Clients using social media for appointments?

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misseden

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2012
Messages
195
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Location
uk
Bit of rant (as per)
Does anyone else get clients messaging constantly on social media for appointments? Im getting really really really sick of it. I get it every single day, yes im so grateful for the custom but am i not allowed switch off time? I do come from an era before mobile phones before facebook, instagram, whats app etc, in the old days where you had to dial a number and speak to a human and ask to book an appointment. Now its every day at all hours, it could be 9pm or 11pm, ive had them recently at 6am, on my day off asking for an appointment so somehow im the one that has to ring my work and put them an appointment in then message them back to ask if thats ok. Am i old? Boring? Ungrateful? All of them things? Please tell me its not just me
 
You could set up an instant response that says you will reply during your opening hours which are xxxx
Then turn off the sound on your phone and don't take it to bed, leave it in the kitchen overnight.

If you reply to clients during unsociable hours then they will assume it is ok to continue contacting you whenever.

You could put a post on your website / FB page to say what your new policy is.

My FB automatic message response says:
"Thanks for contacting me. I'll get back to you as soon as I am free. Full salon details and prices are available on my website xxxxxxx "
 
1 million per cent with you. I had someone 1am Xmas day asking for highlights are you kidding me! My auto message gives them all the info you need.

My thinking is, in a salon environment with a phone clients wouldn’t make every thought verbal but with social media you can
 
Hey dear.

Unfortunately that is the 21st century. Everyone prefers sending a text message instead of a call. As above, remember that you do not need to answer at ridiculous hours. You can disable the apps as well to not receive any messages at hours that you don't want to be receiving them or simply don't answer at these hours.
A lot of people look at the technology as an advantage as these hours might be the only times they can get in touch with you, however you have looked only at the negative side.
Chin up girl and find a way to solve it by either not responding to the messages when you're out of hours or try a variety of things and something will work for you x
 
You can turn notifications off. You can put your phone on priority contacts only. Better yet get a work only phone. Automate your online response giving your opening hours and state that you will reply during business hours.
There are many ways to overcome this and no reason why it should be a problem or disturbing you in such a way.
 
I'm from the age of social media etc. But it does my head in! I've had people message me at 1am and 6am and all times of the day! I deleted my Facebook as it all got too much. Now I'm getting a work phone so people can message that for an appointment, easier to keep social and work separate :)
 
I don’t mind people messaging in the middle of the night, if that’s when they’re free. Maybe they work shifts?
I just turn off notifications in the evening and only respond when it suits me.
The majority of my clients don’t use social media other than to post pictures of children/grandchildren so I don’t really get the annoying ‘you ok hun?’ types.
 
Guess the problem is that there are more "channels" for people to communicate these days but you do hold the power to select which ones, and if you want to focus them down one channel like telephone then maybe an automated system would fix your problem. It's kinda the problem that small businesses are only going to get more frustrated with and unless people build systems or you commission or work with a company who is thinking about building one (users research groups) it will just keep getting worse.
 
I encourage clients to to message me/the salon 24/7. When I reply is up to me. Having a way to direct them to book online is great and can take the pressure off. The bulk of our clients now book that way. I would say that most people who book via Facebook don’t show up so we actively discourage it.

Vic x
 
It doesn’t really bother me tbh. I don’t have to reply at stupid times outside business hours. If I can, and I want to, then I do. If clients are annoyed they don’t get a reply at 3am in the morning then fine, but I don’t see the issue with them contacting me through social media at that time. Rather that, than they called my mobile at that time!
 
95% of my bookings are via my Facebook business page. And to be honest, it works great for the exact reasons you've stated.... clients can get in touch and book at THEIR convenience, and I can respond to them at mine. It's impossible to get hold of me throughout the day, because I'm with clients, so at the start and end of my day I'm answering queries and confirming bookings. Plus of course there's automated booking systems. FB appointments automatically update my online diary AND send reminders to clients, so I get way less no-shows from FB bookings over clients who phone (I actually hate clients who phone and actively discourage it. There's no need). It works for me and it works for my clients :) Oh... and when they message at silly-o'clock in the morning / weekends / my days off, they get an automated message with my opening hours and a link to my website. Look at the positive...... it's great to be bombarded with clients wanting appointments! :)
 
95% of my bookings are via my Facebook business page. And to be honest, it works great for the exact reasons you've stated.... clients can get in touch and book at THEIR convenience, and I can respond to them at mine. It's impossible to get hold of me throughout the day, because I'm with clients, so at the start and end of my day I'm answering queries and confirming bookings. Plus of course there's automated booking systems. FB appointments automatically update my online diary AND send reminders to clients, so I get way less no-shows from FB bookings over clients who phone (I actually hate clients who phone and actively discourage it. There's no need). It works for me and it works for my clients :) Oh... and when they message at silly-o'clock in the morning / weekends / my days off, they get an automated message with my opening hours and a link to my website. Look at the positive...... it's great to be bombarded with clients wanting appointments! :)

Totally agree. When they’re contacting me they’re not contacting the competition x
 
I had this problem and got online bookings - never looked back it does the job for me theres a link straight from my fb page and website I can take 40+ online bookings a week deffo worth its money! Just make sure you don't pay per booking as they will soon mount up! xx
 
Is taking bookings via facebook + whatsapp still allowed with data protection? Be careful! x
 
We have turned off Facebook Messenger for our Facebook Page. In doing this, we've made sure our online booking system, website and phone number are very easy to find on our FB page. Our Call to Action button links to our online booking page.
 
I totally agree, it’s really annoying when you have been at work all day doing hair and then you get home for some me time and ‘ping’ 4 messages from different clients, then if you don’t reply they message on your fb, Instagram or any other platform you may use, I have deleted people and said to my clients that I get a lot of messages so I’m not having clients on my Facebook but they still try to add me on messenger to book or tell me a problem. I wouldn’t mind if I was self employed or it was my own business but it’s not, when you care about your work it’s sometimes hard to ignore as you worry what it’s about, and then if it is a complaint or something they aren’t happy with it can ruin your night and you can’t stop thinking about it , xx
 
I book 95% of my clients through Facebook messenger. I think it's great for business. I run a home salon, so I take what I can get. If you're not the salon owner, then simply message them back saying to ring the salon or message the salon Facebook page.
 
I have automated replies set up for my FB page - if someone sends a message outwith my opening hours it tells them what my hours of work are and that I'll get back to them as soon as I can and if it's during my opening hours it apologises that I'm busy but that I'll get back to them when I'm free. I also have online booking enabled with Shedul both on my website and FB page - it's been brilliant for those who like to make their appointments while I'm sleeping lol
 
I totally agree, it’s really annoying when you have been at work all day doing hair and then you get home for some me time and ‘ping’ 4 messages from different clients, then if you don’t reply they message on your fb, Instagram or any other platform you may use, I have deleted people and said to my clients that I get a lot of messages so I’m not having clients on my Facebook but they still try to add me on messenger to book or tell me a problem. I wouldn’t mind if I was self employed or it was my own business but it’s not, when you care about your work it’s sometimes hard to ignore as you worry what it’s about, and then if it is a complaint or something they aren’t happy with it can ruin your night and you can’t stop thinking about it , xx

If you are an employee then its a completely different situation, and you shouldn't feel bad asking not to be contacted about work outside of your working hours or the salon. Maybe this is something you can speak to your manager about as its not your job to be contacting them when you go home, youre not being paid for that x

However, to everyone who is self employed, or has a salon and doesnt want clients messaging them at night, ill give you my number and you can send them to me. I am seeing a massive culture of stylists and therapists complaining about their clients on forums for messaging too much. It's not hard to just send a reply in the morning, or when the time suits you. Remember its them that pay us, and we should be doing more and more to establish a relationship with them, to keep them and stop them going elsewhere.
 

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