Unreliable client - AAAAGGGHHHH!!!!

[daeysurpidyiqteqy]

Helloooooo!

Just doing a spot of spleen-venting and then I'll feel better.

One of my massage clients, who I have to say is also my most loyal, has a habit of changing his appointment every time. He's actually changed the last 5 appointments as he always wants to bring them forward a week or postpone them a week. I've been really patient with him because he says it's because of access to his child and the arrangement for that change.

However, today I'd had enough! I'm also studying Sports Massage at the moment so am trying to be very structured about how I organise myself so that I can actually have a life as well!! He phoned up this afternoon wanting to bring next week's appointment forward to tomorrow. I've got college this weekend so I like to have the Friday before-hand to get my brain in gear and sort out books etc. I decided a compromise was in order so I offered him a half-hour treatment instead of his usual full hour. He wasn't overly happy but agreed.

I'm pretty good at planning my life around my treatments but because he mucks me about so much it obviously has a knock-on effect to other people.

I'm hoping that this compromise will make him think a bit and make him think twice about messing us around in the future. (It also effects the booking out of the treatment room).

That's better. I'm sure I'm probably getting stressy and unreasonable about this but today my patience ran out [sm=banghead.gif] Sorry for the whinge!

LoL
BT
xxx

 

[hyag81100]

I do know exactly what you mean. I have a couple who come to me at different times for treatments, and I would say that three apointments out of every four between them, they cancel or postpone.

Far be it from me to judge, but although he works, she doesn't and her children are all grown up, so I'm sure she can make time for her treatment once every two weeks, but I always feel that she books her appointment 'unless something better comes up'.

To top it all, her friend came for a treatment last week. She had also been to me before, about a year ago, but had only just 'found time' to come back to me. She said this time she was going to have regular treatments and made sure she booked in another appointment for the following week. Then, on the day of her appointment, she phoned up and cancelled because she was playing bridge!!!

I know it's up to the client whether or not they come, but sometimes I do feel a little 'used'.

Lesley

 

[Mandi Candii]

Lesley, I hope you sent her an invoice for a missed apointment? []

Artemis

 

[Moon Ninja]

hehehe! if you ever want ever REALLY feel used, try being a GP [&:][&:][:'(]

I love it really, honest I do [sm=dance.gif]


xxx Doq

 

[Sophie Gerrard]

Well, I read this post before going off to the therapy centre this morning - got there 2 clients cancelled[]!!!

Still 2 new ones were there - but we're thinking of putting in a 24 hour cancellation policy of somesort

C'est la vie

LOL

FBx

 

[Linkin Park is my Heart]

I do have a cancellation policy at the clinic where I work where I charge 50% for no shows. However, I do give them one chance to rebook and then if they miss that, they get an invoice from me.

For my clients at home, I don't do this - most of them are friends (or friends of friends) and as irritating as it is, there is usually something else I can be getting on with.

The other week I had a new client (a plumber -not noted for their reliability). He called and booked the appointment for that evening, but didn't turn up. When I called to say 'you've missed your appointment', he told me he had forgotten and I said 'but you only booked it three hours ago' and he gave me some excuse about an emergency...

Anyway, he rebooked for the following week, turned up half an hour early while I was just finishing with another client. He said he was just going to move his car nearer my house and disappeared!!

I was very tempted to send him an invoice, but just felt uneasy as he was obviously rather strange, and knew where I lived and had my phone number - just thought it best to put it behind me.

Lesley

 

[sally joe!!!]

Well, horrible as it is to be let down, at least I feel 'normal' knowing others go through similar experiences. I sometimes doubt myself when it happens, but getting things into perspective I know it really is a common problem. The worst was when my neighbour's adult daughters let me down twice each and I began to feel really anti, but decided that I wouldnt book them in again without receiveing payment upfront. Being let down once I can accept, but repeated incidences is just not acceptable.

There, that's my steam gone!

Piglet x

 

[Ranger]

I think you quite right piglet, once I can understand - sometimes things come up and you just can't make it. But to repeatedly miss an appointment is definately not acceptable. Also think it is an excellent idea to only accept an appointment from that individual again with payment upfront.

I have a policy that I try to phone all appointments 24hours in advance to confirm the appointment and ensure they are aware of how to get to me.

Mat xx

 

[Dogzzz]

Here's a very good site with advice on creating a Missed Appointment Policy, and a sample letter to send to No-Show clients

http://www.massagetoday.com/archives/2004/11/08.html

Clare

 

[Rodica]

Yes, it is certainly irritating. However, as Lesley says there is usually something else I can be getting on with, and sometimes I'm actually quite pleased when someone does cancel because it frees up some time. Having said that, it's discourteous and I wouldn't treat a therapist like that.

A couple of weeks ago a very nice client of mine forgot about her appointment, and was so mortified she insisted on paying me in full for the missed treatment!!

 

[Efgbgkpjiv]

At the clinic where I Work we put up sighns in the bathrooms and on treatment room doors telling people they will be charged for half a visit w/out 24 hr cancellation notice. If I think they have a good excuse I will not do this , but in the rare case that i have really had enough i will take another appt. with them only if they pay for half of the missed appt.

 

[tvcclan1]

I used to wonder what I had done when people cancelled at the last minute or didnt turn up at all etc ect.
Now I have a note on my leaflet that I reserve the right to charge a fee if 24hours of cancellation isnt given. Dont know if it makes any difference, just that I know I can if I choose to! Once I had changed my attitude to it, and also looked at the fact that I often changed my own treatment appointments (although with reasonable notice) it now seems to happen less and less. One lady just kept forgetting, turned up a day early, a day late , apart from the odd 30 mins late. After about the 4th time, she turned up half an hour late, and I said I couldnt do it cos she was so late, she'd have to rebook. It made her think and now she makes an effort, and will ring to check her time and dates!
I fit it around my arrangements. I learnt at an early stage not to fit people into the times I had allocated for study or preparation for courses or fetes. Unless it is a real emergency. People who ring to book 'cos they are in such pain and need to have an appointment asap, when you actually look into how long they have had the problem, and who else they have been to, its been a string of other stuff befor they get to you. Please dont think me callouse, but I used to be exhausted and stressed out 'cos of putting my clients appointments before all else! Now I have found a balance that suits us all and I rarely get cancellations except for good reason.
Hope that wsnt too much waffle!
Penelope

 

[Dang! I Taste Delicious]

Hi, just to chip in, I run a busy private practice and very very very occasionally I have folk who do the late cancelling thing. Occasionally I have tactfully suggested that they pay in advance for the next session, and if they have to cancel late then they lose 50%