Seize Control of Your Schedule!
Last minute cancellations and no shows are a salon suite owners biggest headache. They create scheduling gaps, lost revenue and oftentimes, a client/stylist breakup.
There is a way to seize control of your schedule and get ahead of the problem. Implement a policy and adhere to it 100% of the time. Encourage your clients to always give proper cancellation notice.
Smart Strategies for your Salon Suite
Here are a few ideas to consider:
Prepayments: Require a deposit, whether it’s a percentage or a fixed dollar amount. When the appointment is fulfilled, deduct the deposit amount from the overall cost—easy!
Cancellation Fees: Establish a cancellation policy that works for you—decide how many hours/days in advance the client has to cancel without a fee—and waive or process the fees accordingly.
Send Reminders: Text/call as a friendly reminder before an upcoming appointment date. Salon Concepts can help you with this step.
Advice from a Salon Concepts Professional
Jen Butler from Salon Concepts Burnsville shares elements of her “No Show” policy which she enforces 100%:
I make a great effort to be prepared for your appointment, and when you cancel at the last minute or no show/no call, I lose valuable time that could have been given to another guest. In turn, this is a loss of income and I become “unemployed” for the length of your appointment time.
As I am very respectful of all my clients and their time, I simply ask the same of you. If you need to reschedule for any reason, please do so 24 or more hours in advance. If the appointment is canceled within 24 hours of the appointment time, you will incur a 50% total service fee which must be paid within one week.
Well said, Jen. A policy crafted with mutual respect for both parties.
Communicate Your New Policy
You have every right to protect your business by implementing a policy for cancellations and no shows. In fact, your long-time customers will respect you for it.
It is important to communicate the new policy with all new and existing customers. Here are some ideas:
• Use social media to share new policies
• Remind clients when booking their appointments
• Send out an additional email reminder after booking
• Print and post your policy in a highly visual place so clients can’t miss it
The Benefit: Protecting Your Income
Recent research by booking app, Booksy, revealed that salon professionals with cancellation and no-show policies experienced 20 percent fewer cancellations.
What kind of policy is right for you? Ask your fellow suite mates how they handle no shows and cancellations. This is a shared problem and chances are, you’ll benefit by learning from others.
For more assistance with your no show issues, in Cincinnati contact Clara England, clara@salon-concepts.com; or in Minneapolis, contact Lisa Jorgensen, lisa@salon-concepts.com, or Renee Vermilyea, renee@salon-concepts.com. They’re always here to help.