Here are 7 easy strategies you can start implementing today to help reduce the number of no-shows and cancellations in your salon or spa.
As a salon or spa owner, you know that no-shows and last-minute cancellations are as costly as they are frustrating. They result in decreased revenue for your business, underutilized staff, and lost commissions and tips for your service providers. In fact, studies show that no-shows can cost businesses around 21% of their yearly revenue – far from ideal! While eliminating no-shows entirely is unrealistic given that guests often schedule appointments well in advance, and unexpected things can happen, there are some simple things you can do to help avoid them as much as possible. Here are 7 easy strategies that can help you reduce the number of no-shows and cancellations in your salon or spa.
1. Send Appointment Confirmations
First things first, if you want guests to be less likely to skip their appointments, you should send confirmations as soon as appointments are booked.
Sending appointment reminders by email or text is a good first step, but using automated tools to confirm guest appointments is even better and can prevent a significant portion of your no-shows and last-minute cancellations.
Use your booking software to send out automatic text requests for confirmation. A 2-way texting platform is a fantastic way to do this as, to confirm, guests simply have to respond with a keyword you’ve set (e.g ‘Yes’ or ‘Y’) to the confirmation text message.
2. Send Automated Appointment Reminders
According to 64% of consumers, appointment reminder texts are the most valuable texts they receive from businesses – and it makes sense.
In today’s busy world, it’s easy for guests to get the date or time of their appointment wrong, or even forget about it completely.
Sending appointment reminders is a simple way to help your guests remember their appointments – and having them automated with a 2-way messaging platform like ezConnect makes it even simpler!
3. Keep Details About Your Guests
Again, using a platform like ezConnect that lets you leave notes on guest profiles can be a huge help with reducing no-shows. Not only can you leave notes about your guests' preferences and style, but you can also note any negative patterns and experiences.
If guests have a track record of missing appointments or canceling at the last minute, you’ll have it noted on their profiles so you’ll know to either not accept another possible booking from them, or to perhaps send an extra reminder message or two.
4. Follow up and turn Last Minute Cancellations into Reschedules
Things happen, and sometimes last-minute cancellations can’t be avoided. But you can be prepared to act fast and turn cancellations into reschedules. Keep your appointment book full by having text templates ready to send as soon as your guest cancels, giving them the option to easily reschedule there and then for a time that suits them best. With ezConnect, you can have these templates ready to go with Saved Responses – check out some awesome templates here.
5. Create/Reschedule Appointments Fast When Guests Reach Out
If making new appointments or rescheduling current appointments with your salon or spa is time-consuming, your guests may just choose to give it a miss instead. Make it as easy as possible for guests to get in touch - using a 2-way texting platform is a great way to do this.
With ezConnect’s Meta integrations, your staff can access guest messages coming from social media channels and via text in one place, making response time much faster. ezConnect also seamlessly integrates with your Zenoti appointment book, letting you reschedule appointments instantly without leaving the chat window.
6. Offer Only the Best Services
This one is self-explanatory. If you ensure your service list is top notch and you consistently deliver quality care every time, there’s no reason for your guests to forget and not show up. Instead, they’ll be way too concerned that they’ll miss out on getting a slot in the future with such an in-demand salon or spa!
Staying competitive means evaluating your services from time to time, so listen to your clients’ feedback and make your services so good, they’re unmissable.
7. Always Keep Your Clients’ Records Up to Date
If you’re sending reminder messages to the wrong phone number or email address, it’s not your guest's fault if they miss the appointment. It’s vital that you have accurate contact details for your guests, so don’t slack, and always confirm the contact data in your system is up to date. This doesn’t even need to be a time-consuming task with the right software, as with ezConnect, you can edit the phone number and email address on the Zenoti guest profile in one click within even leaving the screen.
To learn more about ezConnect, or enquire about Meta Integrations, reach out to sales@ezconnect.com
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