5 Ways to Reduce Last Minute Cancellations & No Shows

Hello, my friend. Welcome back to The Modern Hair Stylist podcast. Girl, I don't know what the T is. Over the past couple years, and even today, like, I just feel like I am seeing more and more people complain about having more last-minute cancellations and no-shows than they've ever had before.

I feel like it's just getting, like, worse and worse and crazier and crazier, and I don't know what it is. Like, DM me and tell me what you think it is, but I think that it's just that life is just always getting crazier and crazier. Like, the kids have more sports, and, like, there's more busy-schedule things to do, and people aren't working as home as much an- a- from home as much anymore. Uh, I don't know what it is though.

Truly. Like I-I don't know why, but it seems to me, and you tell me if you agree, that the last-minute cancellations and no-shows are just out of control. Now, what I will say is that the s- people in my programs and even myself who have implemented these five strategies in their business that reduce these last-minute cancellations and no-shows drastically are not experiencing this too much. Now, you're always gonna have this circumstance come up for you every now and then, but there's really great ways of mitigating the hell out of it and making it so it's not such a constant problem for you and your business, and doing it in a way that's fair for you and the client.

So, if you wanna hear about five ways to reduce your last-minute cancellations and no-shows, if you are sick of them, and if you are ready to make sure that when you show up for a day of work you actually get paid for it, then let's get into it. Let's go. What's the T, friend? My name's Hunter Donia, industry business educator for hairstylists, but my friends just call me Hunty.

Whether it be growing your clientele, making more money, or automating and streamlining your systems, in the next 20 minutes or so, you'll be hearing realistic, actionable strategies to create a beautiful career for yourself behind the chair. So if you're ready to get into it, welcome to The Modern Hair Stylist podcast. Okay, so here's my whole philosophy about policies. I know that I've talked about policies before.

It's something that we talk about a lot, because when we talk about boundaries, we have to talk about our policies, right? But I think it's really important that we aren't, like, going on social media, and we're, like, bitching and complaining about how when our clients don't show up, we lose X amount of money, and, like, this, that, and the third. I think it's very, very, very important that we don't go about it in a way where we are, quote-unquote, "educating our clients" about how it affects us. Okay?

Because quite honestly, they don't give a shit. Okay? Your clients do not care. Furthermore, posting that type of stuff out there or emailing your clients, like, c- I- I- i- most of the time, 'cause I know I've done it way back in the day, most of the time it just comes from a very reactionary place inside of our soul, and then it doesn't come out in a professional way where we may look back at that, like, a year later and be like, "Ugh, I wish I went about that a different way," right?

Furthermore, if you post that and Sally, who's had to cancel on you last minute because she had to go to the hospital in the morning, if she sees that, she's gonna think that she's talking about you, right? And so, that's not gonna get you a, a good five-star Yelp review. That's gonna land you a one-star Yelp review, right? And it's gonna create this negative perception of your business from the outside.

So, what we definitely don't want to do is we don't wanna approach this from a place of, "I deserve money, you should not be canceling on me, you're screwing me over," this, that, and the third. Like, that is not a g- it's not gonna help anybody. Everybody's gonna lose at the end of the day. So instead, we should be taking responsibility for our own businesses and how we are showing up, and the procedures and policies that we have in place and how we enforce them and how we remind our people of them.

And furthermore, instead of using our policies as consequences, let's use them as a preventative measure. Okay? Let's, let's try to make, let's try to put in as many preventative measures as possible, right? That is what the secret is here.

It's, it's not putting a Band-Aid on the problem and it's not becoming super reactionary and, like, and, like, and, like, shaming our clients and, like, freaking out. Let's be proactive versus reactive. Okay? And those are the five, the, that's like the theme of the five things that I'm gonna be sharing with you today.

So, we're gonna start with something really simple and basic, but it's super important, and I'm starting to realize, I didn't realize that this wasn't a standard thing. And a lot of the times when people think, when I'm talking about, like, automations a lot of the time, they'll think I'm talking about this and I'm totally not, because this is, like, basic 101. Okay? This is, like, if you're not doing this, I don't know what the T is, girl.

Like, it's 2023, and if your booking system doesn't offer this, God bless you, please change your booking system. All right? So, automated text message reminders and emails. If your clients aren't getting automated text message reminders and emails for their appo- appointments, I have no idea, like, wha- I- i- today's day and age, honey, I need that automated text message reminder and email, girl.

Could you relate with me? Like, I need that. Now, I'm pretty good with my Google calendar. I need to stay on top of my Google calendar as somebody who has ADHD.

But those automated text message reminders and emails are so helpful and so important and your clients agree. So, furthermore, multiples of them. Okay, so what I'm f- starting to find out is, is that a lot of booking systems will only send one text message, like, 24 hours before. My booking sy- I- with Square, Square you can send a 72-hour text reminder and a 24-hour text reminder, and the emails on top of that, right?

I find that to be super helpful and super foolproof, especially having that really, like, fair bit of days-in-advance notice and then the 24-hour notice. That really sets you up for a lot of success, I feel like. Because if somebody gets that 72-hour notice, it gives you enough time to fill in that space if they cancel on you las- if, uh, if they cancel on you in that 72 hours. And then furthermore, if that person gets, gets that 24 hours, but maybe they didn't respond or didn't see the 72, then it at least gives them another opportunity to reach out to you.

But if they're only getting one or the other, then it, then it may not be as effective. I mean, it'll obviously not be as effective in reducing your last-minute cancellations and no-shows. And then furthermore, it will give you the opportunity to be able to re- to fill in that gap if that person does end up canceling, right? But even just having those reminders will make sure that it stays on top of somebody's head.

And a lot of the times, 72 hours in advance to that appointment will give that person enough time and space to be prepared to be able to show up in 72 hours on that day for their appointment, right?So making sure that you have plenty of automated text reminders and emails set up through your booking system, which is super simple. It should be included in your booking system, and I really enjoy that Square does two texts, um, I think is obvious, like, a very basic obvious one, but one that I'm finding that a lot of people don't actually implement. So make sure that this is 100% turned on, okay?

My second tip is going to be requiring a card on file. Now, a lot of people always ask me, like, what my thoughts are a- about card on file and getting deposits. So my tea is deposits, I feel like, should only be taken for services that are taking you longer than four hours or are, like, a whole lot of money. Mostly the time, though, I'm not f- I'm not particularly...

It depends on the service, like with extensions, right? Like, if you've already purchased the hair, that's, like, a different story, right? But, like, I'm more worried about the time that's spent in your book, right? Because the more time that's reserved in your book, the less amount of money that you'll make if you lose that time, because you won't be able to refill that in, right?

So I wanna make sure that if you're booked for something that's, like, four-plus hours, that's when I'm like, okay, you can start to take deposits, if that makes sense for you and your business and you do struggle with last-minute cancellations and no-shows. But anything less than four hours, I normally find that a credit card on file is good enough for that. Because if you require somebody to put a credit card on file to be able to book an appointment with you, then it assures that they're actually serious about getting that appointment. And this is where I love the fact that the, that 95% of my clients book online with me, is that they have to put in that card on file when they're going ahead and booking online, and I know for a fact that they're serious about that appointment, and they know that there are consequences and I do have that card on file when they book that appointment.

Now, like I said earlier, I don't believe that we should be using our policies as punishments. I think that we should be using our policies as preventative measures. And I actually very, very, very, very, very rarely will ever charge somebody's card on file, even if they last-minute cancel on me. So I want you to go listen to the When Should You Charge a Cancellation Fee podcast episode after this one, so that way, you can hear a little bit more about my theory about this.

But getting that card on file really assures that somebody's super serious, right? And it does put some skin in the game, but then it does, it's not as harsh and it's not as, I guess, like, repelling as a deposit could be. Like, I think a deposit is enough for somebody to be like, "Yep, I'm not gonna book an appointment." But a card on file is something that's kind of, like, it's, it's, it's a, it's a little bit of something extra that the client has to do, but there's no money out of their pocket, right?

Especially if, like, this is a new client, right? Like, they don't even trust you yet, you know? So, um, if it's not something that is more than four hours that you will truly be at a massive loss, then I would suggest just getting a card on file. But, like, if this is, like, a, a really expensive service because of extensions or whatever it might be or it takes you a long time, then I think deposits are okay for those specific services.

Now, I know in online booking systems, specifically, I pretty, I'm almost 100% positive it's Square, okay? But don't quote me. You can actually set it up to where, like, only certain services, um, you require a card on file, and then some certain services, you require a deposit. Again, don't quote me, but I'm pretty sure that's the case.

I don't take deposits for any of my services. So I do card on file for every one of them, and that has worked beautifully for me Okay, my next tip is rethinking the way that you are pre-booking. Now, this is not for everybody, and another podcast episode that I think would be great for you to refer to after you listen to this episode would be, uh, The Truth About Stopping Pre-Booking, okay? Um, because I share my entire thoughts about this there.

But what happens when we pre-book the shit out of our appointments and our clients and our schedule is we are enforcing this urgency in our clients a lot of the time that they don't normally actually want to be participating in, but they feel like they're forced to, because if they don't pre-book their appointment, then they're not gonna have a chance of getting in with you. But then what happens is, is they book an appointment with you super far in advance, right, maybe multiples of them, maybe throughout the entire year, and then they get that 72-hour reminder or that 24-hour reminder and they're like, "Oh my God, I completely forgot that I even booked this and I accidentally overbooked something," or, "I didn't even realize that I was doing this," and then they cancel on you last minute, right? Um, I've seen a lot of this happening for the people who, who majoratively pre-book. When you move to online booking only and when you have a limited booking range and you only allow people to book within a certain range, you really are, are guaranteed, almost, that everybody who's booking that appointment is doing it within a reasonable timeframe where they know exactly what's going on in their schedule, and not to mention your schedule as well, too.

So that way, you don't have to cancel those things last minute or rearrange your schedule or reschedule them or feel forced to not participate in event, in an event in your life because you have this appointment scheduled, um, that you scheduled fricking six months ago Like, that's just ridiculous, right? So I'm a really big firm believer in, like, I call it a limited booking range, and I teach you how to do this super strategically within, uh, my programs. And I just ran a massive survey that I'm super excited to share with you guys. It was, like, mind-blowing statistics.

Um, I just did a survey across all age ranges of women specifically who go to get their hair done at a salon in the United States, across all age ranges and all demographics, and the majority of them say that they would not pre-book if they did not feel forced to, okay? They would not pre-book if they did not feel forced to because their stylist's schedule was fair and easy to get back into, right? And we think that when we're pre-booked to smithereens and when we're bo- book solid back to back to back for months and months and months, that means that we somehow have this guaranteed income. But a lot of the times, these people end up canceling on you last minute and they're not having a convenient time with you because you're so gridlocked with your schedule and you're not managing your schedule with your prices and mana- and balancing your demand and your supply, all the things.

This is a whole other e- episode that I could get into. But rethinking pre-booking and not allowing somebody to book so far out I think can really help you with reducing last-minute cancellations and no-shows. Okay, so again, I said it a million times already, but again, I don't believe that we should be going... We should be putting our policies in place to enforce punishments.

I think that we should be putting policies in place to prevent the bad behavior. And you're never gonna be able to use your policies to prevent the bad behavior if your clients aren't aware of what those policies are or what those potential punishments may be in the first place, rightAnd people, I'll talk to people about this, and people are like, "Oh, yeah, like, people sign my policies when they very first book with me for the first time as a new client." Or, "When they book online, they have to check the little checkbox that says, 'I agree to the cancellation policy.'" Girl, trust and believe they are not opening up that terms and conditions link that the— that's in that little checkbox situation.

And the person who saw you, who's been seeing you for a year now, completely forgets that that cancellation policy even exists. I promise you. So, my solution, and you can do this so beautifully, my students do this in a way that literally makes them more money, that their clients absolutely love, and sets them up for more success in every single appointment, and covers their ass when it comes to no-shows and last-minute cancellations, signed policies every single client, every single time. I don't care if Sally has seen you 10 times, I— Sa- S- Sally is going to be signing those policies the 11th time that she comes to see you.

And I do this in something called the Experience Customization Form, which, so sorry, my friend, I'm not about the gatekeeping in the industry, but I'm gonna gatekeep this, to be fair to my students and because I love this strategy and I teach it in my programs, the Experience Customization Form. This freaking form will get those policies signed every single visit, but in such a beautiful way that makes your clients actually want to sign them. Like, dead-ass. So, having these clients read, sign, and agree to these policies every single time consistently reinforces in their brain and reminds them that there are consequences to these actions and that they are agreeing to these policies today and moving forward.

Furthermore, having these policies signed every single visit, including, like, a liability waiver or a redo policy, has your butt covered for the specific service that you're doing that day, instead of if somebody signed a p- an agreement with you, I don't know, like, a year ago, that was supposed to hold you not liable of any services or any, um, allergies or damage or anything that they could sue you for, right? Then you're not necessarily fully covered for that specific visit that they're having with you that day. So, having those signed policies and that, um, waived liability for that specific day is so powerful and protects your ass. So, signed policies every single visit and doing this form that I, I teach you every single visit is so powerful, but it can be annoying and redundant and piss your clients off if you don't do it in this beautiful, strategic way.

So, definitely check out Pre-Visit Pathway, because I teach you how to implement this really beautifully, um, within the program. And it absolutely can help you reduce your last-minute cancellations and no-shows. Lastly, providing an excellent client experience and increasing the demand on your time. If you have people who are so excited to get their hair done with you, if you are creating an experience that people are just like, "Thank God I'm getting my hair done this week, and thank God I get to go there and relax and hang out with my hairdresser, who I freaking love, with an, uh, with an environment that fits me perfectly and that I feel the vibe in," and s- and a hairstylist who a lot of people want to get in with and a lot of people strive to be in their chair, right?

When you have that type of reputation and experience and when you're creating those feelings within somebody, it's going to be very unlikely that they cancel that appointment with you. So, I want you to think about, like, anything where you really wanted to attend it, um, but you may have possibly, like, had something else come up or, um, somebody else or something else was, like, asking you for that same amount of time, but you really wanted to go to that one thing. So, guess what? You said no to the all, all the other things, you rescheduled all the other things, and then you went to that thing that you really wanted to go to and do.

That is how you want your appointments to be, so that people don't even want to cancel on you and they will prioritize their time with you over anything else, right? And we do that with an excellent, next-level client experience that includes your pre-visit experience, your in-the-chair experience, and your post-visit experience. And that can all be implemented so beautifully, completely automatically, in a next-level way that sets you and your salon apart from all the competition in your area. And it's all possible, I promise you, and I teach it all in my programs, and I highly recommend that you get on the wait list for Pre-Visit Pathway, where I teach you how to do all of this stuff, and where I teach you how to do it strategically in a way that doesn't repel clients, but actually attracts them even more, but also creates boundaries and more security for you and yourself and your business in the long run.

So, so much love to you, my friend. I hope that these were helpful tips for you. I highly recommend that you implement them strategically and in a careful and beautiful way. Thank you for tuning into the Modern Hair Stylist podcast.

Peace out, girl scout. Bye-bye.

End of transcript. © 2023 Hunter Donia LLC.