What no-shows really cost, and five ways to cut them

Work out your own number

Take a typical week. Multiply the appointments you book by the share that don't turn up, then by what an average appointment is worth. Multiply by 52 for the year. Most businesses find the yearly figure is larger than they expected, and it's the figure to weigh any change against.

Five ways to cut them

1. Take a deposit for longer or high-demand appointments. It's the strongest signal that someone intends to come, and it covers part of the cost when they don't.
2. Send a confirmation when the booking is made, and a reminder the day before. Send them from your own business's email address, so they look like you, not a platform.
3. Make cancelling easy. Someone who can tell you they can't come is far better than someone who doesn't turn up.
4. Keep a waiting list of people who want an earlier slot, and offer cancellations to them straight away.
5. Record every no-show against the client, and look at the pattern monthly. A small number of clients often account for many of them.

Watch the knock-on cost

Look at no-shows next to your rota: how many rostered hours were booked, and how many of those booked hours were lost. That's what tells you whether to change the rota, the deposit policy, or both.