We all get no shows…
Worst thing is they happen at the busiest of times and always when you have a glut of clients on your cancellation list.
The impact of dead spots in your appointment book as a Solo Stylist is detrimental to your income. But is there a way to avoid this from happening?
There are a few things we should be doing to avoid even the possibilities of a no show occurring.
First things first…take accountability for your appointment book. You are responsible for it. Every thing that goes in there is your choice and therefore totally your responsibility to ensure they arrive.
Lots of people will pass the buck here and say “it’s the client’s responsibility to show up”. That’s all well and good to wash your hands of it once it’s in the book but keep in mind…there will only ever be one loser it this situation if they don’t show…and that’s going to be you.
Think about these scenarios…
- Client doesn’t show…you lose income for that slot
- Client doesn’t show and you have to reschedule…you lose income for that spot and lose a future income spot where someone else could have potentially been (that client has now taken 2 spaces for the price of 1)
- Client doesn’t show and you charge a cancellation fee…chances are they’re not going to be happy with that and you might never see them again. Good chance that you’ve now lost a potential 16 appointments if this was an average client that would come every 6 weeks for the next 2 years.
Here are the 5 steps I use to combat no show situations?
Step 1: Reminders
I use an automated digital appointment book. This keeps all of my clients details in one place where I can easily access them at any time from any where. This program includes an automated SMS and email system where I remind my clients TWICE that they have an appointment coming. The first reminder is sent 1 week prior to the appointment and asks for a confirmation response. This gives them:
- an advanced warning that the appointment is coming.
- me plenty of time to fill the space if they do realise they cannot make it.
- a physical response that they will attend.
I also send a reminder 1 day from their appointment as a backup. They have now had 2 reminders so it’s highly unlikely that they are going to forget.
Step 2: Follow up
Most of my clients are wonderful. I know they’re more than likely to turn up because if they miss their appointment they are going to not be able to get back in for a while.
If they haven’t confirmed either of the 2 messages they should have received I will follow up with a phone call. This will go one of a few ways…
- I will get in touch and they will confirm or cancel.
- I will leave a message and ask for them to confirm by calling or messaging back by a specific time (this is important to give a deadline) or we will have to cancel the appointment.
Step 3: Don’t leave it until the last minute
You are always going to have that one who won’t answer or return your call. Don’t assume they are going to turn up!
If I haven’t heard back from them by the specific time advised (I use Close of Business the day prior) they are pretty much on notice that their appointment will be cancelled.
I then follow up with another phone call before business the next morning. You will usually get a “Sorry…yes I’ll be there” if they answer.
For the ones who continue to not answer will get the following processes:
- A voice message stating their appointment has to be cancelled due to non confirmation
- An automated text and email informing them that the appointment has been cancelled
Do not feel bad about cancelling them. They have now had 4 opportunities to confirm their appointment. You have done as much as you can to ensure their attendance for them.
Step 4: Fill that space
You still haven’t started your day at this point so make sure you get that space filled before you begin working. Filling a space after you’ve begun working is almost impossible to do. These next steps are crucial to making your day full:
- Call everyone on your cancellation list until it’s filled.
- If it can’t fill from your cancellation list post on your social media with a link to your online booking.
Step 5: Utilise your time
OK…there might be times even after using all of these steps you still can’t avoid a no show space. Don’t be disheartened by it…
Keep a list of tasks on hand that you know you need to do when you have free time. A no show might just be the space you need to complete it.
It may also just be that break you need to just stop and relax for a bit. Looking after yourself mentally can be just as important (if not more so) than the income from the service.
Losing income due to no shows hurts small business. Especially when there could have been opportunities to fill these spaces. Having plans and systems in place to avoid them happening is an important step to keeping your books full and income at its full potential.
Key Points:
- Remind your clients often
- Have back up plans for filling appointments
- It is 100% your responsibility to fill your books
Until next time…
Craig
The Solo Stylist
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