Cancelled Bookings - Should I ask for a deposit?

[loza789]

hiya,

i'm wondering if i should be asked for a deposit for long treatments?

i've recently qaulified in lashes so i'm offering them at £30 a set for two months. i had 4 ladies booked this week and 3 have cancelled. i allow a min of 2.5hrs for an appointment so i've now lost £90 and 7.5hrs treatment times that i'm not going to get filled! perhaps these ladies wouldn't have cancelled if they'd paid a none-refundable deposit. when i'm charging full price i'll be loosing even more in cancellations.

is it reasonible to ask clients for a 20% deposit when booking lashes? would this put people off? what do you do?

 

[Cat.]

Its so annoying isnt it.. Ive had 4 cancellations this week and i was fully booked 8.30-8 everyday and had turned people away!! Next year i will be taking a deposit for treatments over 1.5hrs in the run up to xmas as ive lost money now and could potentially have filled the gaps with more notice!! Perhaps with lashes yu cud ask for a £15 deposit when yu do the patch test and consultation and jus sat say that its something yu always do as i know alot of people do do that as lashes take along timeand a big cancellation so its not fair on yu!! Good luck

 

[Dolly6410]

i have just come on salon geek to moan and ask advice on people canceling!!! lol and then i saw your thread and thought thank god its not just me! personally i would ask for a deposit, i find it hard because i'm mobile and alot of my clients are elderly so don't have the internet, let alone know what paypal is and driving round to peoples houses or expecting them to post a cheque isnt really viable (i'm not sure if this is how you spell this word but i think its the right word :lol i don't think clients understand how much it affects us then canceling and changing appointments willy nilly. a deposit would make people think twice about this x

 

[shedunlop]

The thing is do you think they would pay a deposit? In theory it seems good but I am afraid they would have to come in to you to pay the deposit or you would have to have a card machine to take payments over the phone. Even then they would have to be willing to pay a deposit.

Some therapists do make a charge if there is not 24 hours notice given but even then you run the risk of a client not returning to you because they owe you money.

Cancellations are something you have to learn to live with. No shows are a different matter altogether but cancellations, especially at this time of year are fairly normal. :wink2:

 

[Petit Basque]

The thing is do you think they would pay a deposit? In theory it seems good but I am afraid they would have to come in to you to pay the deposit or you would have to have a card machine to take payments over the phone. Even then they would have to be willing to pay a deposit.

Some therapists do make a charge if there is not 24 hours notice given but even then you run the risk of a client not returning to you because they owe you money.

Cancellations are something you have to learn to live with. No shows are a different matter altogether but cancellations, especially at this time of year are fairly normal. :wink2:

I have to day that I totally agree with all that Shedunlop says.

I was pretty booked up for December and then had about 6 cancellations due to Xmas lunches, Xmas shopping etc....grrrrr, it's very annoying but in fairness, I had more than 24 hours notice so there wasn't much I felt I could do. After all, I could hardly insist that people keep their appointments lol!!

On the plus side, everybody simply moved their appointments to January so I am not now feeling the need to put a special offer on to get people in :lol:!!!

I'm not keen on charging a deposit as I think it would be a hassle (I only accept cheques or cash) and I think to try and charge someone for a missed appointment or cancelling with less than 24 hours notice would simply create bad feeling. I live and work in a small town and would worry about getting a reputation for being a hard a*rse"!!!!

Not sure what the answer is really....I think it's just part and parcel of the industry.

PB
x

 

[Glamour Puss7]

I take deposits! Think it's a must for me!
I take a non-refundable deposit for any treatment over £20, I don't take it of my regulars as don't need to, but I do for new clients or the unreliable ones! I have a sign in the salon stating my policy to make people aware as well.
It works well for me, I don't have any problems with anyone not wanting to pay a deposit they seem ok with it.
Cancellations do my nut though!!! If it's genuine you always know and it's fine, but the clients that continue to keep cancelling with me don't get appointments with me any more, its not worth having people like this, I'm running a business not a charity!

 

[Lovebeauty14]

The thing is do you think they would pay a deposit? In theory it seems good but I am afraid they would have to come in to you to pay the deposit or you would have to have a card machine to take payments over the phone. Even then they would have to be willing to pay a deposit.

Some therapists do make a charge if there is not 24 hours notice given but even then you run the risk of a client not returning to you because they owe you money.

Cancellations are something you have to learn to live with. No shows are a different matter altogether but cancellations, especially at this time of year are fairly normal. :wink2:

I agree. I'm afraid I cancelled a hair appointment today for tomorrow as I suddenly realised how skint I was! I really want it doing but can't afford £90 for my hair right now.
If I was asked to pay a deposit first or was told I'd have to pay a fine if I cancelled i just wouldn't book there, or would try & ring up last minute & book in when I knew I'd definitely make it, instead of way in advance.

 

[essentia]

I agree with Glamour Puss. All new clients make a deposit. I have had no refusals yet. I think it sends the message that you mean business. If one or more clients do not turn up then you cannot ever make that lost money back - it is your living!. It is not unreasonable to take a fee for clients to confirm their booking. TBH I used to feel a bit scared to do so but after losing so much lost revenue I cannot be bothered with those that cancel at short notice anymore.

 

[Mrs-c]

I've had 3 people cancel spray tans today..... Really annoys me so close to Xmas when money's tight enough, nearly £50 lost today & 2 clients couldn't even be bothered to let me know... just never turned up charming!!!

does anyone find that the excuse is always... My sons poorly or my daughters poorly, every flaming time it's that excuse, maybe sometimes it's genuine but really pees me off wen people use there kids being 'ill' as an excuse x

 

[Glamour Puss7]

I've had 3 people cancel spray tans today..... Really annoys me so close to Xmas when money's tight enough, nearly £50 lost today & 2 clients couldn't even be bothered to let me know... just never turned up charming!!!

does anyone find that the excuse is always... My sons poorly or my daughters poorly, every flaming time it's that excuse, maybe sometimes it's genuine but really pees me off wen people use there kids being 'ill' as an excuse x

Yes I know, it does your head in eh! Drives me mad it usually is just an excuse.
I also get mad when someone cancels just before their appointment time saying they are ill... Surely if you are ill you phone first thing!!!! Well the genuine ones do, & you get to know this with experience. It's hard some days we have to keep smiling