We caught up with Rikki Tronson, Chief Revenue Officer at iSalon, to find out what your salon can do to reduce the number of no-shows…
1. Text message reminders:
These are one of the most effective processes when it comes to reducing client no-shows. Many clients book months in advance and can therefore end up forgetting about their future appointments. Sending a SMS reminder a few days before their appointment dramatically reduces no-shows – by 60% on average, in fact. Plus, if a client does have to cancel, they will do so there and then, providing you with sufficient time to be able to advertise the appointment space and take a new booking.
2. Deposits:
Taking deposits is another great way to reduce no-shows. By taking a deposit, the client has already paid a partial payment towards their service and is therefore more inclined to turn up – they may lose the money if they don’t! This is especially the case if your business has a Cancellation Policy to state the deposit will not be refunded if the appointment is cancelled 24 hours in advance, for example.
3. Online bookings platforms:
An online booking software is now an essential tool for salons. It allows clients to easily and quickly book their appointments online in the comfort of their own homes, and even in hours outside of salon opening times. An online booking platform is also beneficial if you have any cancellations or last minute appointments, whereby you can link to the online booking platform for clients to snap up the appointment space.
4. Client record notes:
If you do have several clients who cancel regularly, it’s a good idea to note this in their client record. By doing this, you can then send them personalised appointment reminders with a different notice period, resulting in fewer no-shows.
5. Email newsletters:
Email newsletters can be used to communicate with clients in several ways. They can be used before an appointment to send a reminder (a different method from the Text Messaging reminders that may be more suitable for clients) and also following a missed appointment, whereby a ‘sorry we missed you’ email can be sent to the client expressing sorrow for their cancellation in the hope that they make a new appointment.
