Reducing no-shows in your salon: 7 measures that really help

1. Remind the day before

A short reminder the day before the appointment is the simplest measure. Important: in the client's language and with a link to cancel or reschedule. Clients who can cancel quickly tend to cancel rather than simply not show up.

2. Put the appointment straight into their calendar

A calendar file in the confirmation adds the appointment to the phone with one tap. What's in the calendar is forgotten less often than an email in the inbox.

3. Make rescheduling easier than staying away

If a client has to call to reschedule and the salon is busy with a treatment, she may just stay away. A page where she picks a new time herself recovers many of these no-shows.

4. A clear cancellation period

A visible period — for example 24 hours — creates commitment without putting people off. It should appear at booking, in the confirmation and in the reminder.

5. Pass on freed-up slots immediately

A waiting list for fully booked days turns a cancellation into a new appointment: when someone cancels, the people waiting are notified, and whoever books first gets the slot.

6. Ask for a phone number

For new clients a phone number helps with short-notice questions. A quick call when someone is running late often saves the appointment.

7. A fair no-show fee — as a last step

For repeated no-shows, an agreed, reasonable fee can make sense. It works mainly as a deterrent and should be worded fairly — more in the guide on no-show fees.

What Bookry takes care of

• Reminder email the day before, in the client's language (19 languages).
• Calendar file in every confirmation.
• Cancelling and rescheduling by the client herself, up to your cancellation period.
• Waiting list for fully booked days with automatic notification.
• Phone number at booking and a client history including no-shows.