Advice please, correct wording on cancellation policy?

[Taraki]

Following, had so many not turn up last min

 

[Sasha Malone]

I have a 50% non refundable booking fee to secure appointments. This is the first thing mentioned before a client requests for prices or to book in. I used to have just a £10 non refundable booking fee, however scrapped that as I still had people cancelling last minute and the £10 did not cover the lost slot.
Clients can pay cash (I am a mobile and a home based salon) but must hand the money over to me at my address. Or via bank transfer. They get a receipt/invoice via my booking app shedul emailed over to them. Once that has gone through only THEN their appointment is secure. In the past i used to take pay pal, however a client from overseas paid her booking fee, then on the day of the appointment she did not show up- YET she reclaimed the money back, I did not receive the booking fee, caused a me nightmare of a time!

Sometimes I do get a few potential clients pull out or try and blag me that they do not have any money until such and such a date, and can I not just book them in. Or on a few occasions I get clients saying they do not feel comfortable, 'am I a scam?!' However I stay professional and stick to my guns. At the end of the day you are running a successful business and a business cannot run on no shows and cancellations. I took this strick decision when I lost £600 in a week on cancellations and no shows. Thats not counting the work i turned away as i was 'fully booked'

Oh and another thing, during consultations, I get my clients to sign that they have read my t.c and they are happy to proceed. My t&c is blasted on my website and is emailed to them before booking, so they no the score!

 

[salonsaviour]

I rent a room in a salon and am having the same problem. I am thinking about introducing something too. I have been told you need to word it something like a 50% non refundable booking fee will secure your appointment rather than a deposit as they can ask for a deposit back. I only work in the salon 2 days a week so am trying to work out the best way to protect my column. I currently send a text message out as a reminder on the day of their appointment and if I am in the next day I’ll text them for their appointment the next day. As I’m not always in its hard to reinforce payment too. The woman I rent the room from doesn’t ring her clients with a courtesy confirmation call so sm finding it difficult too.

I think sending a text as a reminder is a great way to help prevent no shows and missed appointments. I too do this in my salon and it has helped give people the gentle nudge they need sometimes! Have you found it has helped at all since implementing the text reminder system?

 

[Mstango]

I think sending a text as a reminder is a great way to help prevent no shows and missed appointments. I too do this in my salon and it has helped give people the gentle nudge they need sometimes! Have you found it has helped at all since implementing the text reminder system?

Yes its helped some clients have said they had down the wrong time for treatment etc and was good to get a reminder. How do you all enforce taking the booking fee or the rest of the treatment money? X

I have a 50% non refundable booking fee to secure appointments. This is the first thing mentioned before a client requests for prices or to book in. I used to have just a £10 non refundable booking fee, however scrapped that as I still had people cancelling last minute and the £10 did not cover the lost slot.
Clients can pay cash (I am a mobile and a home based salon) but must hand the money over to me at my address. Or via bank transfer. They get a receipt/invoice via my booking app shedul emailed over to them. Once that has gone through only THEN their appointment is secure. In the past i used to take pay pal, however a client from overseas paid her booking fee, then on the day of the appointment she did not show up- YET she reclaimed the money back, I did not receive the booking fee, caused a me nightmare of a time!

Sometimes I do get a few potential clients pull out or try and blag me that they do not have any money until such and such a date, and can I not just book them in. Or on a few occasions I get clients saying they do not feel comfortable, 'am I a scam?!' However I stay professional and stick to my guns. At the end of the day you are running a successful business and a business cannot run on no shows and cancellations. I took this strick decision when I lost £600 in a week on cancellations and no shows. Thats not counting the work i turned away as i was 'fully booked'

Oh and another thing, during consultations, I get my clients to sign that they have read my t.c and they are happy to proceed. My t&c is blasted on my website and is emailed to them before booking, so they no the score!

Can I see you terms and conditions please?

This is great. I've been having loads of cancellations and no shows lately and have been struggling with wording for a policy, can I use this please?

How do you enforce it to get the money for a no show?

 

[salonsaviour]

Yes its helped some clients have said they had down the wrong time for treatment etc and was good to get a reminder. How do you all enforce taking the booking fee or the rest of the treatment money? X

Hi @Mstango,

To enforce the booking fee, you must first explain the fee you are implementing to your clients before they book their appointment. This way they are made aware of your policy in advance.

It may be an idea to write it up on your website - explaining your new policy and that it is non refundable - to prevent no show appointments in future.

If you are able to take card payments over the phone, you could take the fee this way. If people come into the salon you could take payment in which ever way suits them/you. If you give them their receipt as proof of payment then they pay the remaining balance when they actually come in for the treatment - this way you are at least some what compensated if you do have no shows.

Hope this helps!