That week I had 3 no-shows in a row and my whole schedule fell apart

Honestly, last Tuesday was the worst day I've had in 5 years at Salon Lofts in Austin. I had booked a balayage session with a color correction on top, about $280 worth of work, and the client just never showed up. Then Wednesday two more people canceled by text 10 minutes before their appointments, so I sat there for almost 6 hours doing nothing except re-organizing my brushes. Has anyone else found a way to get clients to actually show up on time without being pushy?

2 comments

2 Comments

paulb981mo ago

Ngl that sounds brutal, especially the $280 balayage no-show. Did you try charging a deposit for big ticket services like that? I've seen some stylists, especially at booth rent places, start asking for 20-25% down on color corrections and balayage and it cuts the no-shows way down. It feels pushy at first but honestly clients who respect your time don't mind.

norag551mo ago

You know, I used to think deposits were kind of insulting to clients, like you didn't trust them. But honestly, after losing out on a few big appointments like that, you've made me see it's really just about protecting your own time and income. A client who's serious won't blink at putting down 20%, it's the ones who would've flaked that get weird about it.