No-show cancellation fees - Advice??

['chelle]

Hi

I had a client booked in at 9am today. I dont usually open until 10am but she needed an early appointment so I obliged. I have rheumatoid arthritis so it takes a lot of time, effort and help from my husband to get up and ready in a morning, but I did it for my client. She didnt turn up, and didnt ring to cancel. I understand that this happens from time to time in our industry, and I can understand that sometimes things happen and people need to cancel or re-arrange, but I get frustrated when the client doesnt even ring to let you know.

So, from now on I will be confirming appointments by phone the day before, but I was also thinking of making a no-show charge. I was thinking of adding a statement to my client record cards saying that there is a £10 fee payable for no-show appointments, which the client reads before signing the card. I know some people have a policy of enforcing such a charge the next time the client has an appointment, but I was thinking more along the lines of sending a bill out in the post!

Does anyone have a similar system, or have any better ideas on the most effective way to enforce no-show fees?

 

[Lynne Baker]

Have you contacted your client since to find out what happened?

 

['chelle]

I've tried to ring her twice since the appointment but there's no reply.

She's a fairly new client, she's had a full set and a rebalance appointment before. I have to say I'm not 100% surprised by her not coming, she rang me on the morning of the rebal appointment to ask if she should still come as she had pulled all her nails off and would need a new full set. I did the new full set for her, but she has no respect for her nails and I kind of knew then that she wouldnt be a long term client, it would just have been nice of her to ring though.

If she gets in touch over the next day or so and there has been a genuine reason, fair enough, we all forget things sometimes, but when she booked this appointment she wrote it in her diary in front of me.

 

[essentia]

Hi I think if you should take appts outside of your normal hours then ask for payment in advance. I have not yet had any problems but if I have a no show and they book again I will ask for payment in advance (I have a credit/debit card machine which makes this easier). Perhaps you should only do out of regular hours for clients that you know fairly well. :hug:

 

[cabinkel]

I used to have this problem, but what made it worse was clients saying, "oh, I knew you wouldnt mind" when they phoned 10 mins before they were due in. People will take advantage of a good nature if you let them! I ended up putting a sign in the salon advising people that if they do not give 24 hrs notice, they will be charged half the fee that the treatment would have cost. This also applies to people booking for treatments, then turning up and only wanting half of what they booked. Not one person has made a negative comment, and low and behold, no more late cancelations!!!! I think sometimes people just dont think, so the posters were a litte prod!:lol:

 

[aliceellen1974]

Its very frustrating and i completely understand, i had a client do the same on me and she ordered retail products so i am out of pocket as well - so they will have to pay for those up front from now on.

If you can charge a cancellation fee I would but I don't know if you would get them to send you the fee after receiving it in the post???

I think a % of their appointment is a good way to go???

good luck hun

xxxxxx

 

[tor]

I also have this problem so im glad som1 bought it up. I work till 9 at nite on both thurs and fridays and a client told me she was going away on Friday evening could she get her nails done Friday morning early, i opened at 9 that morning for her as i thought she was genuine, got a phone call at 8.50 saying oh sorry cant make it way to much on etc etc she has done this 3 times with apps and it really really makes me mad. From now on iv decided i willtake credit card details from people booking over the phone and if som1 walks in to book a treatment il take a deposit if the treatment is over €40. If the client doesnt show up they loose there deposit, if they dont cancel within24 hours they get charged 50% of the cost of the treatment and if they dont show up at all or dont ring they will be paying for the full treatment. Its very annoying as it has also happened to me this morning i had a client booked in for laser worth over €200 and no show so i rang and left a message and no phone call back very very rude, but it aint gona be happening to me anymore.

 

['chelle]

I think after reading what you have all said I am more inclined to request payment in advance for future treatments from no-show clients rather than sending a bill, maybe that might look a bit abrupt and if word spreads it might affect my reputation.

Fortunately this isnt a common problem, but it doesnt make it any less frustrating when it does happen. At the moment my business is new and my appointment book isnt very full, but I would like to be able to manage these situations better for the future as I would hate to turn anyone away because I have appointments booked, only for those appointments not to turn up

Thanks for all your input guys, much appreciated as usual!:hug:

 

[nailpod]

Hi

I had a client booked in at 9am today. I dont usually open until 10am but she needed an early appointment so I obliged. I have rheumatoid arthritis so it takes a lot of time, effort and help from my husband to get up and ready in a morning, but I did it for my client. She didnt turn up, and didnt ring to cancel. I understand that this happens from time to time in our industry, and I can understand that sometimes things happen and people need to cancel or re-arrange, but I get frustrated when the client doesnt even ring to let you know.

So, from now on I will be confirming appointments by phone the day before, but I was also thinking of making a no-show charge. I was thinking of adding a statement to my client record cards saying that there is a £10 fee payable for no-show appointments, which the client reads before signing the card. I know some people have a policy of enforcing such a charge the next time the client has an appointment, but I was thinking more along the lines of sending a bill out in the post!

Does anyone have a similar system, or have any better ideas on the most effective way to enforce no-show fees?

Do you have a credit card machine hun, cos when they book just take their card details and inform them no show fee is 50%
and a late change cancellation is 20% etc.. that way if she doesnt want give you her card details you havent lost anyone in my opinion cos she will be willing give them if she is going to pitch up in the first place-
but least not as bad as being mobile i had a client this last month who wasnt even at home when i arrived!!

People are not that considerate which is dishartening!

 

[Shellie xx]

I've had this problem many times unfortunately. The last straw was on New Years Eve I got in to work for my client at 8am, needless to say she didn't turn up, nor did her Mum who was booked in straight after her at 9am AND my next client cancelled last minute after them (the last one did have a very valid reason though so I can accept that). I called my 8am and she didn't answer her phone so I left her a message which I always do when my clients don't turn up. What infuriated me more was the fact that she still turned up for her hair appointment in the hairdressers where my room is for 9am!!!!! I made a point of going up to her and 'reminding' her that she did actually have an appointment with me at 8am to which she replied "Oh I'm so sorry, me and Mum totally forgot" I was soooo angry more because of the lack of respect. Anway I've since had a sign made up stating that all no shows or late cancellations will incur a 50% charge. I haven't had the problem since!!!

My Mum found an article in her magazine the other day about beauty salons charging for a missed appointment. They were saying that the beauty salon is well within their rights to charge!!

HTH

 

['chelle]

Do you have a credit card machine hun, cos when they book just take their card details and inform them no show fee is 50%
and a late change cancellation is 20% etc.. that way if she doesnt want give you her card details you havent lost anyone in my opinion cos she will be willing give them if she is going to pitch up in the first place-
but least not as bad as being mobile i had a client this last month who wasnt even at home when i arrived!!

People are not that considerate which is dishartening!

What a good idea, Thanks!! I'm hoping to have a chip & pin machine installed in the next couple of months. I could take the card details, which wont be processed provided the turn up, that way they are compelled to turn up, or at least ring you!

Brilliant idea, I hadnt considered that, thanks:hug:

 

[skymark]

What a good idea, Thanks!! I'm hoping to have a chip & pin machine installed in the next couple of months. I could take the card details, which wont be processed provided the turn up, that way they are compelled to turn up, or at least ring you!

Quick word of warning, when I worked in Fraud Analysis I came across lots of interesting people, make sure that you definitely inform all of your clients every time if you have a policy like this as if you charge their card at all without their prescence and without a signature or proof, all they have to do is shout fraud at their credit card company and you may start to get grief from the card issuers.

Most people are pretty understanding why some places need a policy about some things, but there is always one or two that like to take advantage of being the consumer.

Plus, with chip and pin, it's increasing difficult to ever charge a card without card holder presence.

Understand your pain with the no-shows tho.
:hug: