Input on dealing with cancellations

I think I've found a solution after talking to one of my clients.
Since your part time and therefor you don't have the luxury of us that do it daily to just make another appointment or just blow them off.

When you get a customer.
Try and explaine your situation and charge them a deposit.
Most likely they'll understand and give you a deposit.
If they make a fuss, don't charge them and tell them you'll key their car if they cancel, lol, jk.
But a deposit might work for your situation.
 
90% of my appointments are done over the phone and I'm not going to charge $20 deposit. I don't know any other business like ours that do.
 
2BlackChevys said:
By Visa and MasterCard regulations (AMEX and Discover too) you can't charge them a cancellation fee for services not rendered unless you are a hotel/motel.
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Some doctors declare a fee for cancellations but not sure if it is just a threat or not to encourage people to show up.

Some medical places have a cancellation call list, so if you want an earlier appointment they will call people on the list to fill the spot. This worked for me recently. I had to decline the first two calls due to timing but finally got in several weeks ahead of the original appointment.
 
I can't remember where I read this but there was a daycare that used to charge parents some sort of fee if they were late to pick up their kids for the day. Late pick ups were becoming an increasing strain on the business because many of the parents would routinely be late.

Later they decided to eliminate the fee and something amazing happened. Without the fee there were less and less late pick ups. Turns out with a fee attached to the late pickup the parents were considering something they were paying for an so there was nothing wrong with just paying the fee and being late. Without the fee there was a moral imperative to "do the right thing" and get you kid on time. Suddenly the consideration that the daycare worker might have a life and obligations of their own became something to consider aside from simply paying a late fee.

Food for thought.

Sent from my LG-VM701 using AG Online
 
Thanks for all the input. I guess this can go either way! The truth is that I feel a lot of people want to get something done until it comes time to cough up the money and that to me is the main reason they never come to me or even reschedule. It just so happens that I've seen some people on the street that never called me back and their cars look the same or worse so it's not like they found someone else to do it......or they did, and the work they did was horrible. I feel that if I charge them a scheduling fee and explain that it is to hold their place, it shows them that I mean business and that I'm not some butcher car wash.
 
Charging a fee is not going to make them think your any better then the next guy. only your work can do that for you and if you want to charge a fee and see how it goes. I'm luck I have a loyal customers and if they cancel they always reschedule. I have had new customers cancel on me cause they found services cheaper and they ask if I'll beat the price I aways say no. I tell them if you give me a chance you won't be sorry and I always give first time customers 15% off first detail.
 
A different twist, but I just had a customer cancel for the second time. I've never met the customer and hopefully at this point I never will. Hate to say that, but when we scheduled the first time she was wishy washy about the date and once we had picked a tentative date I noted to her that I would call to confirm 1 week beforehand. I called, left a message and got no response. I called again 2 days later and left another message stating that since I had not been able to confirm her appointment that I would have to reschedule for a later date. 2 days later I get an angry phone call saying that we had firmly made the appointment (not the case). I rescheduled for this weekend and I get an email Wednesday (thanks for the phone call) that she would be out of town but the cars would be there and what should she do? My response was that I cannot do the work without first inspecting the vehicles with the customer present to sign a release and inspection form. Cancelled. Now my dilemma is what am I going to do if she calls again? She was referred by another customer who happens to be a friend of mine ( No awkwardness or anything ) and I'm sitting here hoping she doesn't call....
 
Take the time to work on your own vehicles, clean up the garage, inventory your materials, test new tools or products, or take a day off and spend it with family.

I never had that many cancelations so I never thought much about it. When they did occur, I actually enjoyed a day off. If you get repeated cancelations from the same customer, just tell them your booked solid and refuse their business.

Old thread, but my $0.02
 
I had one cancel on me today. What are you going to do? I'll just clean my own cars then and possible my daughters new Tiguan R Line in white.
 
I usually just forget about it. If they are that rude and inconsiderate (these people usually don't even call or answer a call), I don't won't to detail their car anyways. I just take the day to work on my site, or my shop or go out and make new connections. It's time better served than working for a crappy customer who will probably complain about every crumb. Not to mention, if you keep their deposit, they are going to be upset and talk crap about you forever.
 
Somebody else mentioned it, but sometimes I really enjoy the day off. I work HARD, so it's nice sometimes. I usually get a cancellation once every 2 or 3 weeks. Nothing too bad.
 
@garyg
I would wright her off.
She's rude an inconsiderate of you, and others I'm sure.
Don't waste your time with people like this.
It's a red flag in my book and it's only going to get worse.
I have the same thing going on right now and if I don't get a phone call
from her she goes on my sh it list and I'll never touch her cars!
 
I have a guy that received a gift certificate. I think it's for around $200.

He has called and set up an appointment twice now and no show no called me both times. I already have the money, and I don't care.

If he calls me again, I will politely turn him down and most likely return the money to the original purchaser of the certificate, just so I don't have to ever deal with him again. These type of people are leaches and they don't care about anyone but themselves. If you keep their money, they'll will keep coming back to haunt you and will give you a bad reputation.
 
Well I just got a text from my customer, not even a phone call.

I've been trying to confirm her all week, I called her 4 times.
Last night she texted me that she was canceling.
I suggested Sunday and I got no response.
I texted her that she needs to call me as I don't like to do business over texting.

This morning, no call, I texted her that she needs to call me.
She didn't call but texted "she has the right as a customer to cansel.... "
I'm done with her. But I still feel bad about losing a customer.
 
Oh, Mine called yeterday morning and was crying, and I mean crying like someone died, that her finances were bad and it had been a bad week. What do you say to this? i just told her when the time is right call me.
 
statusdetailing said:
I have a guy that received a gift certificate. I think it's for around $200.

He has called and set up an appointment twice now and no show no called me both times. I already have the money, and I don't care.

If he calls me again, I will politely turn him down and most likely return the money to the original purchaser of the certificate, just so I don't have to ever deal with him again. These type of people are leaches and they don't care about anyone but themselves. If you keep their money, they'll will keep coming back to haunt you and will give you a bad reputation.
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It's not that you have the money, It's that you could have done another job on that day. I would keep the money and tell him when he drops his car off it will be a 2 day detail. That way you can do another car also and fit him into your schedule.
 
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