'm sitting there and no sign of her. After 15 mins I rang her. She was still in bed. I was furious and she knew it.

Let these people know they're crap clients otherwise they think what they're doing is okay.

Vic x

 

[Kim Lawless]

Dont think im being rude by saying this but i find it strange that people that work in salons themselves are booking appointments at your salon. Why wouldnt they just get their treatments done at their own salon? It seems weird to me.
Unfortunately you get people that stuff you around when it comes to no shows. Theres not really all that much you can do about it except note it in your database so the next time they book you can be wary of it. When i get no shows, i give them 3 chances. After that when they try to make an appointment, i say im fully booked.

I get lots of therapists coming to me. I think the reason being that they rarely get time to do treatments on each other during their working hours so they have to do what the rest of us do and that is go to another salon on their day off.

 

[coco.]

People like to be pampered even Beauty Therapists, if your working hard on people day in day out its nice to have abit of time spent on yourself, I'm sure many people go and have treatments elsewhere for this reason

 

[kirstie1980]

I get lots of therapists coming to me. I think the reason being that they rarely get time to do treatments on each other during their working hours so they have to do what the rest of us do and that is go to another salon on their day off.

Oh that sucks. At the end of our shift we stay back and perform treatments on eachother. Our boss provides all our services for free. Stupid me thought it was like that everywhere. Thanks for opening my eyes to the real world

 

[kirstie1980]

Well it doesnt suck for you but you get what i mean

 

[KrisKross]

Thanks everyone.

I was a bit suspect at first when other salon staff started booking in with me, but I'm satisfied that they are genuine, for all the reasons you've all said and because I mainly do intimate waxing and there's hardly anywhere around here that does it. And if they do have that treatment at their own salon, I can understand why they don't want their colleague or their employees doing theirs.

I do text a reminder the day before or on the morning of the appointment, I call if they don't show, but nobody has ever answered their phone yet! I then text them saying "Hi, you have an appointment with me, are you on your way? Hope everything is ok". In most cases I never hear from them again.

I had a look back thru my appointment book last night, and because I seem to have had a big cluster of them this past few weeks, it feels worse than it actually is. I get an almost daily phonecall from someone in a panic wanting a last minute appointment and I turn them away because I'm busy, so it makes it really frustrating when I could have filled those appointments. It nearly always seems to be first timers, although there are a few 'regulars' who have cost me more in last minute cancellations than they've actually showed up, for the most dubious reasons, so I won't be offering them any more appointments.

I've decided to go with, for first time clients - if you cancel with less than 24 hours notice, or are a 'no-show', you will need to pay a 50% deposit to secure another appointment. For regulars - I'll use my own discretion.

Onwards and upwards!

 

[Verve Designs]

It's an absolutely pain in the backside, and probably the biggest problem our salon has.

As some of you already know, we own a salon as well as the design business (the salon was first actually!) and because we're mainly a hair extension place, no-shows are an absolute killer because we've usually had to purchase hundreds of pounds worth of hair in advance.

So, we lose the booking, we lose ability to fill that slot AND we lose the money on the hair.

It's a triple whammy...and it's not melodramatic to suggest that these issues can close businesses.

Unfortunately (and I hate to sound like an old fuddy duddy here) I think it'd indicative of society- people generally "care" less think. But that's by the by.

As a designer, I've designed "sassy" posters for peoples salon and Facebook reminding people of the need to actually show up and they do get the message across. Recently though I've been chatting to someone who's being plagued by this issue and have been discussing a bit of a solution. It's pretty simple, elegant and optional.

So, what if you had a scheme where the client books in and pays in advance (and this is totally optional)- the "reward" for paying in advance is a 10% discount. However, it's non-refundable if they don't show up. The client takes that risk. Simples!

Essentially, the client is being rewarding for turning up, and being a good client, in advance. So ,everyone wins.

To my mind that ticks a few boxes. Its' guaranteed and measurable income for your time (because even though you're not "working", you're at your place of work, ready and ought to be compensated for that) and it also "flushes out" the clients who are genuinely interested in turning up and getting a service done as opposed to hedging their bets and booking in at a couple of places and then not turning up.

Would that work?.....

(For my design business, I charge for everything in advance and will only refund if we cant fulfill the order, and it absolutely works in terms of making sure we always get paid for our time)

 

[Verve Designs]

Here was my idea...

https://www.facebook.com/VerveDesig...114396/10153058858499397/?type=1&notif_t=like

Yes, there'sa a typo. Got excited by the idea and had to get down on "paper" sharpish

 

[onthelashmobile]

Great idea

 

[Kim Lawless]

Hi Verve. I like your thinking but the problem that I see is that most clients DO turn up so your takings will be 10% down for no reason.

 

[Verve Designs]

Well, yes and no

It's really a way of ensuring someone who's being plagued by this (and I understand not everyone is) that they're going to get paid.

The discount (10% isn't really a massive amount, and I plucked that out of my head- doesn't have to be that of course) isn't really the point, it's really about getting paid up-front and then keeping it should they not turn up.

If the client gets a little discount In advance- well we'll call that a reward for customer loyalty too- you'd do this instead of loyalty schemes or other offers of course so they didn't all stack up.

If it also helps "train" a clientele, into paying up front, or even turning up altogether! It's a bonus.

It wouldn't work for everyone, but I bet it would work for some. As I said before, the problem is literally closing down some businesses.

 

[Verve Designs]

..........could be used discretionally as well of course. For well established clients you might not need to offer this, you could do more traditional loyalty stuff.

But say some randomer pops up on Facebook that you're not sure about? (and let's be honest, we all get that!) you could suggest that this is the method of booking in for new clients.

 

[Kim Lawless]

..........could be used discretionally as well of course. For well established clients you might not need to offer this, you could do more traditional loyalty stuff.

But say some randomer pops up on Facebook that you're not sure about? (and let's be honest, we all get that!) you could suggest that this is the method of booking in for new clients.

I hear everything you're saying and totally get it but there must be another option that will make them reluctant to cancel. I'm thinking stun gun

 

[FlawlessBeauty]

It's a great idea if your prices are adjusted to accommodate it x

 

[WaxGirl]

For me the majority turn up... we send a reminder text or phonecall or fb message and people love it! they thank me for it

If they are no show no call type people generally we just don't take them again as there's enough customers who will turn up

saying that I use a bit of common sense as sometimes emergencies happen

I would hate to give money discounts and take a financial loss for people just turning up for appointments doesn't make sense.

Focusing too much or building your business strategy around time wasters isn't the way to go.