No Shows, last minute Cancellations and Reschedules..
What could be more frustrating?
I can think of one thing...customers, who also do business by appointment, no showing and rescheduling at the last minute.
That really bothers me.
They should know better. :/
Yesterday I had one customer call to cancel her four dogs, because she was sick, and her daughter was out of town, and she didn't have anyone to bring them.
This was a very long time, every five week customer who rarely ever cancels on me.
But four dogs!
Bye, bye 169 beans. :(
Then a first time groom customer (has used the Self-Serve a few times) No Showed.
No answer when called.
No call back after we left a message.
Bye, bye 65-70 beans.
Total lost for one day? @ 239 beans.
Now for today.
8am appointment for a Standard Poodle, regular, long time customer.
8:20 called to see where they were.
Husband out of town, wife could not get dog in the car.
????
The dog is a very nice, 3 year old Standard, capable of jumping into the car all by herself.
68 beans lost.
Okay, you can close your mouth now.
I know I don't charge enough for Standard Poodles.
It's a long time customer with their second St. Poodle, and I am slowly moving up their price.
My daughter reminds me every time they come in that I am not charging enough. :/
Anyway, about 20 minutes later, another call from a regular customer.
They couldn't keep their appointment for, 9am, for their Shih-Tzu, owner very sick.
Another 45 beans lost.
An hour later, the noon appointment calls to ask to come in another day.
My husband rescheduled her.
He was too disgusted at this point to even ask why she could not come in.
Bye, bye 45 beans.
Last but not least.
A long time customer No Shows with her Cocker.
Not the first time.
She will be calling to say sorry, and how soon can you get him in?
50 beans gone.
Total lost today...
208 beans
Total lost for 2 days.
It's a record for me.
Nine dogs and 447 beans lost. :((((((
My daughter wants me to start charging people for missed appointments.
I just can't seem to do it.
Even though it upsets me when customers don't show or cancel, I just can't bring myself to ask for money when a service was not given.
My daughter says that if I don't want to charge the full groom price then set a no show and cancellation fee.
Oh, how I hate that word...FEE.
Now a days, everyone charges fees.
I hate fees.
But, I also hate people who No Show and Cancel on me at the last minute.
About 3 years ago we noticed more and more people forgetting their appointments.
So, two years ago, after 25 years of grooming, we started calling customers the day before to remind them of their appointments for the first time.
We hoped that this would decrease the number of missed appointments.
Did it work?
Maybe a little, but we lost over 8000 beans last year to missed appointments.
I don't want to charge fees.
I just want my customers to respect my time and show up for their appointments.
Don't they understand that grooming isn't a hobby for me, it is my livelihood.
I have bills to pay too.
Short of going to their homes and picking up the dogs myself, I don't know what more I can do.
Still frustrated.
Sorry for the vent.
Happy Grooming, MFF (I really am happy when I am grooming)
I think a 25 dollar no show fee is reasonable. My doctor does it. My dentist does it. My acupuncturist does it. Even my hair stylist! Every no show is another client that could have filled that spot. I'm trying to get my boss to charge a fee because we are losing almost 1000 beans a month in no shows. We are a very busy shop, and we are always turning people away who call day of because we're booked every single day. I think a small fee would put the incentive in people to actually show up because I don't think they realize that we depend on filling these spots to pay our bills. How much is THEIR time worth? What bugs me the most is 99% of the time the client never calls to let us know they can't make it -.-
ReplyDeleteWe are living in a time of information overload and I think people are either getting lazier or just can't keep up with their busy schedules. If no shows and late cancelations are becoming a regular problem, I think a $25 no show fee is reasonable.
<3 Mittens
I'll have to seriously think about that $25 fee.
ReplyDeleteLisa, MFF
At the busy shop I work at we have a rule that if a client no shows twice then they have to pre-pay for each of their future groomings at the time they make the appointment. It's only a "fee" if they continue to no show!
ReplyDelete-Jessica