This article is for educational purposes and does not constitute legal, financial, or tax advice. For specific advice applicable to your business, please contact a professional.
In an ideal world, clients will make their scheduled appointment times, but when they do not, it is important to have a set of guidelines in place.
People costs are probably the biggest expense for your business and missed appointments can add up. Having clear booking and cancellation policies helps you and your staff provide better customer service and manage your clients’ expectations from the get-go, while protecting your business, staff, and clients in the instance of missed appointments.
If you do not have a clear policy in place, it can be difficult to enforce fees for missed appointments or decline to book new appointments with clients who habitually no-show.
Here’s how to create booking and cancellation policy templates to help you run your business more smoothly.
What to include in your salon booking and cancellation policy
A cancellation policy is usually part of your larger booking policy. A booking policy sets the basic guidelines for client and salon interactions, telling everyone what to expect from the start. It may include a variety of stipulations, including:
If you require deposits for advance payments.
How much you charge for no-shows.
How flexible you are on late arrivals.
How much you charge for cancellations.
When you create your cancellation policy, you want to frame it in a clear and concise way, so that clients know what to expect when interacting with your salon. You’ll want to include the following information:
Timeframe before canceling (such as providing a minimum of 24 hours’ notice to avoid a fee).
When a client should arrive (such as five minutes before their scheduled appointment).
Last-minute cancellation terms (such as fees for late cancellation).
Payment collection terms (such as payment due in full when services are rendered).
Salon contact information.
How does Slick help you?
Your cancellation policy will be shown in your online booking page when a client makes an appointment online:
Below are some examples of policies used by other owners..
Policy requiring a deposit
We ask that you pay a 50% holding fee to secure your booking. Should you cancel within 48 hours of your booking start time or no show on the day, your holding fee may not be refunded. If you have any queries, please call the salon. We look forward to seeing you.
As a small business, we hope you understand that we need to protect our business so we will be asking for a 50% holding fee to secure your booking, you will pay the remainder in salon. We cant wait to see you!
No Show Protection
Please enter your card details via our safe and secure booking system. You will not be charged a fee upfront but in the event of a last minute cancellation or no show, we may charge for 50% of the service price. If you have any queries, please call the salon We look forward to seeing you.
As a small business we hope you understand that we can’t afford no-shows or last minute cancellations. As such, cancellations within 48 hours will be charged £X of the booking value, cancellations within 24 hours £X and no-shows will be charged X%
Payment details will be stored on your profile and used to charge a no-show fee if you fail to show for this appointment or any future appointments, irrespective of how they are booked. If you wish to remove your payment details, you can login via My Bookings, head to My Profile, Payment Details and remove your card details. You may be asked for them again in future when booking online.
TOP TIP: Remember, your cancellation policy is YOUR cancellation policy. Don't be afraid to put a new policy in place to protect your business, your clients will understand and you'll be better off!
Lateness Policy
Should you anticipate being delayed for your appointment, we kindly request that you promptly notify us on XXXXXX.Our team allocates the appropriate time for each service to provide our clients with the best experience possible. Regrettably, accommodating late arrivals can be challenging and may disrupt other clients’ schedules for the day. If you arrive late, please be aware that we cannot guarantee the completion of your scheduled services on the same day. Delays exceeding 10 minutes may necessitate rescheduling your appointment for another day. Your deposit may be forfeited and the salon reserves the right to charge the outstanding balance through your preferred payment method.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience for all our valued clients.
If you have further questions that haven't been answered in this article then please reach out to us on Live Chat via the chat bubble in the bottom right corner!