Deposits dilemma! Advice needed, and am I paranoid?

[ollygels]

Hi everyone! I run a nail bar in Carrick and lately we've started having a weird number of no-shows and last-minute cancellations.

I know it sounds paranoid but I'm starting to wonder if our competition are getting people to book in and cancel to mess with us. Competition is fierce and I've heard false rumors have been spread about us even thogh our policy is NEVER talk down other businesses.

Anyway I think we need to start demanding deposits BUT how? Okay if someone re-books or walks in. If they call during open hours we can take card over the phone.

But if someone books online I don't have a payment option. Or if they book through Facebook and we're not open and can't take card payment.

I guess we can ask them to pop in but people are busy and I want to make it easy for customers.

AND my technicians are nervous about demanding deposits in case it annoys people.

I don't know what to do!

 

[squidgernetball]

Use a booking system like ovatu. For a small outlay you can take card payments as they book x

 

[surf girl]

I was going to suggest ovatu too, you don't need to demand payment simply ask for a deposit, lots of companies do it just act like its a matter of course.. That's how your business works kind of thing.

When you order a dominoes online you have to pay with a card... End of. That's how their business works

You could use Ovatu to do the Facebook bookings too just tell them to use the link for the online booking & it will take payment as part of the process, the ovatu support is second to none so don't worry about feeling overwhelmed by organising the payment part they will do it for you