Lateness & Excuses & No-Shows, Oh My! – How to Deal with Clients Who Show Up Late or Always Cancel

As a business owner your livelihood relies on your ability to draw in clients, meet or exceed their expectations, and to keep them returning to your chair. While there are many ways to do this to boost your business and your bottom line, you can run into problems if the clients themselves aren’t cognizant of your time and the needs of your business. Clients who show up late (or worse; not at all) don’t only throw off your appointment schedule but they can also eat into your earnings. So, what do you do to handle late arrivals or no-shows in both an effective and professional manner?

Craft a Clear Policy

One of the most effective ways to prevent any misunderstandings about your salon’s handling of no-shows and on the limits of what can be considered “late” is to have a clear, written policy. Making a written declaration of how late a client can be, what kind of notice they should provide if they’re not going to show up, and what the consequences are for not showing (fees, loss of deposit, reschedule only, etc.) can help to save you and your salon from potential headaches. After all, even one late client can creep into another client’s appointment time and be costly.

Enforcement

While it can be difficult to confront a client about tardiness or last-minute cancellations because of fear of losing them as a client for good, remaining silent simply opens the door to repeat behavior in the long run. Having some pre-written scripts on-hand to send via text or email (or even as a voice message or conversation) can help take away some of the pressure. Consider something like:

“Hi. I understand that things sometimes come up. Just a reminder that our cancellation policy requires 24-hour advance notice. Since we missed that window, I’ll need to apply the cancellation fee to rebook the appointment.”

Or:

“Because of the short notice I can’t rebook that spot, which is why we have our cancellation policy in place. Thank you for understanding.”

Deposits

Having a client put down a deposit for services not only encourages them to show up, but it could also encourage them to provide proper notice if they can’t make the appointment. This could be helpful because if said client cancels early enough there may be time to rebook the spot with someone else. Make clear indications of when deposits can be refunded and when they can’t be and set a reasonable rate (a flat fee or a percentage of overall service.) For clients that prove that they are reliable this could even be waived altogether as an incentive.

Communication

When a client violates the lateness/cancellation policy, use it as a teaching opportunity. Calmly explain why the policy is in place, how it impacts your business and the schedules of other clients with appointments. Explain that policies aren’t meant to be personal but rather professional and that all your clients are held to the same standards. This can also teach your clients to respect you and your business, and those who do so are the ones you want to keep coming back.

Encourage Staff and Back Them Up

With everyone on the same page it’s much easier to enforce a lateness/cancellation policy. Members of your team might face some resistance when it comes to enforcing such a policy, especially when and if a deposit is involved, so it’s important that they have backup to help them stick to their guns. Having pre-written scripts, signage around the salon to help reinforce their statements, and group training on how to handle such situations can go a long way.

Remember, a lateness/cancellation policy is not about punishing your clients, but rather about teaching them why it’s important that they uphold their end of the client agreement. With clear expectations set and a team that’s willing to help follow through, you’re not only poised to boost your overall business but also setting respectable boundaries.