what to do about no shows

[christinarena]

Hi everyone,

I was supposed to have a client this morning at 11am it is now 11.25 and still no show. I have triaed to call har but there is no answer, I take it she is not coming.

What do you guys do about people like this? I dont know whether to leave it now or call her house again later. I saw this lady writing the appointment down in her diary (it was her first time last time)

It really annoys me especially when I have had someone else calling for that specific time and had to turn them away. A simple cancellation phone call would have been nice.

Sorry to go on, I feel better already! x

 

[Nicki-Marie]

This also annoys me. I had a lady recently who returned to have 2 nails repaired. The first appointment she forgot about and turned up at 3 instead of 1! she rebooked for a different date then she was 20 mins late. she bought her little one of 9 months with her who screamed the entire salon down the whole time they were there. She wrote down the date of her infill appointment before she left.
Then .. she didnt turn up for her infills. no call nothing. I rang her, but no answer left a polite message that she was late and we'd have to re-book her, and could she give me a call ... no reply that was almost a week ago. I only ring clients once or twice.

Luckily this doesnt happen very often. But if and when they do return maybe consider a charge for their missed appointment, they may not return to you after this but at least you have the money you deserved. like you said someone else could of had her appointment slot.

 

[Martigirl]

Hi everyone,

I was supposed to have a client this morning at 11am it is now 11.25 and still no show. I have triaed to call har but there is no answer, I take it she is not coming.

What do you guys do about people like this? I dont know whether to leave it now or call her house again later. I saw this lady writing the appointment down in her diary (it was her first time last time)

It really annoys me especially when I have had someone else calling for that specific time and had to turn them away. A simple cancellation phone call would have been nice.

Sorry to go on, I feel better already! x

It is a nightmare but part and parcel of our job I am afraid I always phone and I have had clients who answer their phone and have genuinely forgot so it can be a mistake on their part.

I am considering taking a deposit over the phone for new clients to try and limit this. I am also considering asking for a deposit from clients who cancel continually at the last minute.

I also have on my consultation forms that if I am not given 24 hours notice of a cancellation I will charge 50% of the treatment cost this is also on my website and brochures.

hth's

 

[blossom]

No shows are very annoying, totally agree with you.

If the client is a cherished regular, or has a very good excuse then I just accept it as part and parcel or the job.

If they have just forgotten then again, on the very odd occasion, it is forgiveable!

If someone consistently lets me down this way then I would opt not to do their nails for them and not accept any more bookings. Who has time to sit around waiting for repeat no-show-ers, particularly when other bookings are being turned away. It's just money lost.

I have considered putting on my price list that a 50% cancellation fee is payable but tbh I don't think you'd ever get the money, the client just wouldn't come again. Which is a shame if there is a genuine reason.

 

[*Garfield*]

Its annoying, but unfortunately it goes with the job! You will always get people who 'forget' to cancel. Its very hard to impliment charging no shows a % of their fee - how do you make them pay? Plus, if it were me, it may put them off ever going back again - some people genuienly just forget! I do, however charge past no-shows a booking fee if they want to book in again - usually £5. or £10 depending on the service..its a bit of an incentive for them to turn up next time. :wink2:

 

[Mieke]

It is indeed part of our job and you can,t do much about it
"if" the customer returns i also add extra to the total price as a compensation for my previous lost time.

If this happens i do too get a little bit upset. I think that you fast feel if it,s a genuin 'ooooh i forgot' or 'pfff who cares that i messed up your time' based on to the customers personality.

It only happend once to me and that was because of a new customer that said that her friend wanted to book a time and blabla so i note it down. She didn,t showed up so i asked the number to this customer and she answered me yeah she tried to call you but you dont answer her :irked: so i asked her the number, i dialed it and the girl that picked up didn,t knew what i was talking about. I called the customer back to say this and she oooh i,ll call her myself and i,ll call you back....never heard of her again I gave her discount on her first set and after she said that she fixed her friend for nails and asked the price for her rebalance which was no discount involved she got a bit sour i guess and made this whole fixing people up thing so i would give her a better price.

It was my mistake in the first place to give her discount since she is a friend from someone i know.

 

[hayls]

It is a pain in the bum people not showing up and not even having the good grace to let you know they wont be turning up either!!

 

[JDs]

I call my appts for the next day, 24 hrs prior to their appt to remind and confirm. It is much appreciated by the clients as they lead busy lives also and it helps alot if they have to cancel.
Saves alot of empty spaces on my appt book.

 

[Susie H]

I call my appts for the next day, 24 hrs prior to their appt to remind and confirm. It is much appreciated by the clients as they lead busy lives also and it helps alot if they have to cancel.
Saves alot of empty spaces on my appt book.

I to tried this and found it did cut down on the no shows but by far the best way, for me, was to take a £10 deposit, I never had someone who left me a tenner just not turn up and I have no problem with someone re booking. Also I've found regular customers feel special when I said, oh don't worry about a deposit, we know each other well enough now to work on trust.