She did it again.... Hubby says "That's IT!"

[Timedess]

For reference, see my previous thread here: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=20896

Same client called last week and booked a 30-minute chair session for the day before yesterday. One of our desk helpers (one of the kids) took the call; it wasn't me! Client then called Tuesday morning to move the appointment to today (Thursday). She did ask if she would get a reminder if I moved the appointment in Genbook. I canceled the existing one and made an entirely new appointment, making sure to check her email, so she would get the reminder.

I figured I'd give her the policy statement and talk to her about her behavior when she came today (rather than discussing it over the phone). Time, folks sitting in the lobby waiting on me, etc.. Excuses, excuses....

Mistake.

No-show. 3 minutes into the appt. time, I called and got her (very annoying) voice mail. Left a general message, saying that we had her for a massage at 4 and it was after 4 and was she coming? She hasn't called and of course didn't show up. Hubby left at 4:20. I stayed basically to type this out; I'm headed home soon too.


I just got off the phone with Hubby. (I had a few thoughts typed out here, and my talk with him helped clarify some of them, so I'm switching what I wrote previously, lol.)

We are going to send her a copy of our statement of policies, with the "no-show" part highlighted, and a letter informing her that since she has no-showed us for "x, y, and z appointments", we will require prepayment for all future appointments. We won't charge her for today's missed appointment, but the policy will stand henceforth. Then I'll have to train my desk help for taking cc info over the phone. Pete, I will immediately add your suggested "cc payment authorization" line to our policies.

I guess I'm re-writing our policies tonight.

[Timedess]

Timedess wrote:Okay- looking back at the excellent recommendations in this thread, I'm thinking that requesting to keep cc info on file in case of future missed appointments (probably at a set fee, rather than the full price of the appointment-- I'll need to get Hubby's input on that) might be the way to go with her. I am thinking that it would be a good idea to get her to sign a copy of our no-show policy to keep on file, JUST in case there's ever a dispute about such a charge........


I would add on a section to the copy of the cancellation policy that you have her sign stating something like "I authorize [Name of Business] to charge my card [Card Number and expiration date] for missed appointments in accordance with this cancellation policy. Signed and dated.

Pete (or anyone else), would you have this as a part of the actual, permanent policy statement, and only have "those clients" fill it out if necessary? Or make it a separate form? or...?

How do these type of clients tend to respond.... would some(most? all?) of them just decide to go somewhere else instead? As in, get insulted about it?

I understand that if they do get insulted over us implementing our policies (sticking up for ourselves), they are not really the kind of clients we want to keep around anyway. Those ones who get the intake of breath with "Oh, it's THEM again" when their number shows up on the caller ID. I'm just wondering.... how do "they" tend to respond?

Also..... should I send her that "authorization to charge cc" form together with the statement of policies, and in the letter state that she will need to return the form completed and signed at her next appointment? What if she no-shows for THAT one? And then we're left hanging with no way to charge her?

Hubby asked, how do we keep her from making future appointments, if it comes to that? I guess I can just delete any I see in Genbook, and then call her to tell her why... IF it were to come to that. I can't imagine any sane person actually continuing to make appointments after a discussion like this, unless they're just *trying* to upset us.

[riversinger]

You could decide that she will have to pay back fees from any of the previously missed appointments before you book her again (that is if you ever book her in the future).

So in the letter you send to her - if you really want to cut her from your client list - you may want to state that due to repeated missed appointments (giving a complete list of dates & times) and the money it is costing your business (because you could have booked other clients during the time that was set aside for her) you will no longer be able to book appointments for her, unless she pays the fee for each of the missed appointments and pays in advance of her next session. More than likely she won't be back after that!

[softy515]

I like how Riversinger words it.

I can't believe she did it again! GRR! You guys are very patient, I would just never call her back and say adios to her. I have done that with clients already. They aren't worth the effort!

[Pete]

Is this the first time you've heard from her since the previous thread? It seems that after the last thread about this client, nothing was done to follow through...???

When she booked the appointment for this week, IMO you SHOULD have addressed it then. "Due to the number of appointments you've cancelled with little or no notice, I will need to request either pre-payment for this appointment (allowing her to send in a check PRIOR to the appointment going on the schedule) OR secure this appointment via credit card."

When she called on Tuesday (same day as appointment) to reschedule, IMO you SHOULD have put her on notice.

If you've never communicated your policy with her, you really can't hold her to it. If you decide you want to keep this client in your practice, I would send her a letter outlining the policy and letting her know that, in her case, all future appointments will need to either be pre-paid or secured via keeping her credit card # on file. I would include a copy of the policy statement with the credit card authorization verbiage for her to sign and return BEFORE she will be allowed to make any further appointments.

How will she react? Do you really care? Personally, IMO, this client should be MORTIFIED by her behavior - MORTIFIED that she has wasted so much of your time and energy via her careless and thoughtless behavior. I wouldn't go out of my way to embarrass her, but if she's embarrassed, that embarrassment is deserved and will hopefully provide motivation for her to straighten up.

FWIW, I don't have my clients sign my cancellation policy. It's posted in my office and I do let new clients know when they make their first appointment that I do require 24-hours notice for cancellations. I let you have one "freebie" - you can no-show on me ONCE without penalty, but I do put you on notice. "I need to reiterate my cancellation policy. I REQUIRE 24-hours notice for any schedule changes/cancellations. I'm not charging you this time, but I will expect payment in full for any future missed appointments." Also, any client who no-shows on the FIRST appointment with me will NEVER get rebooked unless they pay for the appointment that was missed (ie. new clients do not get a freebie.)

[Timedess]

All Y'all are right. Especially Pete (tongue lashing humbly received). I SHOULD have addressed this with her previously. Even when she skipped out on that 2-hour appointment.

My dilemma is not in *creating* policies, it's in getting "everyone else" to follow through with them. I can't stop Hubby from "playing nice". He explained it like this: when he is in "massage mode", he cannot get himself into "mean mode" (money mode), so he ends up letting things slide that should not be. Therefore, if I am not right there, right then to catch it, it slips and slides all over the place.

I cannot be here as much as he is. He is the primary breadwinner; I am still very much a mom who NEEDS to be home with her kids. We tried having me sit at the desk all day every day, for two months when we first opened, and while it was great for the business, the family life suffered unacceptably.

I have to figure out a way to balance my time. And I have to figure out a way to get him to actually ACT on our policies. Is cloning still illegal?

[riversinger]

It is difficult when the practice is not just yours to set the policies & stick with them. And having to split your time between your family needs & the office is a difficult juggling act to say the least. But I would suggest to your husband - that this is not about being mean - it's about running your business like a business! Tell him that his time deserves respect from his clients & this client has not only disrespected him as well as his time - but has cost income to your business too.

Yes, this should have been addressed with her previously. *** Especially when when she skipped out on that 2-hour appointment ***

But since that's in the past it can only be dealt with now. So, send her that letter ASAP & with your policies clearly stated & get those policies posted in the office too (including another copy at the desk - as a reminder to everyone). It would also be good to discuss all this with your husband again, & tell him that you will all have to adhere to the same company policies from this moment forward, as another aspect of being the professionals that you both are. After all this is about the income you need to pay your bills - just like everyone else!

As to the cloning - I wish it was possible as I'd do that for myself in a heartbeat - illegal or otherwise! I need a wife to help me get all the work done around the house - plus running my own business, etc.

[Vivian]

I wouldn't waste anymore of your time with this person. I would not even take the time to write a letter or make a phone call. Just drop it and let it go. If she ever does call for another appointment, at that time you can remind her of your policies and request payment for her last missed appointment and payment in advanced before you can book another.
If the kids or someone else answers the phone and makes her an appointment, then it's time for you to make a call and ask for prepayment.
I do not waste my time on clients who do not have common courtesy, I stopped doing that early on in my career. Flake out on me twice and I will just not bother to return your calls anymore, I have more productive thing to do. When you are self-employed you have tons of various things that need done, your not just a MT, but you are also a bookkeeper, a scheduler, an office cleaner, a advertiser, etc. You have so many hats to wear it's not even funny. Spend your time and energy on clients that are considerate, and move away from the flakes, they just suck energy out of you that could have been used for something that is actually productive.

Just curious, why would you need to sit in the office to answer the phone? Could you forward the office phone to your cell so you would not be tied to the office?

[Timedess]

Thank you for your thoughts, Vivian. I hear you, and we have had a (very) few flaky folks we've just allowed to drop off the face of the earth w/o contacting them.

However, this is a small community. I want it made clear, with supporting documentation, that this lady herself has been flaky, in case there is ever any question as to why we stopped answering her calls, etc..

As for forwarding the phone... we have and still do that on occasion; however, that still doesn't help when people want to come in the door. If nobody's there to greet them with a smile and give them information, they generally won't come back. If I forward to my cell phone, we don't have Internet at home, so I can't book them anyway.

[Timedess]

Riversinger, I need a wife too! Maybe two of them.... LOL!

I have a letter drafted up to send the offending client. Once Hubby's seen it and signs off on it, I can send it with a "short version" of the cancelation policy. Here's what I wrote (feedback welcome, up until time I have to send it):

July 30, 2010


Dear <Client>,

We regret to inform you that, due to your many missed appointments in the past, including the 2-hour session scheduled for June 30th, and yesterday's missed 30-minute chair session, we must require pre-payment in full for all future massages at <Our Place>.

Your options will be to send a check in the mail, to arrive prior to the scheduled appointment, or to give a credit card # over the telephone when you call to book your session.

We will also no longer be able to change appointment dates/times at the last minute. If you cannot call prior to our 24-hour cancelation deadline, a $25 fee will be required to move an appointment.

Please do not use our online booking software; we’d prefer for you to call to schedule appointments, so that the booking can be verified and payment secured.

Thank you for understanding.

<signed,us at our place, yada yada yada>

[Vivian]

As for forwarding the phone... we have and still do that on occasion; however, that still doesn't help when people want to come in the door. If nobody's there to greet them with a smile and give them information, they generally won't come back. If I forward to my cell phone, we don't have Internet at home, so I can't book them anyway.

Well that makes sense, I do not get "walk ins" so I wasn't even thinking about that.

[Timedess]

When we rented a space-within-a-space for Hubby to work when he was solo, he didn't get walk-ins either. I think he got ONE "walk-in" in the entire 6 months he was there, and it was another tenant at the salon (a nail lady), whose regular therapist happened to be busy at that moment and he was not. She didn't come back, either.

Now, we are in a very good area for walk-ins. Not as though we were in an extremely busy shopping area where people park in one spot and walk all around the strip or mall, but we are easily "seen by passing traffic", and we get a good handful of folks walk in or call, citing that they spotted our sign on the way past and were surprised to learn that "we have a massage place here!" LOL!

Of course, even my being here doesn't help "all that much" when I am not available to actually start a session, but it helps. And sometimes I can. Oh, how I wish time were a less flighty thing, and more easily stopped/captured/manipulated. LOL!

[Timedess]

Editing my own letter a little bit, here.....

Riversinger, I need a wife too! Maybe two of them.... LOL!

I have a letter drafted up to send the offending client. Once Hubby's seen it and signs off on it, I can send it with a "short version" of the cancelation policy. Here's what I wrote (feedback welcome, up until time I have to send it):

July 30, 2010


Dear <Client>,

We regret to inform you that due to your many missed appointments in the past, including the 2-hour session scheduled for June 30th and yesterday's missed 30-minute chair session, we must require pre-payment in full for all future massages at <Our Place>.

Your options will be to bring by or send a check in the mail, to arrive prior to the scheduled appointment, or to give a credit card # over the telephone when you call to book your session.

We will also no longer be able to change appointment dates/times at the last minute. If you do not call prior to our 24-hour cancelation deadline, a $25 fee will be required to move an appointment.

Please do not use our online booking software; we’d prefer for you to call to schedule appointments, so that the booking can be verified and payment secured.

Thank you for understanding.

<signed,us at our place, yada yada yada>

[Timedess]

Draft of payment, cancelation, and no-show policy:

Payment, cancelations and no-show policies:


We accept cash, checks, and Visa or MasterCard debit and credit cards. Non-clearance of payment will result in our contacting you to secure a different method of payment. A second non-clearance will force us to require payment in cash only for all future appointments.

Please arrive for your appointment on time. New clients should plan to arrive 10-15 minutes early, to take care of necessary paperwork.

We require at least 24 hours’ notice to cancel or move an appointment. A client who is 15 minutes or more late is considered a “no-show”. We reserve the right to charge a partial or full fee for missed appointments.

Whatcha think? Concise enough? Complete?

[riversinger]

Other than spelling: Re cancellations & possibly stating local checks only, that works for me! & you may not only want to post it - but also have it with your client history/intake forms too!

[softy515]

The whole send a check thing could become a problem.

Someone shows up but the check didn't come in the mail yet. Now what?

[maestra]

The whole send a check thing could become a problem.

Someone shows up but the check didn't come in the mail yet. Now what?

Yep, I agree. Ever hear of this one? Check's in the Mail?

Credit Card or Cash Only or appointment will not be honored.

[softy515]

It just seems like so much energy going to a client that hardly deserves it. So yeah, CC or cash before hand.

[Timedess]

Yeah, I already sent the letter though. We will see IF we ever even hear from her again- I'm rather expecting not to.

It's all a huge learning experience for us, and I consider it a good thing, because it is still within relatively "safe" parameters.