3 Strategies to Handle No Shows In the Barbershop
It happens to every barber. Commonly known as “No Call, No Show” or “Late Cancellation”. A client books an appointment, does not cancel, and proceeds to not show up. No call, no show. Late Cancellation is similar, but instead the client does cancel, however, they do so within a time frame that is so close to the appointment that you can’t fill that spot with another client. In both scenarios, you lose money.
Let’s keep it simple and say you cut 10 clients per day. On average you make $30/client or $300/day. With 1 No Call, No Show or Late Cancellation, you lose $30/client and now can only make $270/day. If this happens frequently, you lose significant income that can add up to hundreds of dollars per week and thousands per month.
Every barber must decide how to handle these situations. Let’s explore the 3 strategies.
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Strategy 1 - Don’t charge them
Don’t charge the client and instead accept this as part of the landscape of barbering. Instead of making it a big deal, you solve it in different ways. This strategy seems common with barbers who have been in the game for a while. They have operated this way for years and business is fine for them.
A barber who does nothing might sound something like this.
“Life happens. Most no shows are accidental. If you cut 8 hours a day and are somewhat busy, you should be able to afford some no-shows anyways. In every business you have to take the bad along with the good. If you can’t handle it, then maybe you should consider a different profession.”
“Think about client retention. It pays off in the long run to give your clients a grace pass rather than piss off the client and lose them. They might end up speaking bad about you to others and you end up losing more clients than just the one.”
If this turns into an ongoing problem, it might be time to try out the next strategy.
Strategy 2 - Respond to No Shows
Another strategy is to talk to the client. This can be done in different ways. If you want to charge a no show fee, you charge the card on file (if you have it) or tell them that they can not book their next appointment until they pay the no show fee. If you do not want to charge a fee, you can remind them of your Booking Policy (if you have one) which shows grace while also giving a warning for the future.
A common method to do this is to save a text template and send it to any client that no shows:
Template to give a warning
“Hello, this is Barber Doza. Unfortunately, you did not show up to your scheduled appointment today. I understand that things happen, but I do want to remind you of my booking policy. If you can not make your appointment, I need 4 hours notice. If you do not show up or cancel less than 4 hours, I will charge you the full amount of the service you booked as it will be unlikely that I can fill the appointment. This is my booking policy. Thanks for understanding.”
Template to charge the penalty fee (if you don’t have a card on file)
“Hello, this is Barber Doza. Unfortunately, you did not show up to your scheduled appointment today. As stated when you booked, the Booking Policy mentions the penalty fee for not showing up. Your penalty fee will be due before you can schedule a new appointment. Thanks for understanding.”
This strategy is common if you do not require a card to book an appointment. If you are using a booking platform, you are most likely not utilizing the no show protection feature but you might consider if trying the next strategy.
Strategy 3 - Prevent No Shows
You have a proactive strategy for preventing no shows. Instead of being on the defense, you are on offense. Your Booking Policy is on your website and/or social media. During the booking process, the policy is clearly communicated with the client. The client receives a confirmation email of their appointment and also a reminder of their appointment. For extra security, you require a credit card on file to book. You may even require a deposit. If the client does not show up or late cancels, you charge their card on file. The booking platform might automatically do this for you.
Since the Booking Policy has been communicated so many times and in different ways, it is very difficult for the client to miss. When the no show or late cancellation happens, the client can not say “I didn’t know about the booking policy.”
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*Refund the Penalty Fee
Life happens and you want to show grace. The client gives you a legit reason why they couldn’t make it. You are the boss, you choose if the penalty fee is due or not. You can always let it slide. You can always refund them. Your booking platform will allow this. If you’re not using a booking platform, you can always choose not to charge them.
Let’s be honest, this debate has no end. And that’s okay, we can agree to disagree just like we do on the best clippers, the best fading system or the best booking app. Remember, you can always try different strategies too. You might even have a different strategy with different clients. There are no rules, you make them up. Isn’t that why many of us got into this industry anyways? Just remember that it is a business and the boss should always be respected.
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Written by Matthew Mendoza
Matthew Mendoza is a licensed barber, educator and consultant. He hosts the podcast Beyond Barber School which provides emerging barbers with the critical guidance needed to start their business. In addition, he writes a newsletter called theGuideline about the latest trends in the barber industry.
