No show client - what would you have done?

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Petit Basque

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I had a client booked in for a luxury facial last week as an evening appointment.

You know what it's like....you've spent time setting up your room, sorting out your hot towels, making sure everything is perfect and then you wait and wait and wait and hang on a minute.....the client doesn't arrive :(

I gave her the standard 15 minute "just in case she's late" waiting time and then I rang her at home to politely remind her she had a treatment booked with me this evening. Well, she was very flustered and went into great length explaining how she thought it was another evening (when I wasn't actually free) etc etc but to my ears, didn't sound all that apologetic, which really annoyed me. She assured me that she would call and rebook - which she hasn't.

I was polite but I was very unimpressed and think this probably came through. I don't LOVE doing evening appointments but understand that they have to be done to fit in with working clients although they can be a bit disruptive to my own household. And when this appointment was booked, it was done very much to suit her and not me.

She's been to me a few times and is a nice lady (although she always manages to be a bit late for her appts) and I now wonder if I should have been a bit more gracious and understanding. After all, mistakes do happen.

Am I being completely mad here? I'm a new business and need all the clients I can get but don't want to get mucked about either.

Should I have just shrugged it off or should I being trying to enforce my 50% no show fee!!!

What would you have done??

PB
x
 
I had a client booked in for a luxury facial last week as an evening appointment.

You know what it's like....you've spent time setting up your room, sorting out your hot towels, making sure everything is perfect and then you wait and wait and wait and hang on a minute.....the client doesn't arrive :(

I gave her the standard 15 minute "just in case she's late" waiting time and then I rang her at home to politely remind her she had a treatment booked with me this evening. Well, she was very flustered and went into great length explaining how she thought it was another evening (when I wasn't actually free) etc etc but to my ears, didn't sound all that apologetic, which really annoyed me. She assured me that she would call and rebook - which she hasn't.

I was polite but I was very unimpressed and think this probably came through. I don't LOVE doing evening appointments but understand that they have to be done to fit in with working clients although they can be a bit disruptive to my own household. And when this appointment was booked, it was done very much to suit her and not me.

She's been to me a few times and is a nice lady (although she always manages to be a bit late for her appts) and I now wonder if I should have been a bit more gracious and understanding. After all, mistakes do happen.

Am I being completely mad here? I'm a new business and need all the clients I can get but don't want to get mucked about either.

Should I have just shrugged it off or should I being trying to enforce my 50% no show fee!!!

What would you have done??

PB
x

Instead of enforcing the fee just wait for her to call again to rebook and with a cheeky smile in your voice ask her if she is sure this day is good for her and would she like you to give her a courtesy call the day before to remind her in order to avoid a missed appointment.


This way you are getting your message across and you are allowing her to still feel comfortable to come to you.

If she does it again then you can take more direct action.

Jacqui xx
 
I 100% know the feeling. Especially if it's a late appointment like yours or you've turned somebody else down who wanted on the same time.

Although we miss out financially I always think if you charge them a 50% fee they will rarely return to you as they know they will have to pay you extra so it's better to miss out that once but still have a chance of them coming back then charge them a fee that they'll never pay or come back.

That's just my opinion though!
A regular customer may be willing to return and it may work for others, but I know as a new business I can't afford to take the risk!

X
 
Thanks for your wise words jacquelineanna but I have a strong feeling that she won't be rebooking :0(

Oh well ...

PB
X

Sent from my GT-I9100 using SalonGeek
 
Thanks for your wise words jacquelineanna but I have a strong feeling that she won't be rebooking :0(

Oh well ...

PB
X

Sent from my GT-I9100 using SalonGeek

If she doesn't rebook it is annoying to lose a client when you're trying to build up a client base, but on the upside, she won't be taking up appointments for clients who do turn up and do earn you money!
 
Its very annoying when this happens as we are self employed then its lost income when its a no show andbof course there is no opportunity to offer the appointment to someone else at that stage.

When I first started out this happened a few times and its really annoying but I introduced a text reminder system that I send out to all my clients that are booked in each day and I ask all my clients to text back to confirm they will be there and it works really well for me.

I would rather know at 9am that someone cant attend the 6pm appointment than be waiting for them and not being able to offer the appointment to someone else. Its often regular clients that can make the mistake etc, which can make it more difficult to deal with.

I dont charge cancellation fees and IMO I think its very difficult to enforce these fees anyway.

If I get a no show and they dont contact me I just programme their number under my "Ignore" list so if they call weeks or months later I just ignore their call/request.

Hth Jack
 
I'm with MaleWaxer, I send out a confirmation MSG each morning for everyone booked that day, with a reminder of time and address (I work from home) , and finished with "please reply if you are unable to make this appointment) that way not everyone feels obliged to reply unless they need to cancel or rebook, I have NEVER had a no show in the 6 months I have been using this system!
 
I had a lady book 2 tan's in for last Monday evening (I'm mobile). She booked on the Sunday and then cancelled on the monday as she heard it was going to rain all week so wouldn't have much skin on show. She rebooked for last night. Because of the weather we have had this week I text her on Sunday saying 'just confirming your appointment, checking you're happy with the prep info etc etc". Didn't get a reply. I had a feeling she was going to cancel so I text her again yesterday (the day of her tan) and said can she confirm she still wants the 2 tans? She replied "can't sorry have family round" that was her exact text. I was so annoyed, if I hadn't text her the second time I would have turned up at 7.30 last night, a bank holiday(!) only to be turned away at the door. She didnt seem bothered about cancelling for a second time at all. I didn't reply to her, but have made a note next to her name in my phone that she must pay upfront next time.

It's so frustrating, especially when you have set everything up and are sitting there waiting for her.
 
I also do text reminders 48 hours before an appointment. It works well.
A lot if clients presume it is an automated service and are very surprised when I tell them I send them manually.
 
Hi lovely geeks....many thanks for your responses so far. It's very interesting getting everybodys' take on things.

I can see how a reminder text can help in some cases but do feel a bit frustrated when I give out appointment cards and actually see people write their appointment in their diary or enter it on to their phones in front of me!

Part of me also worries that sending out reminders gives people the chance to have second thoughts about their treatment, especially if they're feeling a bit guilty about spending the money on themselves or are feeling a bit undecided about coming on the day....does that make sense??

It's only the 3rd time it's happened in 8 months so no big deal I guess and in all reality, I think that trying to enforce a cancellation policy could be difficult although I know other geeks do enforce it successfully. It just doesn't really sit right with me personally.

I guess I just wondered if I should have been more "oh it doesn't matter" about it with the client. Trouble is, on that particular evening it did and she spent too much time blustering and not enough time genuinely apologising. If I had done that I would have been mortified. I got the impression that she was a bit put out that I had rung her at home to tell her she had missed her appointment!

Oh well, lesson learned I guess. I will consider texting those clients who have booked far in advance but just don't want to get into "nursemaiding" my regular clients...they are adults after all lol!

People eh??!!

PB
x
 
Hi lovely geeks....many thanks for your responses so far. It's very interesting getting everybodys' take on things.

I can see how a reminder text can help in some cases but do feel a bit frustrated when I give out appointment cards and actually see people write their appointment in their diary or enter it on to their phones in front of me!

Part of me also worries that sending out reminders gives people the chance to have second thoughts about their treatment, especially if they're feeling a bit guilty about spending the money on themselves or are feeling a bit undecided about coming on the day....does that make sense??

It's only the 3rd time it's happened in 8 months so no big deal I guess and in all reality, I think that trying to enforce a cancellation policy could be difficult although I know other geeks do enforce it successfully. It just doesn't really sit right with me personally.

I guess I just wondered if I should have been more "oh it doesn't matter" about it with the client.
Trouble is, on that particular evening it did and she spent too much time blustering and not enough time genuinely apologising. If I had done that I would have been mortified. I got the impression that she was a bit put out that I had rung her at home to tell her she had missed her appointment!

Oh well, lesson learned I guess. I will consider texting those clients who have booked far in advance but just don't want to get into "nursemaiding" my regular clients...they are adults after all lol!

People eh??!!

PB
x

Trouble with coming across as oh it doesn't matter is that they will be more inclined to do it again :mad:
 
Hi hun

I send text reminders 48 hours before hand and it works well for me. I understand what you say about worrying they may cancel but better to have them cancel than no show at all. I personally don't ask them to confirm or not i say something along the lines of....

Dear mrs x just a courtesy text confirming your shellac manicure appointment on Tuesday 5th of June at 14:00. I look forward to seeing/meeting you. Kindest Regards Laura The Nail Beautique.

Ive had a response from every text ive sent so far but by doing it with time to spare if i dont hear from them i can give a call or follow up text.


Hth x x x
 
Bad manners this is one massive down side to the industry when clients think u are playing at salons grrrrrrrr I let them away with it once but 2 strikes and your out
 
but if she doesnt re book what have you lost? a client that turns up late or doesnt remember her appointment? is that sooo bad?

dont get me wrong, a client is a client , am im always so grateful that people come to me, but sometimes this type of client blocks my book , loses me money and turns out to be a source of worry for me, will they wont they kind of thing.

I know you feel bad, keep her updated of all your offers, newsletters etc etc and she might just come back, then when she does ......... youll know what to do thanks to all the great advice you have had already . and if she doesnt, dont stress .

tigi
 
You say she's been to you a few times . . . . did she turn up when expected for those occasions? If the answer is yes then the chances are, whatever her reasons, it was a bit of a one off.

There's a bit of a child in all of us, especially when someone unexpectedly rings to tell you off lol (as in you ringing her because she missed her appointment) - and although the completely adult thing to do is apologise and re-book, the first thing we sometimes do it simply try to justify why we got it wrong! Especially if our plate is full.

I'd give her another chance if she rings back . . . and with anyone else, I'd take their track record into consideration x
 
My salon software sends reminders to everyone about their appointment. If they are a no-show they have to prepay for future appointments. No show fee's are more hassle to get back.

Mat
 
Does anybody ever get a cancellation fee out of anybody?

My feeling is just that if the client thought that at the next appointment, they would have to pay for their treatment PLUS a cancellation fee of 50%, or whatever, you simply wouldn't see them again.

I'd like to think differently - anybody get their cancellation fee AND keep the client?
 
Hi Geeks,

This is a really tough one!! We have had big chats as a team over this one. Since we set up 2 years ago, we ask all new clients to read and sign our cancellation policy, and rarely as a manager have i enforced it. Howeverr recently we have lost so much business from clients being late, and no shows, and have to pay my hard working staff.

So what I do now is send text reminders 48 hours before, and if they fail to show up or they don't give us 24 hours notice they are charged 50% - however if it's a genuine reason out of their control of course we dont do this. We are not big monsters at the end of the day, we just try and run a business, and do the fair thing. If we lose a few clients alongthe way, well that's just business! You just need to use a bit of give and take xx

Hope this helps?
 
PS sorry about my spelling etc, stupid IPad......Lol! :lol:
 
I ask clients for a deposit if they miss a previous appt or book an appt that comes to a large amount of money/time.

If I book childcare for example or swimming lessons I have to pay whether my child is ill or not. If I book an airline ticket or hotel room and I do not attend I will still be expected to pay/lose the deposit. No one can pass judgement on why a client can/cannot not attend an appointment. We should be financially responsible for the appts we make if we fail to attend. I do let some clients who are regular and who miss an appt off if they sometimes cannot make it however I am getting tighter these days regarding this type of thing. You can be friendly in business but not friends.:wink2:
 

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