Cancelling appointment due to wanting to sunbathe!

[Elaine143a]

I would take a deposit for all treatments over a certain amount of £. Work out your minimum cost per hour (without the cost of products, travelling time if mobile etc) and charge that amount. If the client then cancels, you will still earn your hourly rate without incurring other costs.

I did this in my salon, but still had no-shows! Annoying to say the least but at least I covered my hourly rate for doing nought! And some of those no-shows still rebooked later, knowing they had lost their previous deposit.

I dont think it puts clients off, I think it shows commitment and professionalism on your behalf. There will always be those one-off emergencies when clients need to cancel or rebook at the last minute, but that is then your judgement call, ie I've had very regular clients that need to rebook last minute, but as they are sooooo regular, good, loyal clients, I appreciate that these things happen (ie sick child, car broken down etc). You can usually tell the messers from the genuine.

hth

 

[Pika]

Thanks for the advice on this ladies (and gents?) do you think I should be giving clients something in writing regarding the deposit? If so, what do I need to write? I'm useless with wording these things!

 

[jojo@tranquil]

Clients sometime they drive you nuts! This week has been awful due to last min cancellations, people late etc.:evil:
Yesterday a client was booked in with myself for mani pedi and with my new therapist for a facial (special offer), she called an hour before her appt to say she didn't need the facial as she had just applied her make up and needed to go shopping after her nails ! What could I say ? Anyway I was sat seething doing her mani and she asked were we busy etc so I said well we have had a few last minute cancellations which makes things difficult now I have someone else's wages to pay ! She said well she could quickly wax my legs to fill some time.
So she had a wax. Then queried the bill !
Today 2 no shows.
1 client booked for full waxing, turned up and just wanted underarms.
Another client 20 mins late.
Honestly they take the pee sometimes !

 

[Pika]

Jojo i think you need to indulge in a bottle of vino after the day you have had! That's awful! Why do they feel it's acceptable behaviour??

 

[mizzy_dizzy]

Bit different but I advertised a paddling pool and sand pit for FREE I had loads of people message , i contacted 1 she said she would be there at 5 ,
At 7 I emailed to see where she was she said she had been making cakes all day and would be by tomorrow for it ... Sometime
...
Some people really are oblivious to other people .

I would charge here, and write a passive aggressive note saying you work rain or shine , x

 

[Tomme]

This is where you add at the bottom of your price lists that all treatments over £x or over x miles away will incur a 25% deposit on treatments over £x but under £x and 50% over the higher end price.
The threat sometimes does it for people, if it is a v high priced treatment like the £90 was then take a deposit no matter who they are, otherwise if they cancel last min or no show charge them every time the deposit and go around to their house when ur quiet to collect the charge on their first no show/ cancellation.
Mines 48 hr notice to cancel otherwise 50% is charged, if it's within 4 hours of the actual service then it's full charge and I will go round to collect xoxo

 

[Pika]

Tomme, do people try to avoid you to not pay when you say you'll be round to collect the money?

 

[anca14]

I work in a salon and luckily we dont have many cancelations but I am wondering as a mobile therapist is it worth driving all the way to client’s house to take the deposit and then for the treatment(s)?
x

 

[Lady Murasaki]

I work in a salon and luckily we dont have many cancelations but I am wondering as a mobile therapist is it worth driving all the way to client’s house to take the deposit and then for the treatment(s)?
x

I am mobile and would never drive to a clients house to collect a deposit when deposits can be done via cheque (sent the post to me) or via BACS.

All my clients except a small few who still use cheques send their deposits via BACS.

If they want to pay for their deposit with cash (which is very rare due most people now having internet and phone banking) I ask them to drop it off at an agreed time at my house, as I dont have time to go door to door collecting money, plus for safety reasons I dont like to carry a lot of cash of me at any given time.