Fining a problem customer help

[Beas nails]

Wow this has started up quite a debate!! I would like to clear up the fact that n here I feel I can express myself and use casual language. To a customer I would never be as casual as I would write things on here, I thought this was somewhere I can rant and ask for opinions. Secondly to customers I call it a fee not a fine. I don't charge the one offs but as many people thankfully understood this customer has canceled many many times so I felt I needed to make a stand. I rang her in the end explaining the situation, she was very understanding and said it had never occurred to her that when she canceled and changed treatments I was loosing money. Bless her she bought me a bottle of wine as a sorry and I actually think having that convo has helped our relationship greatly. I don't see anything wrong with having a fee as a deterrent, I'm not a monster i only use it if I feel I really need to. I get along so well with all my customers and have we mutual respect for each other which is wonderful and prob y I don't normally have any issues. Xxx

 

[bluesmith5]

Wow this has started up quite a debate!! I would like to clear up the fact that n here I feel I can express myself and use casual language. To a customer I would never be as casual as I would write things on here, I thought this was somewhere I can rant and ask for opinions. Secondly to customers I call it a fee not a fine. I don't charge the one offs but as many people thankfully understood this customer has canceled many many times so I felt I needed to make a stand. I rang her in the end explaining the situation, she was very understanding and said it had never occurred to her that when she canceled and changed treatments I was loosing money. Bless her she bought me a bottle of wine as a sorry and I actually think having that convo has helped our relationship greatly. I don't see anything wrong with having a fee as a deterrent, I'm not a monster i only use it if I feel I really need to. I get along so well with all my customers and have we mutual respect for each other which is wonderful and prob y I don't normally have any issues. Xxx

Glad to hear that I don't know why this thread got so cantankerous. I like to feel free to air my opinions and state my point of view in a casual way. This one got heated, I think. But it's nice to see everyone's perspective.

 

[virtues2011]

This was by far one of the friendliest and calm threads.. I enjoyed writing on it.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[propeditechus]

We just missed a dog grooming appointment, completely our fault - well, really my husband's fault. Groomer didn't ask us to pay for it, but I insisted and paid for the missed appointment in full. I appreciate the job she does for us, I respect her time, and I took resposibility for an appointment I chose to make and missed - well, really my husband made and missed. I just got to pay for it...

 

[Emily S]

I would look her in the eye and say, "I'm running a business. What I do puts food on my table, gas in my car, and pays for all the products I use to do the services that you like. You booked 2 services that, altogether, take 4 hours to perform. You may not have realized this but when you called to cancel one of your services, I had turned away 3 people who wanted services this evening because I had you booked for 4 hours. Because you changed your mind at the last minute and I already turned those people away, that's a loss of income for me. This is why I charge a fee for canceled services. Otherwise people cancel on me whenever it suits them and I go home with no income. Do you understand?"


Thanks for letting me vent! This forum is great! :biggrin:

Gosh, if I sat a client down like this they'd think I'd lost my marbles!! I think it sounds very patronising and teacher like... each to their own though ey

I love this forum too, I personally don't think anything got 'too' heated everyone has expressed their opinions, it'd be awful if we all went through life agreeing - here's to Salon Geek and many more interesting debates!!

 

[happyfeet]

I've sped read so not sure this has been said.

Personally I think you have to decide whether you charge a fee/fine for a missed appointment or charge a non refundable deposit. If I had to choose between the two, I would implement a deposit system.

I wouldn't use a therapist that did either to be perfectly honest and I've had no shows, cutting down treatments, cancellations et al. As much as I rant and rave at my husband, the dog or anyone who'll listen (not clients obviously) when someone does this to me, I also have to accept that such is the nature of this business.

That said, I wouldn't want deposits off first time clients but if I had a serial canceller or rebooker I would recommend that they have two choices; either a non refundable deposit or call me on the day they require. I think that gives a clear and polite message that you won't be messed around in the future. Alternatively if they continue to mess me around I just wouldn't book them in- you've not lost money as they weren't turning up to their appointment anyway.


Sent from my GT-I9300 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[w1nnie]

I think it does depend what client is like, as to how you speak to them. They range from those who try to do too much and want to rearrange all the time to those that have genuine health problems. I will be very forgiving to start with until I've had enough of thier cheek, then do something about it. What I've learnt from this is to set out few terms and conditions and give the new client a copy on thier first visit. Do you think this is acceptable ? Because I don't believe they will read it if it's just on the website !

btw I think bluesmith5 has it bang on the nail !

 

[Balance Andover]

I doubt that a fine for a missed/cancelled appointment is enforceable, they'll just refuse to pay it and bad mouth you, I'd rather say nicely 'no problem, these things happen, hope you are ok', do some of the million and one things I've got to be getting on with and keep my reputation. If it becomes a pattern then I won't take a booking in advance from them.

I would also steer clear of a salon that publicly states that missed appointments will be charged for, not that I'm a serial canceler but situations do happen. I had to cancel two days of my own clients this week due to my own sickness and if I'm charging them then surely that means that their next appointment should be free (as things do work both ways).

I've got a couple of massage clients with Fibromyalgia/ME, they may wake up on the day of their appointment and not be able to physically make it in due to their condition. I made it clear with them that they must cancel if they are feeling unwell.

Just look at everything objectively and on an individual basis.

 

[Beas nails]

I doubt that a fine for a missed/cancelled appointment is enforceable, they'll just refuse to pay it and bad mouth you, I'd rather say nicely 'no problem, these things happen, hope you are ok', do some of the million and one things I've got to be getting on with and keep my reputation. If it becomes a pattern then I won't take a booking in advance from them.

I would also steer clear of a salon that publicly states that missed appointments will be charged for, not that I'm a serial canceler but situations do happen. I had to cancel two days of my own clients this week due to my own sickness and if I'm charging them then surely that means that their next appointment should be free (as things do work both ways).

I've got a couple of massage clients with Fibromyalgia/ME, they may wake up on the day of their appointment and not be able to physically make it in due to their condition. I made it clear with them that they must cancel if they are feeling unwell.

Just look at everything objectively and on an individual basis.

It is different for every customer, and I am human so know things happen. The fee can't b enforced but all of my customers give me as much notice as possible now and if they can't make it short notice for things out of their control I wouldn't fee. I use it as a back up for customer such as the one mentioned and even then I've let her off many times. A lot of people assume as I work from home it's fine to just not turn up and I was getting sick of it. I know it happens in salons too. I only work part time hours and am usually very booked up so am always turning people away which drives me bonkers. On many occasions I had had bent over backwards to fit her in, I had paid for additional child care and literally re arranged my whole week for her to cancel over and over. It may not be enforceable but as she loves my work so she happily pays as she wanted to come back. Since starting this policy I've only had one person not pay which I think is pretty good really. I think were all different and have different ways of looking at things. Many of the beauty ladies I go to do the same thing and I am always happy to pay the fee as I understand to them time is £.

 

[Balance Andover]

It is different for every customer, and I am human so know things happen. The fee can't b enforced but all of my customers give me as much notice as possible now and if they can't make it short notice for things out of their control I wouldn't fee. I use it as a back up for customer such as the one mentioned and even then I've let her off many times. A lot of people assume as I work from home it's fine to just not turn up and I was getting sick of it. I know it happens in salons too. I only work part time hours and am usually very booked up so am always turning people away which drives me bonkers. On many occasions I had had bent over backwards to fit her in, I had paid for additional child care and literally re arranged my whole week for her to cancel over and over. It may not be enforceable but as she loves my work so she happily pays as she wanted to come back. Since starting this policy I've only had one person not pay which I think is pretty good really. I think were all different and have different ways of looking at things. Many of the beauty ladies I go to do the same thing and I am always happy to pay the fee as I understand to them time is £.

It seems she stresses you out, I bet you often wonder if she's booked in whether she'll turn up at all!

If she continues to be a problem you have the right to request she finds herself a new nail tech, you can then easily fill her slots with a client who respects you more

 

[Nearlyme]

Just tell her you no longer need her as a client

Sent from my GT-I9505 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[squidgernetball]

I have it on my pricelist that there is a 50% charge if less than 24 hours notice is given. I don't enforce this but often my clients do. They have said ' I owe you for last time' and insist that I put 50% on their bill. If this wasn't on my price list this wouldn't happen.

I once had a client cancel with 10 minutes notice because her mate had turned up for a cuppa. I had no cancellation notice so just accepted this. This prompted me to have some thing in place. Next time she cancelled she said she owed me some money which she paid.
I have also told a client that I wasn't happy taking her bookings as she had not turned up on several occasions. She apologised profusely and promised it wouldn't happen again and it hasn't.

If we let them they will x