Don't know what to do with this client!

[Faylizzie]

Ahh I'm literally at my wits end!

I really don't know whether to sack this client or not? She's cancelled 46 appointments since the 18th march!!! However she's also spent £3,262 pounds with me since the 18th march. I see her roughly 3 times a week.

Trouble is she cancels her appointment exactly 24 hours before her appointment which is what my cancellation notice is, but her appointments are 5/6 hours long at a time leaving me with huge gaps an not enough notice to fill the gap.

It's driving me crazy, she's canceled her 6 hour appointment tomorrow with me earlier today leaving me with a huge gap between 1&7. I was pi**ed off to say the least as have had a fully booked back to back week an turned soo many people away, I text everyone on my cancellation list an everyone's made alternate appointments. I'm fuming, I text her back a blunt message saying "fine but I can't rearrange till after I'm back from holiday on the 16th of September cus I'm fully booked till after then" I want to message her giving her a warning that if she cancels again then I'm having nothing more to do with her but how do I word this??

I just don't know what to do, I'm so close to loosing my patience with her!!

Xxxxx

 

[Chrysalis]

Deep breaths!
Next time she books inform her she needs to pay a booking fee to confirm appt!

 

[mm29]

You don't want to loose this client but you can't be dealing with this hassle either!

I would have a polite word and just explain your situation but be honest and say you enjoy her as a client but its becoming a bit of a problem!

Honesty will pay off!

I'm intrigued what the heck she gets done 3 times a week

 

[Steph86]

Agree with the booking fee for such a long period of time, x amount per hour... Non refundable! Grrrr... Xx

 

[TracyS]

You could always amend your Salon Policy to including a non refundable deposit for appointments over x hours? Might make her think twice about cancelling but at the very least it will provide a little compensation for the inconvenienced caused.

 

[Faylizzie]

Ohh I like the booking fee idea this is being set into place for her! I think I need to write to her when I'm less angry otherwise ill end up writing something I regret!

Omg what doesn't she have done! She has shellac once a week as she doesn't like the re growth, she has eyelash infills once a week to keep them topped up, she had a spray tan once if not twice a week as she regularly ignore aftercare an most of the time gets straight in the shower or goes swimming an hour or 2 after the tan, she has her eyebrow tinted once a week as she likes the look of them when they've just been tinted, she has her waxing done every 2/3 weeks she has a full body massage 2/3 times a week or variations of massage, she has her shellac with full pedi every 2 weeks, she has a facial twice a week, with the odd microdermabrasion thrown in, she has a facial wax once a week as she's paranoid she's got a hairy face. Literally the works but have to go their so often as can't contradict the treatments! She has so much but her cancelling all the time puts me out. I've explained to her sooo often that she doesn't need these treatments so often but she says "at the end of the day I'm paying to to do what I want you to do an I want this done" so she's fully aware that she's wasting her money! I've refused to do some treatments on her at different times but she just doesn't listen to me!! I'm at the end of my tether! Xxxxx

 

[xNatalieLauren]

Definite holding deposit, NON REFUNDABLE! Tell her it's a new measurement you have brought in to ensure customers turn up .. x

 

[xNatalieLauren]

Ohh I like the booking fee idea this is being set into place for her! I think I need to write to her when I'm less angry otherwise ill end up writing something I regret!

Omg what doesn't she have done! She has shellac once a week as she doesn't like the re growth, she has eyelash infills once a week to keep them topped up, she had a spray tan once if not twice a week as she regularly ignore aftercare an most of the time gets straight in the shower or goes swimming an hour or 2 after the tan, she has her eyebrow tinted once a week as she likes the look of them when they've just been tinted, she has her waxing done every 2/3 weeks she has a full body massage 2/3 times a week or variations of massage, she has her shellac with full pedi every 2 weeks, she has a facial twice a week, with the odd microdermabrasion thrown in, she has a facial wax once a week as she's paranoid she's got a hairy face. Literally the works but have to go their so often as can't contradict the treatments! She has so much but her cancelling all the time puts me out. I've explained to her sooo often that she doesn't need these treatments so often but she says "at the end of the day I'm paying to to do what I want you to do an I want this done" so she's fully aware that she's wasting her money! I've refused to do some treatments on her at different times but she just doesn't listen to me!! I'm at the end of my tether! Xxxxx

Wow, she sounds a very well kept lady!

 

[Chrysalis]

Sounds body dysmorphic! Be careful as if something goes wrong with over tinting/waxing etc your insurance may not cover you

 

[Chrysalis]

Definite holding deposit, NON REFUNDABLE! Tell her it's a new measurement you have brought in to ensure customers turn up .. x

I agree make it a blanket policy then she's not singled out and it's protecting your business

 

[mm29]

Plenty disposable income, I'd get some of her pals to be clients too!

I wouldn't say anything that will piss her off just a wee word

 

[ch-ela]

I dont think charging her more is going to make a difference to this woman. She doesn't sound money motivated.
Maybe you should cancel one of HER appointments, just when she needs it most.
What reason does she give for cancelling?

 

[Chrysalis]

I dont think charging her more is going to make a difference to this woman. She doesn't sound money motivated.
Maybe you should cancel one of HER appointments, just when she needs it most.
What reason does she give for cancelling?

Some of these ideas make me laugh, oh what I would love to say and do back to clients if we could get away with it?
I'd start with phoning them at 2am with a new promotion! Lolol

 

[Faylizzie]

Her reason for cancelling tomorrow was a bad back, tomorrows appointment was for shellac mani & pedi, eyelashes, full body massage, and facial, her reasons vary for cancelling though.

I've explained to her before about how much people cancelling puts me out but she really doesn't seem to care 😡

I've never cancelled on her as I think it would set the tone an for her to think its acceptable to cancel on me lol!

She's a lovely girl but the cancellations are just becoming beyond a joke. I'm definitely going to set a non refundable booking deposit in place, do any of you geeks to this? If so what are you T&Cs for this? Xxxxx

 

[ch-ela]

How important is she to your business aside from the cash she brings? Will she give you a bad reputation? Does she bring you a lot of business?

I guess you need to know what your price is. She pays, you dance ... but where is the cut off point?

 

[Chrysalis]

Her reason for cancelling tomorrow was a bad back, tomorrows appointment was for shellac mani & pedi, eyelashes, full body massage, and facial, her reasons vary for cancelling though.

I've explained to her before about how much people cancelling puts me out but she really doesn't seem to care 😡

I've never cancelled on her as I think it would set the tone an for her to think its acceptable to cancel on me lol!

She's a lovely girl but the cancellations are just becoming beyond a joke. I'm definitely going to set a non refundable booking deposit in place, do any of you geeks to this? If so what are you T&Cs for this? Xxxxx

Sounds like she hasn't got enough money to keep up with her wants! I have a client like this, she's bankrupt and just spends most of her time swapping for treatments paying in dribs and drabs asking when the soonest to have the next treatment .....it's exhausting!

 

[Chrysalis]

I use ovatu which sends email reminders and confirmations and I have all my t&cs on the footer of each of these, I keep adding and amending as I need to.

At the moment I have on my payment methods, no kids, no eating, credit card surcharge info,cancellation policy.

I'm thinking how its all grouped together it covers most things.

 

[mm29]

What makes you think it's a money issue?

I think it's her attitude! I'm paying for xyz and I can do what I like because I have money

 

[Chrysalis]

What makes you think it's a money issue?

I think it's her attitude! I'm paying for xyz and I can do what I like because I have money

If she had enough money she would be there I'm thinking. I have clients like this who want you to think they live the high life and its all front. The excuses are too frequent and variable.
I'm guessing she doesn't have a job otherwise she would cancel due to work issues not a bad back.
Obviously we have limited information about the person in question so any assumptions are only made on this information. It's sounds to me she sits infront of a magnifying mirror all day critiquing how long her facial hair is and how dark her brows are.
This is not normal behaviour! If it was dominance and elitism behaviour she wouldn't cancel so many times she would more likely to be demanding to be fitted in and made priority of.

I find clients like this invariably disappear so be ready with more clients to plug the gaps as she's wasting so much of your time

 

[Faylizzie]

She doesn't have a job no, I want to give you more info but don't want anyone that may know her or her herself to see this an piece the puzzle together 😉 so I'm trying to keep it limited.
I too think that she cannot afford to pay an that's why she cancels I think she may have issues with spending money, it's a really really stange situation that id love to divulge fully to you all for your opinion but as I said I can't risk it.

She doesn't bring In any new clients to me as I don't think she really has any friends, and I don't think she'd bad mouth me either as she is genuinely a really nice girl.
I'm busy enough without her as I never rely in her money as she cancels so often however when she spends, she really spends.

I have the ovatu app too an use this so am going to add something to the bottom of my conformation emails. Although Im pretty sure I've got a suff email from her as she's never mentioned her email before where as most clients comment on this.

Does anyone have a deposit system in place that can give me an idea on T&Cs they hve along side please? Xxxxxx