As a salon owner, nothing is more frustrating than preparing for a client who never shows up or cancels their appointment at the very last minute. These missed appointments cost you revenue and can disrupt the whole day.
The good news is, there are steps you can take to prevent and reduce these pesky (and costly) situations.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss the different ways these no-shows and cancellations can affect your business. Then, we’ll give you some tips on how to reduce no-shows for a salon!
HOW NO-SHOWS AND LAST-MINUTE CANCELLATIONS HURT YOUR SALON
Last-minute cancellations and no-shows aren’t just annoying, they can impact your business in some of the following ways:
LOST REVENUE FROM MISSED APPOINTMENTS
No-shows and last-minute cancellations mean lost income for your salon. Research shows that about 30% of appointments are missed each year in the beauty industry. For the average salon, that equates to around $67,000 in lost revenue.
When a booked appointment doesn’t show up, you’re left with an empty chair, wasted time, and lost revenue. If this happens often, you may end up with a significant cash loss.
WASTED RESOURCES FROM PREPARATION
A no-show or cancellation means your team is left sitting idle, not generating any income for themselves or your business. They could have been attending to other clients if the cancellation happened early enough.
Aside from staff, resources such as water, electricity, and products could also go to waste.
DISRUPTED SCHEDULING
Appointments help to structure your stylists’ day. When a client books an appointment and doesn’t show up or cancels at the last minute, it puts a strain on their schedule.
Stylists have to adapt and adjust their approach to accommodate the change, which can be stressful and time-consuming.
EMPLOYEE MORALE
When no-shows begin to pile up, it can directly affect your salon team members’ morale. Imagine how disappointed and demotivated a stylist may feel after preparing for a particular service, only for the client to not show up.
This ripple effect may create a lack of enthusiasm or productivity amongst the team, degrading the overall quality of service.
If it becomes a consistent issue and your salon doesn’t enforce a cancellation policy, it can start to affect your employee retention, too. As money keeps coming out of their pockets and morale doesn’t improve, stylists may start looking elsewhere for employment.
7 TIPS TO REDUCE NO-SHOWS AND LAST-MINUTE CANCELLATIONS
No-shows and last-minute cancellations are a common problem in the beauty industry. But they don’t have to be a thorn in your side.
Fortunately, there are several tips that you can use to reduce no-shows and cancellations in your salon, making it a more efficient and pleasant experience for your team and your clients!
SEND APPOINTMENT CONFIRMATIONS AND REMINDERS
One of the most effective ways to reduce no-shows is by sending appointment confirmations and reminders. In fact, online appointment reminders have been shown to reduce no-shows by 29%.
You can use automated software to send text messages or email reminders to clients a day or two before their appointment.
This provides a gentle nudge and serves as a reminder that they have an upcoming appointment. Clients who forget may appreciate this gesture as it shows them that you care about their time.
HAVE A CLEAR CANCELLATION & NO-SHOW POLICY
Beauty salons should have a clear cancellation policy to protect your business in case of any changes to scheduled appointments. Be sure to communicate this policy openly with guests before booking and provide your cancellation policy in writing.
Share your cancellation policy at multiple client touchpoints, such as:
- On your website
- A sign at your front desk
- In your email signature
- On social media profiles
- During the online booking process
OFFER THE BEST SERVICE
Almost 60% of your business comes from repeat customers, showing that happy clients come back for more. If your services create an amazing experience that clients can’t wait to rebook, they’ll be less likely to miss appointments.
Make sure you maintain a high-quality level of service, go the extra mile, and invest in ongoing training for your staff. Reputation is everything, and word of mouth goes a long way.
TAKE DEPOSITS TO COMBAT NO-SHOWS
Deposits are an increasingly popular way of combating salon no-shows.
Clients who book an appointment must put down a deposit, which is deducted from their total bill on the day of their appointment. If they don’t show up or cancel within the timeframe in your policy, you keep their deposit.
When clients have a financial stake in the appointment, they are more likely to show up.
Pro Tips:
SalonBiz offers a card-on-file feature that makes it easy to collect cancellation fees and appointment deposits. With this feature enabled, your clients will be required to input their credit card info when they book and be notified of your policy.
RESPECT YOUR CLIENTS’ TIME
Clients who feel that you respect their time are more likely to respect yours.
Take care to avoid unnecessary delays and run appointments on time. Your clients will appreciate it and look forward to future visits.
You can also show guests you appreciate it when they’re on time by rewarding them for it. For example, you could offer a small discount on a service or product when clients are prompt.
HAVE A STANDBY WAITING LIST FOR LAST-MINUTE CANCELLATIONS
Having a waiting list for last-minute cancellations can help you rebook appointments and keep your chairs full. If you have a cancellation, you can quickly offer the slot to a client on the waitlist.
You can also post on your salon’s social media channels about last-minute openings. Or have your stylists post on their personal channels, too.
This is a great way to fill up empty slots and reduce revenue lost.
SIMPLIFY YOUR BOOKING PROCESS
Did you know that 70% of customers prefer booking appointments online? Give your guests what they want with a simple online booking option that gives them control of their salon experience.
Each step of your online booking process should be seamless and intuitive, from selecting services to receiving a booking confirmation of the scheduled appointment. This way, clients can quickly and conveniently book, cancel, or reschedule an appointment at any time of the day or night.
GLOW UP YOUR ONLINE BOOKING WITH SALONBIZ
With the right salon software tools, you can offer your salon guests the ultimate online booking process.
When you upgrade to the new SalonBiz with our revamped online booking feature, your clients can complete online bookings for their favorite services anytime, anywhere, with any stylist.
Book a demo or schedule your upgrade to the new SalonBiz today!
