Customers who don't turn up

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PLAOH

jog jog jogging
Joined
Dec 21, 2003
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Location
East Anglia
Hi,

I was just wondering what your policy is when a customer doesn't show.

I've recently moved to a new area so I'm having to build up my mobile business again. This lady had a set two weeks ago, she seemed very pleased and asked to book for a maintenance. I agreed that she could come to my house as she wanted a day time appointment (I've still got a little one at home).

She hasn't showed up and although I want to call her I'm not sure what to say. I'm quite disappointed, because she was a nail biter and her nails were hard to do and I was looking forward to seeing if the nails had lasted.

I suppose I'm having one of them days !!!! but any thoughts on what to say would be appreciated.

Louise
 
Hi...
We know how you are feeling because most of us have been there unfortunatly!
Read my thread 'clients' this may help you feel better...i hope so!
 
Hi Louise,

I have had this happen on one or two occasions. I generally give people about 15 minutes grace then call them. Some people have genuinely forgotten. I generally call with something like "I had you in my diary for an appointment today, have I written it down for the wrong day". If they have genuinely forgotten they are apologetic and you can rebook them. I had one lady who was quite blatant and said no I had the right day she just decided not to come - OUCH!

It is very difficult when you start out to get a clientelle base who appreciate you.

Good luck
 
sawasdee ka

I am wonder if can try charge a deposit i have on 1 day 2 booking the 2 come in salon and book for the next day 1 not come .

make me think because on this day i have some things to do and i could have gone to do things and take mobile phone if i had walk in customer .

One day i have a walk in customer want nail and i had booking for 30 minute later so i speak them i could not do and the customer not come .

Sometimes people do forget but i do give a buissness card with date and time so if they do not forget i only want phone call and then no problem .

Mui from the land of smiles
 
plaoh said:
Hi,

I was just wondering what your policy is when a customer doesn't show.

I've recently moved to a new area so I'm having to build up my mobile business again. This lady had a set two weeks ago, she seemed very pleased and asked to book for a maintenance. I agreed that she could come to my house as she wanted a day time appointment (I've still got a little one at home).

She hasn't showed up and although I want to call her I'm not sure what to say. I'm quite disappointed, because she was a nail biter and her nails were hard to do and I was looking forward to seeing if the nails had lasted.

I suppose I'm having one of them days !!!! but any thoughts on what to say would be appreciated.

Louise

Hi Louise

I have now built my customer base up to a healthy number, but still have the odd one or two (repeat offenders!! :mad: ) ladies who cancel at the last minute. I know it's difficult, but, if the customer has genuinely forgot I give them another chance or two.

But...I now have a policy, if I get less than 24hrs notice re. a cancellation, they will be charged at their next appointment (unless they are poorly or there is a genuine reason)...this is really to sort the 'die-hard' customers from the 'dead-wood' customers. And to be honest, I just don't book the dead-wood customers in again, let them go and mess someone else around I say. Because they are not worth booking in, you lose the money from their custom ('cos they don't show), you could have booked someone else in their slot, and they have wasted your time, which is precious.

To be fair, 97% of my customers that have read my cancellation policy are appalled that there are people out there who just done't turn up for appointments.

It's up to you, but in my experience, the unreliable customers really aren't worth persevering with....in time, a reliable customer will take their place :)

Just my opinion.....hope it's useful.

Jenny - Nails x
 
Many thanks for all your comments. I will call her tomorrow to check if she wants another appointment. Hopefully it won't be too long before I've got a few more on my books and then I can let the unreliable ones GO.

Here's to a better day tomorrow.

Louise :)
 
I'm sorry.. but i sighed a huge sigh of relief as i am SLOWLY building up a client base and last week i had four bookings and the first on the monday was for a french polish for 1pm by 1.15 i was cross but then the phone rang and she said oh i guess you know im not coming! no apology anyway she babbled on about going off on holiday and seeing me when she got back - which incedentally she did - and was puntual. On the tuesday the male client i had booked arrived 1/2 hour late and i was on the verge of turning him away and saying i had another client in.
Today i had someone booked for a manicure & a pedicure! did they show... NO i always take a number but im always a bit to miffed and embarrased to ring.
the large beauty salon in town takes a £15.00 deposit for enhancements that must be paid before the appointment! i can only imaginge they must loose people having to park into town just to go in an pay a deposit.
i will be putting up a notice and i will be firmly saying to phone bookings please give notice of cancellations but how can you 'police' this if they are not regular customers - better off without them i guess!!
 
Ah, the perennial problem.
I wait 20 minutes and then ring them to find out what has happened. I usually say something along the lines of "Hello, this is So and so, your Holistic Therapist. and I'm ringing because you had an appointment today at .... and I'm wondering if you are running late. Did you still want to come for your appointment today, or do you need to rebook?"
Usually this gets either: agh, i'm stuck in traffic, this disaster happened, no reply or oh no, i forgot!
If a client is late, particularly if it often happens or if i have another client immediately after anyway, the time comes off their appointment (and they get charged the same). If they are generally good, and nice people, i will try to add the time.
I too have a policy of charging a £5 cancellention fee if it is within 24 hrs of the appointment. I'm not always tough enough to enforce it though!
This policy is on my leaflet, but when i ring a late/missed appointment i don't mention it until they are actually at their next appointment! (ahh, cunning!)
I have had some protests about this, and find this tricky of where to draw the line.
Ironically, it's usually the people you don't really want to charge that practically demand to pay you the extra!
Sometimes cancellations/no shows just disappear off the face of the earth, leaving you wondering what you did wrong :(
I tried charging a deposit, but found it caused problems. It was confusing, too.
I have a couple of clients who are quite forgetful but lovely apart from that, so i have got into the habit of ringing them with enough time before they are due, to remind them! Then they get there ok :)
 
I havent trained yet, but if i was in your situation i would give it about 30 mins and if she still doesnt turn up then just give her a ring and say, Hi you had an appointment booked with me today at ? (the time) but your not here, have i got the date or time wrong? And then just if she says she doesnt want your service just be polite and freindly, if she forgot then just give her another chance, but if it keeps happening then i wouldnt worry about someone who would waste your time. :p
 
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