How many times has a client called at the last minute to cancel their appointment – or worse, just not show up? What comes next? Do you have an awkward conversation about consequences, or do you say nothing and consider it a loss? You can avoid most of that by establishing a cancellation policy. Missed appointments equals lost revenue, and you can’t afford that.
And you shouldn’t have to. When you create a cancellation policy for your business, clients will respect your time. And if they don’t, it won’t be a complete loss because your cancellation policy will outline fees for missed appointments.
When you create a cancellation policy for your health and wellness business, clients will respect your time. And if they don’t, it won’t be a complete loss because your cancellation policy will outline fees for missed appointments.
The details are really up to you. When determining the terms of your cancellation policy, take both yourself and your clients into consideration. Your policy should be fair to both parties.
If someone cancels an appointment, could you fill that time slot quickly? Is your schedule flexible, or do you need advanced notice to rearrange things when changes occur? The standard is 24 hours, but this is your policy, choose how much time you think you’d need to fill the now empty time slot.
How much is your time worth? If someone misses an appointment, will you charge them for the full amount of the service or just a portion of it? This may depend on where you’re at in your business right now. If you have a waiting list, you might charge full price. If you’re just getting started and have more time than clients, you may opt to charge only a percentage. Alternatively, you could set a flat fee for late cancellations.
What’s the best mode of communication for you? What would be easiest for you clients?
The best part - You don’t need to have an awkward phone call to discuss it (unless you want to).
Online forms do more than save you time. When you receive completed intake forms in advance, you can provide better treatment. You can take your time reviewing intake forms before your client arrives. Since you’re already familiar with their needs, you can be fully present during your first discussion. That makes you a better practitioner.
Despite what you might think, allowing clients to book online is actually a good way to prevent no-shows. With ClinicSense, you can automatically send first time clients your cancellation policy to sign when they book online.
Then, with ClinicSense’ No-Show Guard, you have the option to require a credit card to book an appointment. Which means you can enforce your policy when you need to. You don’t have to rely on the client showing up to collect your fee.
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Print it out for clients to sign the next time they come in. Keep in mind, if you use a paper form, you miss out on these benefits:
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