Not only is it incredibly annoying when clients don’t show up to their appointments, but no shows can end up costing your salon thousands of pounds each year.

Research carried out by Phorest software showed that among London based salons, the average number of no shows each month was 21. With an average treatment value of £38.25, that equates to a whopping £9,639 per year!

Sometimes no shows cannot be helped – last minute cancellations and calendar mix ups can happen to the best of us. Nonetheless, having an empty slot in your appointment diary is bad for your business, so we asked our Facebook fans what they do to help minimise this in their salons:

Sarah Wilson: “It might be best if you book in on the day next time” is what I say. So you are kindly telling them you won’t take a future booking from them…

Debbie Clark: I always text my clients the day before to check they are ok for the appointment, quoting the time & treatment they have booked. Sometimes people have double booked themselves but it’s easier to rearrange ahead of the apt than sit waiting for a no show.

Amy Elias: With us we take full payment when the client books therefore if they do not turn up we have made the money, we also do call backs 24 hours prior to the appointment. If there are any problems on the client’s behalf we are able to change it for them as it causes less hassle for us and the client.

Maria Solloway: Text or phone your client the day before.

Jo Coombes Adams: Cancellation fees for repeat offenders! Emergencies do crop up with clients unfortunately which they cannot help. Put a notice up in the salon explaining cancellation charges as a polite but firm reminder that if they cannot make appointment they can call to rearrange.

Caroline Lichfield: I am a nail technician and I have had to put in a 24 hour cancellation policy or they could still be charged the full amount. Not had any no shows since.

Donna Hawkins: Our policy is to take contact numbers for every client, and there is a sign on the wall explaining our 24 hour cancellation notice or there will be a charge. If they don’t turn up we call them, and they don’t do it again!

Debbie Robinson: I take £10 deposits from “naughty” clients – they soon turn up!

Nikki Spicer: We used to have lots of no shows but we now use software which sends an email to clients 24 hours before, and a text reminder the day of their appointment, and it has pretty much cut out no shows completely. People have the chance to rearrange if they can’t make it once they get their email reminder. Stops people just forgetting.

Letisha Hair and Beauty: I’m a mobile hairdresser and have a 3 strike rule – I find that way I can’t be judged as being unfair. After 3 times of a no show client I will leave a polite message just explaining that due to them not being there for their appointment 3 times, I am no longer willing to do their hair unless a petrol cost is paid via paypal bank transfer which will be knocked off their end of service bill or not refunded if a no show again.

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