Last minute cancellation, How should i reply?

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TheLacquerLounge

Well-Known Member
Joined
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Location
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Hi geeks,

I had a women who had booked an appointment with me over a week ago for a brazillian wax and luxury pedicure tonight which does take up a good bit of my time (approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes).

I sent her a message yesterday to make sure everything was ok for the appointment and she knew where she was coming etc, she didn't message me back till a couple of hours ago to say everything still fine for tonight, i know where i'm coming to, but can i just have the pedicure now? I said no problem (as i understand things happen like time of the month etc).

I also said that because it's her first appointment she would get £5 off her treatment if she wanted to add Polish Pro it will only cost £10 and lasts alot longer than polish, she messaged and said "Yeah that sounds brilliant thanks!! see you at 5pm!! xx"

Then an hour later i get a very blunt message unlike the others saying (Hi mel, i'm going to have to cancel tonight)

That was it! An hour before she was booked in for, I am so annoyed and get this occasionally with clients, but never know how to reply back.

Any help with wording a little message to send back would be great.

Thanks
 
A lot of therapist would get bitchy back (and I get the urge myself) but the way the climate is these days I would send back a message saying 'Ok, would you like to arrange that for another day' and if she books back in again explain that you would be greatful if she would give you notice of cancellation in future. Some may disagree with me but if your negitive to people they will go on defence and be negative back, if your nice but firm people generally respond better and wont do it again.:Love:
 
I would say something along the lines of "Hi for cancellations under 24 hours notice I usually charge 50% of the treatment as the slot can't usually be filled at such short notice. As this is the first time you have cancelled I am happy to waiver this. Please let me know when is good for you to rebook. I'm looking forward to doing your treatments."
 
I would say something along the lines of "Hi for cancellations under 24 hours notice I usually charge 50% of the treatment as the slot can't usually be filled at such short notice. As this is the first time you have cancelled I am happy to waiver this. Please let me know when is good for you to rebook. I'm looking forward to doing your treatments."


I think this is the best way to go. You've welcomed her to rebook AND you've made her aware of your cancellation policy... a win-win, I'd say.
 
I would say something along the lines of "Hi for cancellations under 24 hours notice I usually charge 50% of the treatment as the slot can't usually be filled at such short notice. As this is the first time you have cancelled I am happy to waiver this. Please let me know when is good for you to rebook. I'm looking forward to doing your treatments."

Very good response....definitely say something like this! Xx
 
Love it. I never know what to say so thanks! Xxx
 
Have you thought of when confirming the appointment via email having a section on at the bottom of the email heading booking cancellation policy and stating your terms and conditions this way there aware of it. If you would like me to send you what I use let me no.


Sent from my iPhone using
You Little Beauty
 
I touch wood have no more messers as clients and personally I woudnt want her to be my client for the sheer disrespect she has just shown you.
As unprofessional as it sounds I wouldnt even reply. I store these clients in my phone as 'messer' if they ring/text me again then oh dear i am soooo busy for all of those dates that they need!
We are running a business at the end of the day. These people are like an itch you cant scratch. So annoying!
As you can tell I have no tollerance for it lol xx
 
Have you thought of when confirming the appointment via email having a section on at the bottom of the email heading booking cancellation policy and stating your terms and conditions this way there aware of it. If you would like me to send you what I use let me no.


Sent from my iPhone using
You Little Beauty

This would be great if you could thanks will pm you my email address

Thanks!
 
Hi everyone, i went with weezies reply, it was exactly what i was looking to say but just didn't know how to word it.

I got a reply an hour later saying "I am sorry it's short notice. We had a family bereavement and i am flying out to Cyprus to get married on Sunday and we won't make the funeral and we got the chance to go to the morgue and say our goodbyes. I don't mind paying the fee if you want?"

Help needed, really unsure what to reply back to that :|

Thanks
 
Tricky one! You could say

I'm so sorry to hear that. Would it make it easier for you to rebook on (xyz evening) as I want to make sure you look good in time for your wedding! I am free (fri night/sat day/night). Look forward to hearing from you x

That way you aren't answering the booking fee question and yet giving her a firm nod towards rebooking, plus it's quite lighthearted. You never know she might rebook in the next couple of days.
I have had people do this to me' and it's so annoying. Usually I forget the canc fee and just don't bother with them as I can't stand people not having respect to cAncel in time! Obviously there are exceptions.. This could well be one! You will be able to tell by seeing if she rebooks x
 
Hi everyone, i went with weezies reply, it was exactly what i was looking to say but just didn't know how to word it.

I got a reply an hour later saying "I am sorry it's short notice. We had a family bereavement and i am flying out to Cyprus to get married on Sunday and we won't make the funeral and we got the chance to go to the morgue and say our goodbyes. I don't mind paying the fee if you want?"

Help needed, really unsure what to reply back to that :|

Thanks

I would just say "In that case I wouldn't dream of charging you, thank you for offering and explaining. I'm so very sorry to hear of your bereavement. Have a wonderful wedding and hopefully i'll see you for some pampering when you get back."

She has a legitimate reason and offered to pay.
 
I would say something along the lines of "Hi for cancellations under 24 hours notice I usually charge 50% of the treatment as the slot can't usually be filled at such short notice. As this is the first time you have cancelled I am happy to waiver this. Please let me know when is good for you to rebook. I'm looking forward to doing your treatments."

I wouldn't do this as you could find out that something awful happened which may make you and them feel bad. I would just reply (through gritted teeth if you want to vent some anger) saying "Thank you for letting me know you needed to cancel your appointment, I really appreciate that. If you want to book back in please let me know and I will try to fit you in at a suitable time".

Sometimes people cancel for various reasons, don't want to pay, want to go to the shop or something quite serious has happened so it is best to keep the reply professional, empathetic and offer to rebook the appointment.
 
I wouldn't do this as you could find out that something awful happened which may make you and them feel bad. I would just reply (through gritted teeth if you want to vent some anger) saying "Thank you for letting me know you needed to cancel your appointment, I really appreciate that. If you want to book back in please let me know and I will try to fit you in at a suitable time".

Sometimes people cancel for various reasons, don't want to pay, want to go to the shop or something quite serious has happened so it is best to keep the reply professional, empathetic and offer to rebook the appointment.

Hi everyone, i went with weezies reply, it was exactly what i was looking to say but just didn't know how to word it.

I got a reply an hour later saying "I am sorry it's short notice. We had a family bereavement and i am flying out to Cyprus to get married on Sunday and we won't make the funeral and we got the chance to go to the morgue and say our goodbyes. I don't mind paying the fee if you want?"

Help needed, really unsure what to reply back to that :|

Thanks

Ooh should have read further before replying! Awful that this was the case in this instance but do you see what I mean? If they are in such sad times do you really want them reading a text message saying I charge fees for cancellations? I know it is a business but all terms and conditions should be made known before any appointments are made. Can you imagine it if you did try to charge them after a late cancellation without them knowing about it initially? That wouldn't stand up I'm afraid, you can't enforce something that they were not made aware of.

I know this as someone tried to sue our training company because we failed her due to very poor standards. It went to court and she was sent terms and conditions which stated that a certificate of completion was not guaranteed unless they successfully complete the course (or words to that effect). She was trying to get her money back or a certificate so she could practice botox administration. The judge in the end stated that we were right to have T & Cs and that it was very professional and ethical of us to have standards. We won the case as we had indeed trained her and she was not entitled to her money back just because she failed to pass the course.

It was awful as we kept advising this person that she was not entitled to a refund or a certificate and stated the reasons why. x
 
Thats exactly why I wouldnt write that. You have no idea why the person is cancelling or what they are going through. To be honest, if I got that message I wouldnt go back because I wouldnt think you were very understanding.

I had a doctors appointment and I usually get a text reminder the day before and completly rely on this. Got no text so it went out of my head until a few hours later. I phoned and asked if I could go around then (just to get an injection), she said yes. When I got there the receptionist told me to apologise to the doctor! And then when I got the injection the doctor said 'just make sure it doesnt happen again'! Dont worry, it wont cause I wont be back!
 
Just to jump in, I have a therapist friend who does kids pamper parties. I've just got off the phone to her and she told me she was halfway to a party today when the organisers friend called and asked if she had received the cancellation messgae from the organiser!

My friend spoke to the organiser who said she had left a vm, text messages and a facebook message, all of which my friend had not received.

Thing is, my friend does not have any sort or deposit scheme, no t's & c's, no booking forms, nothing! It seems. The woman gained all the info she needed about what my friend would be doing, and went out and bought similar stuff to do the party herself! I've been telling her for months to do something about it and now its come back and bitten her on the backside! She doesn't have a leg to stand on regards getting any recompense and it has left her out of pocket.

In answer to your question, I would also through gritted teeth say thank you for letting me know and would you llike to re-book for a different time because as mentioned previously, you don't know the reason behind the cancellation. In my friends case it was because the lady in question said she couldn't afford it, and had she had t's & c's in place, would have been within her rights to claim some money or would've had the deposit anyway.

Xx
 
Just to jump in, I have a therapist friend who does kids pamper parties. I've just got off the phone to her and she told me she was halfway to a party today when the organisers friend called and asked if she had received the cancellation messgae from the organiser!

My friend spoke to the organiser who said she had left a vm, text messages and a facebook message, all of which my friend had not received.

Thing is, my friend does not have any sort or deposit scheme, no t's & c's, no booking forms, nothing! It seems. The woman gained all the info she needed about what my friend would be doing, and went out and bought similar stuff to do the party herself! I've been telling her for months to do something about it and now its come back and bitten her on the backside! She doesn't have a leg to stand on regards getting any recompense and it has left her out of pocket.

In answer to your question, I would also through gritted teeth say thank you for letting me know and would you llike to re-book for a different time because as mentioned previously, you don't know the reason behind the cancellation. In my friends case it was because the lady in question said she couldn't afford it, and had she had t's & c's in place, would have been within her rights to claim some money or would've had the deposit anyway.

Xx


Couldnt agree more, you feel like writing back 'are you for f***ing real?' but lets face facts, we need to be more professional that that! And I strongly agree, if you have t&c's already, great, if not you cant just decide to make em up as you go along because a client didnt show up!
 
I would just say "In that case I wouldn't dream of charging you, thank you for offering and explaining. I'm so very sorry to hear of your bereavement. Have a wonderful wedding and hopefully i'll see you for some pampering when you get back."

She has a legitimate reason and offered to pay.

Thanks weezie, i sent the lady this message back and she replied back more than happy to book an appointment with me when returns from her honeymoon.
 
Thank you all for your replys, should i have t & c's on my website and should i also be making the client aware of these when a they book in?

Thanks
 
Thank you all for your replys, should i have t & c's on my website and should i also be making the client aware of these when a they book in?

Thanks


yes have T & C on your website but you also should advise them of them when they first book. Have it on your consultation forms so they sign to say they acknowledge them. Cross all wires so they have no excuse to not know about them. xx
 

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