24 Hour Cancellation Policy

[SpeckledlyHen]

Just wondered what others thoughts were on this. I had a hair appointment booked for this evening. It was for cut/colour/blowdry.
My husband had an emergency and had to take my car this morning (his is in the garage getting repaired) so I rang the hairdressers first thing this morning to rearrange my appointment to either tomorrow or Monday/Tuesday. This is a small village salon, everyone knows everyone and my husband also goes there.

I left a message on the ansaphone and no-one answered. Someone rang me back and said that it was company policy to charge 50% of the cost. I said I would try and see if I could get there. For context, we live rurally so no public transport (well there is a bus about 4 times a day) and I have rarely been able to get a taxi here even when booking a week in advance! Anyhow, I realised it would be really tricky and awkward to get there so I rang them back and told them I really could not make it due to not having transport. They charged me 50%.

My issue is that I have been going to this salon since it opened - approx 5 years or so. I go every 6-7 weeks and pay about £130-£150 - I buy their products and when they opened up after covid gave them large tips each time to try and make up the shortfall they had lost due to not working. The only other time I cancelled was in a dire emergency (was hospitalised).

Whilst I know what the policy is I do think sometimes these things should be discretionary. I know the receptionist did go and check with the stylist and still decided to charge me. Granted it may not have been her choice to use discretion.

I dunno, I just feel really aggrieved by it and now thinking of going elsewhere, I think it is a bit short sighted of them - I would have gone in within a day or two so they still would have got my money. Now I really don't feel like going back at all to be honest.

Christ, this isn't a puzzle to be cracked. She found herself unable, for reasons she set out, to be able to make the appointment.

Shame the garage didn’t offer a courtesy car

I actually agree with you OP that some discretion could have been applied in this instance considering your loyalty and money you've spent over the years. They've certainly been short sighted if it means them losing you as a customer.
This might not be a popular view, but when they said they'd have to charge you did you them give your card details over the phone there and then? I'd have declined until I'd asked the stylist myself and put my case forward.

While I do understand the point of service providers that a slot cancelled late means no money, and where should boundaries be drawn, I'd say if you're a loyal repeat customer you should be allowed one flake out at the very least.

Make the point that if it happens again you have to impose the fee, but just this once you'll let them off - result, grateful customer who will rebook the first available slot. What this provider has done is draw a boundary that means she not only loses 50% on this cancellation but has also created such bad feeling in the customer that she will never return. Do that with all your loyal customers and your business is dead in months.

What this provider has done is draw a boundary that means she not only loses 50% on this cancellation but has also created such bad feeling in the customer that she will never return. Do that with all your loyal customers and your business is dead in months.

Offer free cancellations to all your loyal customers, and you soon end up in the same boat - especially in a small town where everyone knows everyone.

What happens when Customer A finds out that Customer B didn't have to pay the cancellation fee but they did, and takes to social media to slag you off?

How are you defining loyal customer? Someone who comes in every week? Every month? Someone who spends £50 a go? Who tips well? Who can't afford to attend more often than once every three months but who has been coming to you for years?

It's not as easy as saying "waive the fee for loyalty" because everyone has different definitions and as soon as someone finds out they've been penalised where someone else wasn't, the flaming on social media starts.

It makes much more sense to treat everyone the same. You can reward your loyal customers in other ways - some free treatments, discounts etc.

@HirplesWithHaggis

While I do understand the point of service providers that a slot cancelled late means no money, and where should boundaries be drawn, I'd say if you're a loyal repeat customer you should be allowed one flake out at the very least.

Make the point that if it happens again you have to impose the fee, but just this once you'll let them off - result, grateful customer who will rebook the first available slot. What this provider has done is draw a boundary that means she not only loses 50% on this cancellation but has also created such bad feeling in the customer that she will never return. Do that with all your loyal customers and your business is dead in months.

So you'd allow your wages to be adjusted if your employer had less work for you?

@icedcoffees

What this provider has done is draw a boundary that means she not only loses 50% on this cancellation but has also created such bad feeling in the customer that she will never return. Do that with all your loyal customers and your business is dead in months.

Offer free cancellations to all your loyal customers, and you soon end up in the same boat - especially in a small town where everyone knows everyone.

What happens when Customer A finds out that Customer B didn't have to pay the cancellation fee but they did, and takes to social media to slag you off?

How are you defining loyal customer? Someone who comes in every week? Every month? Someone who spends £50 a go? Who tips well? Who can't afford to attend more often than once every three months but who has been coming to you for years?

It's not as easy as saying "waive the fee for loyalty" because everyone has different definitions and as soon as someone finds out they've been penalised where someone else wasn't, the flaming on social media starts.

It makes much more sense to treat everyone the same. You can reward your loyal customers in other ways - some free treatments, discounts etc.

I suggested one free cancellation, not multiple, and pointing out that it was a one-off. If you don't know your customers well enough to know if they're regulars or not, you could offer everyone one free cancellation without bankrupting yourself, especially in a small village context.

Or you could piss off all your customers, lose clients and still get a slagging on social media. I guess it's a decision each different business has to make for itself.

One free cancellation (worth £50) x 50 customers is £2500. That's a lot of money, and most people have more than 50 loyal customers. Most small businesses can't afford to piss that kind of money down the drain.

Personally I think clients who support small businesses should respect the impact their decision to cancel actually has on them. If you want your hairdresser/dog walker/beautician to remain in business, don't mess them around with last minute cancellations, and if you really have to, then accept that it has an impact on them and pay accordingly.

IMO if you value the service, you'll be prepared to pay for the disruption and lack of income you're causing them.

@insancerre

Shame the garage didn’t offer a courtesy car

Yes, however, they would have happily provided a courtesy car had we have needed one. What happens is you book your car in for a service or repairs and they ask you or you ask them whether or not you need a courtesy car. We usually take one. But on this occasion it was stupid to take one as we were not expecting for my husband to go to work - he was called in unexpectedly (as per my OP). I would not take a courtesy car for it to be sat on our driveway all day doing nothing. They have limited cars (about 11 I think) and it is first come first served so you only take a car if you genuinely need one. I didn't think I needed one. Once they are booked out for the day they are booked out, you can't just ring up and request one ad hoc.

Can't quote @JBEM4, but I'm self employed and have been for many long years. When I provided a service, I did have to suck up late cancellations/no shows (the latter particularly annoying) but I charged enough that my business could swallow the cost - it was simply another overhead.

As an employee, I'd be surprised if my boss couldn't find some way to use my time if a customer cancelled. A bit of deep cleaning, perhaps, catching up on the laundry of towels, dusting the shampoo bottles on the shelves. And if they couldn't I'd enjoy the "early" finish and expect it to be written off against all the times I had come in a bit early, worked through lunch or other breaks, the usual flexibility most of us enjoy.

@HirplesWithHaggis

Can't quote *@JBEM4*, but I'm self employed and have been for many long years. When I provided a service, I did have to suck up late cancellations/no shows (the latter particularly annoying) but I charged enough that my business could swallow the cost - it was simply another overhead.

As an employee, I'd be surprised if my boss couldn't find some way to use my time if a customer cancelled. A bit of deep cleaning, perhaps, catching up on the laundry of towels, dusting the shampoo bottles on the shelves. And if they couldn't I'd enjoy the "early" finish and expect it to be written off against all the times I had come in a bit early, worked through lunch or other breaks, the usual flexibility most of us enjoy.

So the people who have been unable to work for most of the last 18 months, with little financial support should put their prices up across the board and have good clients subsidise the financial loss of the clients who seem to think they're doing their highly qualified stylist a favour?

Op I agree with you - completely understand as I also live rurally and I would have this problem

• if you are a good regular spending and going so frequently and were rebookibg then as the salon I would not have charged you

In your case and depending on how hard it is to find another hairdresser you love I would either

Carry on using them but make my tips smaller or non existent until I had "recouped £75", plus no longer buying ovrpiticrd products (buy online and save yourself the money)

• go elsewhere

@icedcoffees

One free cancellation (worth £50) x 50 customers is £2500. That's a lot of money, and most people have more than 50 loyal customers. Most small businesses can't afford to piss that kind of money down the drain.

Personally I think clients who support small businesses should respect the impact their decision to cancel actually has on them. If you want your hairdresser/dog walker/beautician to remain in business, don't mess them around with last minute cancellations, and if you really have to, then accept that it has an impact on them and pay accordingly.

IMO if you value the service, you'll be prepared to pay for the disruption and lack of income you're causing them.

One free cancellation for me has cost this business about £4k over the next 4 years. Do you not realise we talk to each during my appointment, I have built up a rapport with the whole staff, I am there a lot, they know my kids, my dogs, my husband, friends and my life! I know about them too.. It is a small village salon. Cant you honestly not see the difference here?? If I was a flaky kind of individual that pissed them off repeatedly then yes welcome the charge. But I am not a fly in, no show or in any way previously been flaky. I simply was in a difficult situation and genuinely thought I was giving them enough notice to rearrange my appointment.

I am quite shocked by the responses, someone saying do you think you're special (no I really don't). You're a cheeky fucker (no I'm really not judging by the support I have given this salon). The responses are so unwarranted. The reason for explaining the tips etc is to highlight how much support I have given in the past. I could have literally just paid the amount and swanned off after my appointment. I could have benignly smiled at them when they explained how difficult it had been. But I didn't - I over compensated to help them out. When I then phoned in a jam and asked for the appt to be rearranged it seemed like a point scoring exercise from the junior member of staff to charge me. I could have just put the phone down and made them chase me (as suggested by others), but I didn't. I tried to find alternative arrangements and realised that was not going to happen and I phoned back and paid the cancellation fee. I simply asked whether this was normal/reasonable etc. And have had people who haven't read the thread, havent read the updates, being abusive (why?). Jesus christ! Mumsnet has changed..

You spend £150 every 6 weeks on your hair
And tip BIG
I think personally i would just give them the £75 , isnt a big deal!

I think its standard these days

I tried to book a Free ear assessment if you cancel the appointment less than 48 hours before, they charge you £30
But they arent even missing out on the money, as its a FREE appointment

@JBEM4, I said one free cancellation. If your business can't sustain goodwill gestures for very occasional one-offs, perhaps you shouldn't be in business.

@WaterAndRichTea

You spend £150 every 6 weeks on your hair And tip BIG I think personally i would just give them the £75 , isnt a big deal!

It might not be a big deal to you but it is to me. I do not have loads of money.. sadly these are the prices where I live and I do not have the competence to do my hair myself. The only time I gave big tips was post covid. I did not tip before, (I used to years ago) because I have begun to realise that stylists earn a decent wage now and I am paying £££ for the cut. The point I have repeatedly tried to make is that to help them out I tipped heavily post covid restrictions. Everyone citing covid for the reasons for the cancellation policy has not considered I flipping paid it previously in tips to help them! They forgot that pretty quick!

One free cancellation for me has cost this business about £4k over the next 4 years. Do you not realise we talk to each during my appointment, I have built up a rapport with the whole staff, I am there a lot, they know my kids, my dogs, my husband, friends and my life! I know about them too.. It is a small village salon. Cant you honestly not see the difference here?? If I was a flaky kind of individual that pissed them off repeatedly then yes welcome the charge. But I am not a fly in, no show or in any way previously been flaky. I simply was in a difficult situation and genuinely thought I was giving them enough notice to rearrange my appointment.

But what you're failing to see, is you're not unique in that respect. They have loads of customers just like you. Even if they only offer one "free cancellation" per person, that's thousands of pounds they could be losing.

If you support them and value them so much, you should appreciate what an inconvenience it is to them when you cancel on the day of your appointment and you should want to support them by at least making up some of the money you've caused them to lose.

Re. the tips - again, you won't be the only one who is generous with tips and who has supported them through COVID. But none of that changes the fact that you cancelling on them has lost them money...

Threads like this really make realise how little people appreciate the hit self-employed people take when they're cancelled on last minute. Why should they just have to suck it up?

It might not be a big deal to you but it is to me. I do not have loads of money.. sadly these are the prices where I live and I do not have the competence to do my hair myself

Then why on earth are you spending £150 every six weeks on your hair?!

[quote HirplesWithHaggis]@JBEM4, I said one free cancellation. If your business can't sustain goodwill gestures for very occasional one-offs, perhaps you shouldn't be in business.[/quote]
To what end? How many clients do you offer goodwill to on a daily basis because surely you can't allow one without the other?

Why should someone have to lose £150 because their time wasn't respected? This stylist still has her salon costs to pay - she should not have to take the hit. Why is her job and income less important than anyone else's?

@icedcoffees

It might not be a big deal to you but it is to me. I do not have loads of money.. sadly these are the prices where I live and I do not have the competence to do my hair myself

Then why on earth are you spending £150 every six weeks on your hair?!

Did you say you were a business owner?

@icedcoffees but you get a good service for the price you pay. Your stylist lost the ability to earn that money today because of you.

This is making me so grateful for my clients who don't think twice about paying cancellation fees and do so without me asking. The moment a client chooses to disrespect me, my time and my experience is the day they'll no longer be welcome. I'm worth more than that and there other clients who will gladly appreciate the lengths we go to.

@JBEM4, it's not that her time is less valuable. It's that she is running a client-focused business, and has pissed off a good, reliable client who will not now return, and so has cost herself thousands of pounds in future revenue. Do that often enough and you don't have a business.

Of course it is. Client satisfaction and high quality services are an absolute priority. But they come at a price.

Repeat clients are a sign that the client feels valued, has a good experience and gets amazing results and the stylist is paid accordingly. I value each and every client and I'm humbled that they choose me time and again but I have damn well earned that honour. That does not mean that I owe that client and not even break even for the privilege if the client decides that their reserved time slot no longer works for them on the day of!

@JBEM4

Of course it is. Client satisfaction and high quality services are an absolute priority. But they come at a price.

Repeat clients are a sign that the client feels valued, has a good experience and gets amazing results and the stylist is paid accordingly. I value each and every client and I'm humbled that they choose me time and again but I have damn well earned that honour. That does not mean that I owe that client and not even break even for the privilege if the client decides that their reserved time slot no longer works for them on the day of!

Do you know, due to you and icedcoffes response I’ve learnt a valuable life lesson. I’m in my 50’s and I guess used to the time when we had no choice, we didn’t have multiple salons to choose from, we knew our stylists and they understood our life’s ebbs and flows. It seems neither the client nor the salon find loyalty of worth anymore. If I ‘mess up’ once then I’m penalised. Worthy of note.. I just checked through our records as another poster mentioned it, they’ve cancelled me 4 times in the past four years due to staffing issues. One was when a stylist couldn’t get transport to the salon. I didn’t charge them a cancellation fee though.