Rant about cancellation policy

[swilks12]

Hi all I have a beauty and aesthetic's clinic and my cancellation policy is 48 hours before appointment. just recently I've had to enforce this policy due to clients cancelling within that period. Many of my clients have reacted quite negatively to this, despite my policy being listed in text confirmations, appointment reminders and listed on my website.

What I am trying to ask is do you stick to your guns with regards your policies, or do you have a tendency to back down? My belief is that my policies are in place to try and give me some kind of security being a self-employed business woman, however my clients don't seem to appreciate that and I am steadily losing clients over this?

My other thought process is that if these clients don't respect me and my business enough to conform to this policy then do I really need them as clients?

Be interested to know your thoughts?

 

[CFBS]

I have a cancellation fee policy structured to how close they are to the appointment.
Sometimes you have to use your common sense though and find out why they cancelled. If I feel it is a genuine situation then I waive the fee and book them in for another day.
If they are just mucking me about with no real reason then I let them know the amount they owe me stating that this must be settled before they can book again. Obviously 99% of the time the client will not pay up but what it does do is to ensure that they do not darken your door again. I record everything on their details for future reference.
If they are rude or aggressive I block their FB profile, phone number and email. End of....move on to your nice reliable clients.

 

[Beauty4all]

My policy is 24hrs notice and is also on their text reminders, website and all leaflets etc. If they are 1st time offenders, I let them off. After that, unless they are too ill to ring and give notice, or had a bereavement, then I state that they have to pay the cancellation fee. Only one in 15 years disappeared never to be seen again! All the rest pay up and apologise. I am always busy though so they know they can be easily replaced!

 

[Erica Wilson]

I too have a 48hr. policy that is texted and emailed to clients with every appointment reminder. However, I am very cautious with enforcing it - depending on the circumstances. I always keep in mind that not only am I a professional artist/technician, I am also a client of "beauty" services. I think, how would I feel if I were sick, HAD to work overtime, death in family, family emergency, (something that could be be avoided) and my stylist/technician enforced the policy with no compassion on my 1st "offense"? And on the other hand, I am lenient the 1st time and I make sure to have the conversation with them face to face and let them know 'hey, we all have last minute obstacles and I am willing to waive the fee this time, however, unfortunately the fee will have to apply next time'. I say it in a way with empathy and care, and I also make them feel like that one special client but in the same wording, I am asking them to respect my business and policies because I too work for living just like them. If your clients respect your business and you as a person then they will understand and comply. For those that do not, then they are doing YOU a favor by removing themselves. Always be positive, for every bad seed that walks out of your door and never return, it is for a GOOD reason. They too can be replaced by those who respect you, your craft, and your business...

 

[Nemo]

Whist we are only offering 'beauty services', I too have rent, rates, service charge, salaries and turn away numerous appointments. Whist we are very sympathetic to deaths, sickness whilst nobody's fault still have to pay. Going to work will still have to pay. I have made my therapist available. She too has children to feed and clothe and a mortgage to pay. I do my job and ensure I have products and therapists to enable us to do the job. If people don't respect us and our job, they can find another salon. We are 80% - 90% fully booked most weeks. It won't be easy to find another salon as good as us.

 

[RED STAR]

A client of long standing, who missed her last £40.00 Cut & blow dry appointment, arrived today with a lovely bunch of roses.....
As nice as they were, and not wanting you all to think me ungrateful......
.........."Where's my 40 quid?"....... was what I really wanted to say!

 

[Nemo]

A client of long standing, who missed her last £40.00 Cut & blow dry appointment, arrived today with a lovely bunch of roses.....
As nice as they were, and not wanting you all to think me ungrateful......
.........."Where's my 40 quid?"....... was what I really wanted to say!

Each case has to be judged on its own merit. I find the long standing clients are the first to open their purse.

 

[RED STAR]

Each case has to be judged on its own merit. I find the long standing clients are the first to open their purse.

Lucky you!
ALL my clients are long standing.....I think that is half the problem.
They have no idea on what NORMAL business practice is...they've been spoiled for way tooooo long!

It's not unusual for a comment like....

"Sorry I didn't come last week...you know how it is...something cropped up..."
Guessed wouldn't mind, you could get yourself some lunch/wash your towels/up date your facebook.....

I have NEVER been offered the full price of a service they have missed....Some might pop the odd fiver down to ease their conscience!!!!!

 

[Nemo]

Lucky you!
ALL my clients are long standing.....I think that is half the problem.
They have no idea on what NORMAL business practice is...they've been spoiled for way tooooo long!

It's not unusual for a comment like....

"Sorry I didn't come last week...you know how it is...something cropped up..."
Guessed wouldn't mind, you could get yourself some lunch/wash your towels/up date your facebook.....

I have NEVER been offered the full price of a service they have missed....Some might pop the odd fiver down to ease their conscience!!!!!

You need to train your clients... I'm 5 years in and my oldest clients have been fully trained. They know if they mess me about I become fully booked and they'll never get back in again!

 

[Emi-loo]

My policy is only 6 hrs notice & 50% cancellation fee which I think is extremely lenient- I work in a small town where people know each other & if I don't stick to that policy someone will say well she let me off -so I'm afraid harsh as it is I have to charge everyone-it can't be one rule for one one for another. Whilst I sympathise if it is beyond their control sat for an hour & a half with no money does not pay my bills! Ive learnt the hard way off letting people off & only had one woman who got peed off & didn't pay -all of my great clients offer to pay full!

 

[Nemo]

My policy is only 6 hrs notice & 50% cancellation fee which I think is extremely lenient- I work in a small town where people know each other & if I don't stick to that policy someone will say well she let me off -so I'm afraid harsh as it is I have to charge everyone-it can't be one rule for one one for another. Whilst I sympathise if it is beyond their control sat for an hour & a half with no money does not pay my bills! Ive learnt the hard way off letting people off & only had one woman who got peed off & didn't pay -all of my great clients offer to pay full!

6 hours! My you are very generous [emoji85]

 

[RED STAR]

Any 'OLD FART'S' want to back me on this....

We would never have risked charging for missed appointment's, just in case we upset anyone!!!!!

Stop laughing youth!!!!

Us old farts would NEVER have the balls to charge for non attendance......, we wouldn't want to embarrass a regular and risk them not coming back!....

BUT.......'Times, they are a - changing....'

I'm going to put this into my terms & conditions.......let's see how it goes.....

 

[BannerPenguin]

Any 'OLD FART'S' want to back me on this....

We would never have risked charging for missed appointment's, just in case we upset anyone!!!!!

Stop laughing youth!!!!

Us old farts would NEVER have the balls to charge for non attendance......, we wouldn't want to embarrass a regular and risk them not coming back!....

BUT.......'Times, they are a - changing....'

I'm going to put this into my terms & conditions.......let's see how it goes.....

It's a funny one because like you say, it's now a more accepted thing but nowadays there are more options of therapists and salons then ever before!

 

[Carlalouise]

£500 worth of last minute cancellations last week, some didn't even bother phoning. It's Monday morning and I've already come into the a/p flashing with a client at 8.30, who regularly does this, cancelling because something has come up at work!

I have a cancellation policy, It's on reception, on leaflets and website, all my clients know about it, it's 24 hours notice or you pay in full, however have I ever charged - no!

I did say to one client the other week, that's fine, if you can try and make it that would be great as I'm going to have to charge you when you come in next time, guess what, she all of a sudden was able to move things around and come in!!

I'm now thinking I need to toughen up, I'm a small business and losing that much money last minute when I haven't got a hope in hell of filling that slot is really detrimental.

 

[Emi-loo]

6 hours! My you are very generous [emoji85]

Still unreasonable according to a woman the other week!! [emoji50]

 

[Nemo]

Still unreasonable according to a woman the other week!! [emoji50]

[emoji15]

 

[Cathi44]

My thinking is that if you have a cancelation policy in place you have to enforce it. Otherwise it's pointless and clients will take the p***. My policy is less than 24hrs notice it's 50% of the treatment cost. No-shows 100%. And for pamper parties it's their 50% deposit lost if they cancel with less than a weeks notice. For my regulars, I always issue a 'yellow card' and let the first one slide (reminding them of my policy & stressing that next time I will have to charge) In 8 years I've only needed to enforce it 3 times, and have lost 2 'clients' who never showed, never paid up. These days I'm too busy to risk losing money & time for the sake of keeping slack, disrespectful clients (my regulars are super respectful and mindful of my time, as I am theirs). Stand firm Geeks!

 

[Cathi44]

My thinking is that if you have a cancelation policy in place you have to enforce it. Otherwise it's pointless and clients will take the p***. My policy is less than 24hrs notice it's 50% of the treatment cost. No-shows 100%. And for pamper parties it's their 50% deposit lost if they cancel with less than a weeks notice. For my regulars, I always issue a 'yellow card' and let the first one slide (reminding them of my policy & stressing that next time I will have to charge) In 8 years I've only needed to enforce it 3 times, and have lost 2 'clients' who never showed, never paid up. These days I'm too busy to risk losing money & time for the sake of keeping slack, disrespectful clients (my regulars are super respectful and mindful of my time, as I am theirs). Stand firm Geeks!

So today I had a regular come who had cancelled last week on the day of her appointment. I said 'not a problem' but reminded her of my cancellation policy, and said next time I would have to charge. So today when she came she tells me she had to cancel as she'd suffered a miscarriage 2 days before, and thought she'd feel well enough for her appointment but on the day, was not well enough. WOW! Can you imagine how s*** I'd feel now if I'd charged her ?!?! Poor girl. She tried to pay extra today (which of course I did not accept !!) Made even sadder when she thanked me for listening to her as she felt like she had no one to talk to about it A good reminder to me to be less cynical and remember that this job really can make a positive difference to how people feel and how people cope with the bad stuff.

 

[Savvy Salon Marketing]

It's tricky and a real balancing act. You're in business and clients need to be trained. If they don't respect you or your time then I don't think you want them anyway. Let them go and replace them with someone you respects the rules