The Dreaded No-Show

Have you ever sat down and considered what no-show appointments actually cost your business? Different industries have dramatically different price points but they all have one thing in common — when a client doesn’t show for an appointment the business loses money. When you see how much money businesses miss out on from no-show appointments, it’s obvious an appointment reminder app is a no-brainer that pays for itself with one saved appointment.

Consider a hair salon as an example. Imagine each client spends roughly $100 per appointment. With only 3–4 no-shows per week, the salon stands to lose over $20,000 over the year.

$100/appointment x 4 no-show/week = $400 x 52 weeks = $20,800/year

The math for tattoo parlors, auto & glass repair shops, massage therapists and other appointment reliant businesses will certainly differ but if you are not considering what is at stake then you are missing an opportunity to greatly improve your profits. Based on our research (surveys of our users), people who use GoReminders actually make even more money than that…the average was $27,404 per year!

Four Ways to Avoid a No-Show

• Use an automated reminder service to send text and email messages so that clients are more likely to show up. GoReminders appointment scheduling software has reduced the number of no-shows to near zero for many of our customers. With GoReminders text reminder service you will no longer need to personally contact your clients to remind them of an upcoming appointment — everything is automatic. It will save your most important resource, your time. Even better, clients are 70%+ more likely to read text messages immediately.

Want to try GoReminders free for 14 days? Click here.

• Adopt a fair and comprehensive cancelation policy. You want happy clients, set their expectations accordingly. Applying a percentage fee for cancelations within 24 hours significantly reduces the likelihood of no-shows. Be fair in your application — give a free pass for a sick child or family emergency. Ultimately, if your business does not provide top-notch service and you apply a cancelation policy — you risk losing clients. Ask yourself; is this a customer worth losing?
• Push bundled packages of services. When you sell a bundle, not only do you receive full payment in advance, you also encourage repeat business. Create a relationship with your customers.
• Track, track & track. Track everything with appointment confirmation email & text tracking. Keep track your repeat offenders and schedule their appointments at off-peak times when a no-show will make less of an impact. Keep a list handy of clients looking for an appointment — when there is a no-show, refer back to this list to keep busy. Even track frequent clients that may be interested in a last minute appointment at a reduced rate.

I’ve been using GoReminders for 3 months and haven’t had a single “no show” client since then (I had 1-4 almost weekly before). A bunch of clients remember to reschedule only when they receive my reminder, which is helpful. I love this program and my clients love the reminders!

           –  Dalanie Johnson at Luxurious Lashes

No-shows cost you money

No-shows cost you money. It is important to minimize the number and impact that they have on your business. These are just a few options. How has your business reduced no-shows? Tell us in the comments.

About GoReminders: GoReminders simplifies appointment management for small business, saving them time and increasing revenue. It automatically reminds your clients about upcoming appointments via text message or email. For many of our users, it’s a smart replacement for their appointment book that reduces no-show appointments. Clients are impressed and grateful for the reminders!