What do we do about those who book to see us but then neglect to notify us that they are not going to keep their appointment? It's one of many dilemmas of running an appointment based service business cancelled TV shows. Restaurants, beauty salons, hairdressers and counsellors are a few of the people affected by this problem. But there are numerous other forms of situations that we also need to contend with.
- Cancellation fees tend to be determined by the client. When someone is just a regular client and has simply failed to arrive it can be a great idea to telephone them and try to discover if there is a legitimate reason for them not showing. It can be a gesture of good will to waive the fee on the very first occasion. When someone has paid ahead of time for a program of treatments it may deter them from doing so again when they get a forfeit for not keeping an appointment. It depends how much you want to keep the client. Certainly being over-accommodating and constantly letting clients mess you about does not give a good professional message to clients. They have to respect you, and when they don't then it can be worth billing them for not keeping their appointment. In the event that you lose them as a client, well it's not really much of a loss.
- New clients who are a no-show could be invoiced for his or her lack of appearance, if you have their details, but they rarely pay the cancellation fee. They're unlikely to book again to see you and often need to be written off as one particular things.
- Late arriving clients tend to be stressed and in a rush. They're the people who frequently consider the clock and are alert to just how much time you've actually given them. The fact that they were late is irrelevant. They often expect their appointment to start from enough time of the arrival. It can be a great idea to intercept their expectations from the beginning of the session and flag up just how much time you've left. That way they will learn to understand when they desire a complete session they must arrive on amount of time in future.
- Early clients tend to be nervous, nervous to be late, nervous of traffic conditions, of getting lost, they wish to manage to get thier appointment over with. It could be good to start by defusing their concerns. Maybe cause them to become a drink while they wait, thank them if you are so prompt and excited about their appointment. It will then provide time in order for them to relax and feel more comfortable.
- Demanding clients may insist on plenty of attention at the beginning of the session and then expect the allotted time for you to be spent on their treatment. They might feel the need to talk for ages but nonetheless want their treatment afterwards. This can be a temporary situation as a result of circumstances. You could feel that it is important to provide the additional support, give the additional time, answer their phone calls and emails at no extra charge. But know that you're an expert and it is very important to protect your own time, space and leisure time too. Be firm when they contact you at inconvenient times and say just how long you can give or that it is not convenient at the moment.
- Discounts and free gifts of sessions or products really are a personal choice. Sometimes it may be worth offering an inducement for people who pay ahead of time or who are regular customers, but know about setting a precedent. They might well tell other people about your offers. Was it something you provided only for them as a favour? Be aware of the implications of reducing fees.
Being competitive in a difficult market is usually in regards to the extras, the grade of service, the personal touches. But it is still a business and needs to be run professionally as a business. Maintaining a balance can be a tough call on occasion.
Susan Leigh is just a Counsellor and Hypnotherapist who works together
- stressed individuals to promote confidence and self belief,
- couples in crisis to simply help improve communications and understanding
- with business clients to simply help support the health and motivation levels of people and teams
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