No-shows - help!

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Aliwhair

Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2015
Messages
5
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1
Location
Edinburgh, Scotland
I am a relatively new salon owner, and I know that client no-shows are sadly an inevitability of salon life. However, recently the amount of no-shows has become ridiculous. I myself have lost in the region of £350 in the last 2 weeks alone by people no turning up for their appointments.
In this day and age there is no real excuse for people not to inform salons that they will be unable to make and appointment. But, still, it seems that making a quick phone call is too much effort.
I send messages and ring people, but they don't always answer, so you still have to presume they'll turn up.
The majority of offenders are new clients. I feel by setting a charge for no-shows it won't deter these people as they'll just go elsewhere. There are around 450 salons in Edinburgh, so there's a lot to choose from!
Can anyone advise me on their own salon policies? What's the best way to prevent no-shows?
One thing I thought of was taking deposits. Do any other salon's do this or take card details? I worry incase this'll put people off coming in at all.
Please help! Not only is this losing me money, but it's losing me clients that I could have booked in their places.
 
I would consider taking a 50% deposit from new clients booking in, wether face to face or on the phone, I feel your pain tho it's horrible when clients just don't show up especially new ones, check with your card machine provider you have the correct safety certificate on your contract to take payment over the phone tho as mine for example dosent allow me to do it. In the run up to Xmas I will be taking deposits from all new clients, I'll ask them to come in in person to make the payment, if they haven't been by x amount of time before the apt then I'll assume they don't want it and put it back up for grabs, Xmas is no time to mess around with a hairdressers appointments!
 
I recently (probably unprofessionally) had a rant on facebook about this- I was polite but to the point and seems to have had some sort of effect. Had 2 people who didn't show for their last appointment text me and apologise and gave me the money for the missed appointment and paid in advance for their next ones. I am just going to be no more mrs nice anymore and insist repeat offenders pay before booking
 
I would consider taking a 50% deposit from new clients booking in, wether face to face or on the phone, I feel your pain tho it's horrible when clients just don't show up especially new ones, check with your card machine provider you have the correct safety certificate on your contract to take payment over the phone tho as mine for example dosent allow me to do it. In the run up to Xmas I will be taking deposits from all new clients, I'll ask them to come in in person to make the payment, if they haven't been by x amount of time before the apt then I'll assume they don't want it and put it back up for grabs, Xmas is no time to mess around with a hairdressers appointments!


Thank you so much for your reply. You're totally right. It is so frustrating, and I'll be even angrier if this starts happening more leading up to Christmas. I've already lost a lot the last two weeks, and can't afford to continue to lose out at that same rate. It is so inconsiderate. Unless people work within the service industry, I really don't think they understand how disruptive not cancelling unwanted appointments can be. The 50% deposit sounds like a great idea, and I will call my card machine provider to see what the situation is. Many thanks again, and all the best for your upcoming Xmas trade!x
 
I recently (probably unprofessionally) had a rant on facebook about this- I was polite but to the point and seems to have had some sort of effect. Had 2 people who didn't show for their last appointment text me and apologise and gave me the money for the missed appointment and paid in advance for their next ones. I am just going to be no more mrs nice anymore and insist repeat offenders pay before booking


I too had a Facebook rant last week about this same issue. I had two people in a row not show up. I was furious, as I had turned away so many people that day. Sadly, I didn't get any apologies. But they were two new clients, so didn't expect them. Its sad that we have to become 'No more Mrs Nice' guys, because its not our faults, and it shouldn't happen in the first place anyway. But, it does make you feel very bitter when it starts to happen regularly.
 
Are you sure these are GENUINE client's.:confused:
It seems a very high amount to me......too many to just be 'forgetting'.
My guess is your competition might be having a 'pop' at you....:p

Personally, I would not take deposits, it would put me off to be honest.
Book those you feel a little 'doubtful' of, in your least busy time slots, say a Tuesday morning, Wednesday afternoon....whatever, then if they don't show, nothing lost..you've not given up a prime time slot for them.:D
GOOD LUCK.
 
Are you sure these are GENUINE client's.:confused:
It seems a very high amount to me......too many to just be 'forgetting'.
My guess is your competition might be having a 'pop' at you....:p

Personally, I would not take deposits, it would put me off to be honest.
Book those you feel a little 'doubtful' of, in your least busy time slots, say a Tuesday morning, Wednesday afternoon....whatever, then if they don't show, nothing lost..you've not given up a prime time slot for them.:D
GOOD LUCK.

The competition may be having a 'pop', but I would have thought they'd have had better things to do with their time. People definitely don't forget an appointment when they book so close to the time. I think it is more that new clients may have found something elsewhere for a sooner time, and can't be bothered to call and cancel. Its totally wrong, whatever the reason. And then I'm getting a lot of people cancelling a few minutes before their appointment too. Just as frustrating because you're still unlikely to be able to fill the appointment at such short notice. I'm trying to run a business, and its becoming more difficult when people treat me like this. But yeah, your suggestion of booking these clients in at a quieter slot is a good idea. Thank you.
 
That's the worst bit about new client no shows I think is wondering if it was genuine bookings at all, some of mine have coincided with battles here on salon geek and various other forum pages.... I try to behave myself on them now :rolleyes: low and behold I haven't had one in a while o_O
 
That's the worst bit about new client no shows I think is wondering if it was genuine bookings at all, some of mine have coincided with battles here on salon geek and various other forum pages.... I try to behave myself on them now :rolleyes: low and behold I haven't had one in a while o_O

Now I'm wondering what I have done wrong. Lol.
 
I'm with Red Star on this I'm afraid,
When u opened my first salon, I had lots of this behaviour. Seems it was a struggling salon in my area being childish.

I ended up putting one of the mobile numbers in Google and it came up linked with that salon, so I rang the main salon number and asked the girl on the phone to pass a message to all staff member that although I'm flattered they all want to book in at my salon for hair and beauty treatments , I will be forwarding a bill for missed appointments! The girl on the phone was a stumbling stuttering mess that i called her out and knew it was them. Probably felt very stupid.

Never happened again.
 

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