No shows driving me mad!!

[LauraLush]

Hey all,
I'm losing money and patience(!!) with people not showing up, not so much people rearranging last min - I kno sometimes things can't be helped, I just think it's plain rude not turning up. It's happening a lot. And I don't know How I can try to reduce this.. You can't shout at people or demand money because you jus will never see them again. I was thinking if I put some kind of policy together and a script by the phone and quoteI'm losing a lot of money and patience(!!) with people not showing up, not so much people rearranging last min - I kno sometimes things can't be helped, I just think it's plain rude not turning up. It's happening a lot. And I don't know How I can try to reduce this.. You can't shout at people or demand money because you jus will never see them again. I was thinking if I put some kind of policy together and a script by the phone and quote it to everyone booking in, maybe saying something along the lines of making sure we have 24 hrs notice cancellations or they may lose the right to pre book appointments in the future? I really don't know what to do :-S
How do you guys deal with this? Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated??
Thanks, Laura. X

 

[lauramakeupart]

hey I am a make up artist and always take a deposit via bank transfer or paypal x

 

[marion]

its happening a lot to me too recently. I think its the good weather, i live near a beach and when the weather is really hot, people go missing.. ie, the head to the beach

 

[brendaboo]

Hey, You just sent me a email about my business cards. I am getting a error while trying to reply to you saying that your message space is full and you can not receive more.
Didn't want you to think i was ignoring you.

 

[elliebee]

Do people mostly book by telephone? If you get the chance to speak to people at the time, I would just say something along the lines of, "Ok, so thats you booked in for such and such date/time. If you can't make it for any reason, can you please let me know asap. Unfortuanately, I've had so many no shows recently I'll now be charging those who just don't turn up or cancel at the last minute and I want to avoid this as much as possible"

Or something similar that you feel comfortable with.

If they book via email you could put something similar along the bottom of your confirmation

 

[~Emmsybabes~]

Laura, What happened to your post lol, I went cross-eyed reading that then :green:

I reckon we ask for an address, then go kick their asses if they don't show !

On a serious note though, I think vicky's suggestions the other day were good,
Make a kind of script for us to say on the phone,
Put a sign up in clear sight saying how many no shows there have been this week/ month, (hopefully appeal to their better nature for future ref)
I have no idea how we could keep track of who is a regular no show-er when booking an appointment though,

It is tricky, and it is a huge pain in the backside.
Hopefully some lovely geekies will share their success stories with us.

Salon software would be good, but again thats mega expensive.:irked:

 

[totalbeauty]

I have had a real problem with this in the past,so I introduced a cancellation policy which states that if they do not cancel their appointment within 24 hours of their appointment, they will be charged for their appointment, this is on a laminated poster in my reception, it is also on my appointment cards and brochures. It does'nt completely stop it but it does cut them down. If they are booking for nails or long treatments then I ask them to make a deposit to book, even asking the people who haven't shown up in the past to make the payment in full at booking, or I wont take the booking. If they often don't show, put their name in a little book, with the dates of no shows and how much you have lost, so you have a reminder who to take deposits off, and if they have three no shows, they can go somewhere else! Hope this helps, the plainer you make things for clients then there is no confusion and no comebacks saying they were'nt informed.

 

[tina]

hi

im currently mobile, ive had a call the other day for a leg wax on monday, arranged the time and everything, as I was currently out in the middle of a field i didnt have anything to write her address down with so asked her to maybe email me her address, she said no problem she would text me but hasnt.

i was offered alternative plans for monday but didnt know whether to take it up or not because i was waiting for her text.

same thing with an email, i get an email request, i emailed back saying ok but then i dont get an email back.???


time wasters