How to reduce no-shows: 5 steps that work

Every business that takes appointments knows the feeling: the time is blocked, you are ready, and nobody turns up. A no-show is worse than a quiet hour, because the slot was taken and nobody else could book it.

The good news is that most no-shows have ordinary causes, and most of those causes can be fixed. This guide explains what a no-show costs, why clients don’t turn up, and five steps that reduce the no-show rate, whether you run a salon, a clinic, a consultancy or a workshop.

What a no-show costs

Take a small example. You charge €60 for a one-hour appointment, and one client a week doesn’t turn up.

• Per week: €60 in lost revenue
• Per year (48 working weeks): €2,880
• Two no-shows a week: €5,760 a year

That is before counting the time you spent preparing, or the client on the waiting list who could have taken the slot. Run the numbers with your own price and your own no-show rate. Even a small drop is usually worth more than the tools that achieve it.

Why clients don’t turn up

Most no-shows are not ill will. The usual reasons are:

• They forget. The booking was made weeks ago, and nothing reminded them.
• Rescheduling is hard. They know they can’t make it, but cancelling means a phone call during opening hours, so they put it off, and then it’s too late.
• The booking was made too far ahead. Plans change in six weeks.
• They have nothing at stake. If not turning up costs nothing, it is easy to skip.

Each step below targets one or more of these.

1. Send reminders at the right time

Reminders are the cheapest fix, and they deal with the most common cause: forgetting.

• Timing: one reminder about 24 hours before gives the client time to rebook if they can’t come, so you can still fill the slot. A second one about 2 hours before catches those who forget on the day. For appointments booked months ahead, add one a week before.
• What to include: the date and time, the address or the meeting link, how long it takes, what to bring, and the name of the person they are seeing.
• A link to reschedule or cancel. This is the most important line. A client who can move the appointment in two clicks moves it, rather than skipping it.

In Tempari, reminders go out automatically by email. You choose when they are sent, and can set a different timing for each service. Email reminders are free and unlimited on every plan. Tempari doesn’t send SMS.

2. Make rescheduling easier than not turning up

If cancelling takes more effort than not showing up, some clients will simply not show up. Turn that around:

• Let clients reschedule or cancel online, without calling.
• Put the link in the confirmation, every reminder and the calendar invite.
• If you want to know why people cancel, ask for a reason when they cancel online, rather than making cancelling harder.

A cancellation 24 hours ahead is a slot you can fill. A no-show isn’t.

3. Take a deposit or prepayment for long or expensive appointments

Clients who have paid something turn up more often, and if they don’t, you are not left with the full loss. You don’t have to ask for money for every booking:

• A deposit for long or expensive appointments, such as a colour treatment, a two-hour session or a first consultation.
• Full payment at booking for courses, packages or anything that needs preparation.
• Nothing for short, routine appointments with regular clients.

Say clearly at booking what happens to the deposit if the client cancels late or doesn’t turn up. On Tempari’s Plus plan and up (from €27 a month excluding VAT), you can take a deposit or full payment when clients book.

4. Show a clear cancellation policy at booking

A cancellation policy only works if clients see it before they book, not only when they cancel. Keep it short:

• The deadline: for example, free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
• What happens after that: the deposit is kept, or a fee is charged.
• How to cancel: the link in the confirmation.

Show it on the booking page, and repeat it in the confirmation and the reminder. A policy written in plain words feels fair, and clients take it more seriously.

5. Confirm first-time clients with request-to-book

Repeat clients rarely miss appointments. New clients, who have no relationship with you yet, are more likely to. With request-to-book, the client sends a request, and the booking is only confirmed when you approve it. That gives you a moment to see who it is and what they need, and the client gets a personal confirmation from you.

In Tempari, approval is set per service. You can create a separate service for first appointments that waits for your approval, while regular clients book follow-ups instantly. You can also require approval only for bookings made at short notice. Email verification for bookers helps you avoid bookings made with an address that doesn’t work.

Checklist

• Work out what a no-show costs you a year (price × no-shows a week × 48)
• Automatic reminders about 24 hours and 2 hours before
• A reschedule or cancel link in every confirmation and reminder
• Online rescheduling and cancelling, with no phone call needed
• A deposit or prepayment for long or expensive appointments
• A short cancellation policy shown at booking and in the confirmation
• Request-to-book for first-time clients
• Look at your no-show rate again after three months

Run a salon? Read how Tempari works for hair and beauty salons. You can also see how request-to-book works, read about all of Tempari’s features, or see the pricing.