Cancellation fee...

I

imported_Ivan Rajic

New member
Does anyone else charge a cancellation fee or take a deposit on a detail?



I started this last year due to a few bad apples cancelling the night before, leaving me with an empty day... since I detail on weekends only it means a lot of I can't schedule anyone else for that day.



So anyone else? And what do you charge?
 
I have had a few people cancel, but reschedule. I don't take deposits or charge a cancellation fee in the event that I may have to cancel in the case of an emergency. I only do this on the side, so it's not as big of a deal for me as opposed to someone who does this for their livelyhood.
 
Think about it this way, would you go back to someone who charged you a fee because you couldn't make it? Is sure wouldn't. Yeah it sucks, but I don't think the fee is going to help you in the long run.
 
xtahoex said:
Think about it this way, would you go back to someone who charged you a fee because you couldn't make it? Is sure wouldn't. Yeah it sucks, but I don't think the fee is going to help you in the long run.
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Yeah, I would not charge someone a fee for canceling. I'd like to have them back as a customer, even if it's another date...:nixweiss
 
Since you only detail on weekends I'm guessing you just do this on the side? I'd honestly say that if you ever thought about charging a fee like that you should first do it full time and have an established business. it just doesn't seem right for a side business to charge a cancellation fee. Personally, I'd never charge one anyway. And if you don't take credit cards how will you really get the money? If I scheduled a detail and had to cancel because I was sick or something important came up and I got a cancellation bill in the mail, I'd tell the detailer to get bent and make sure I never do business with them or send any business their way.



That's my 2 cents worth.
 
Most of my customers have very busy lives. It is part of my service to be convenient for them. I usually do not charge a fee if someone cancels. I do though have some people who have booked and then canceled more than a few times. If those people call again, I will inform them that they will be charged if the cancel again.
 
Being a volume shop that accepts CC's this comes in very handy. I borrowed the cancellation fee from my wifes line of work at a Spa. It's made clear to them that I can book a few details in a day and I routinely push people out sometimes weeks because I'm booked solid in summer. So i take their CC information down when making the appointment and if they call head and actually cancell within 24 hours of appointment no harm no foul. However if they just don't show up and don't call I charge them 50% of their appointment. Really cuts back on no shows ;)
 
I would not do it either, but I have only had one cancel the day before and thats because he got laid off. Anybody else has rescheduled.



Maybe you can apply the fee to a future detail, kind of like a deposit. IMO that would be better as far as customer relations go.
 
lecchilo said:
So anyone else? And what do you charge?
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I understand the concern. It's kind of an issue that can/will cut both ways. You will piss off some and they are not likely to return. OTOH, they technically have put you out of business for that day, which isn't fair to you. I know how it feels, my work is based upon kept appointments, not cancelled ones :furious:



My best recommendation: Be very aggressive about following up with people 24-48 hrs in advance to confirm the session. At least you'd have some chance of filling the time slot if you discovered they weren't going to make the appointment.
 
I'm glad to actually have a discussion going...



I actually take deposits so thread was named wrong in a sense... since I don't take credit cards.. I probably wouldn't even do the cancellation fee because I also wouldn't like seeing a bill later for nothing... but when you already give a check/cash deposit, you know that money is gone and you should make the appointment..



Danase, why does it matter how often I work in a week or how established the business is? If I have a scheduled appointment with someone, it means they've agreed to pay me for that time in a week, or a month or whatever, so whether I have 5 details coming up over the next 3 days or whether I'll be sleeping shouldn't be considered at all...



The reason I started doing this is so people will be serious about keeping the appointment... as Jakerooni said, people start keeping their appointments if they've given a deposit, or know they'll be charged a fee.



Obviously if some unforseen stuff comes up, even on the day of, deposits are just returned. 99% of my clients have no problem at all paying the deposit because they called me for a reason and scheduled a detail for a reason, they respect my time and value my work, and those are the type of clients I want.
 
tom p. said:
My best recommendation: Be very aggressive about following up with people 24-48 hrs in advance to confirm the session. At least you'd have some chance of filling the time slot if you discovered they weren't going to make the appointment.
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Exactly right... just because I take a deposit doesn't mean I get to keep it as a deposit... I've only had to keep the deposit 2 times in the past 1.5 years, with well over 40-50 clients. I always call/e-mail the person 3-4 days in advance to make sure they're coming, and if not, it does give me some time to schedule someone else, then I just keep the deposit for the client who cancelled for next time.



Never really had an argument about the deposit because I've always been lucky getting the "right" clients, just wanted to see what everyone else was doing because obviously lost business is bad business.
 
lecchilo said:
Danase, why does it matter how often I work in a week or how established the business is? If I have a scheduled appointment with someone, it means they've agreed to pay me for that time in a week, or a month or whatever, so whether I have 5 details coming up over the next 3 days or whether I'll be sleeping shouldn't be considered at all...
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I just don't personally think it's something you should consider unless you have a professional business set up. You do it on the side so I'm sure you don;t have any sort of policy set up or anything in writing about a cancellation fee. How do you expect to collect the fee if they don't show?



I have nothing against people detailing on the side at all. It's what most of us do. I just don't see how you could legally or physically collect a cancellation fee.
 
Danase said:
I just don't personally think it's something you should consider unless you have a professional business set up. You do it on the side so I'm sure you don;t have any sort of policy set up or anything in writing about a cancellation fee. How do you expect to collect the fee if they don't show?



I have nothing against people detailing on the side at all. It's what most of us do. I just don't see how you could legally or physically collect a cancellation fee.
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What exactly do you consider professional? I have a site, business cards, insurance, client base... I'm just waiting to figure out how to incorporate the business and go get a city license, which should be done within a month or so.



As for the fee, I simply collect a deposit (keep in mind this if only for new clients and not referrals, as I already have a trusted client base who don't give the deposit) and keep it if the person's a no-show. I'm not going to lie and say I know the legal side of keeping a deposit, but anywhere you make an appointment (dentist for example) you have no written proof that a client made the appointment, only a brief phone convo.
 
The way I handle no shows is to double book. I know when a client is serious.

Charging a cancellation fee would probably guarantee they never come back.

Most of the time if you are understanding (especially if they have kids) they will

reschedule and give a bigger tip after the work is done. This has been my experience.
 
Dragpakmach said:
The way I handle no shows is to double book. I know when a client is serious.

Charging a cancellation fee would probably guarantee they never come back.

Most of the time if you are understanding (especially if they have kids) they will

reschedule and give a bigger tip after the work is done. This has been my experience.
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So, you are scheduling two people in the same time slot, with the assumption that one is going to cancel? How often does someone not cancel, and you have to explain to them you double booked?
 
Double booking to me is one of the most unprofessional, and frustrating things. I normally tend to skip people that do that, be it doctors, dentists, barbers, etc. I feel cheated basically, I kept my end of the deal, and showed up on time, (most times 10 min early). I feel it's only fair the person providing the service keep their end of the deal, and be ready for me, not make me wait 20+ minutes...
 
Danase said:
Personally, I'd never charge one anyway. And if you don't take credit cards how will you really get the money? If I scheduled a detail and had to cancel because I was sick or something important came up and I got a cancellation bill in the mail, I'd tell the detailer to get bent and make sure I never do business with them or send any business their way.



That's my 2 cents worth.
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Exactly, to get the cancellation fee you're going to have to request the credit card payment info prior to performing any service. Now if the detailer visited the site at the correct time and day and the customer hadn't cancelled but wasn't there- only then I wouldn't have a problem leaving an invoice.



If you do this full time, you're going to get cancellations. 24 hours should be sufficient notice- if you can't fill that time slot you're going to have to eat the cost. Part of doing business is understanding that some customers don't understand how business is done.



brwill2005 said:
Most of my customers have very busy lives. It is part of my service to be convenient for them. I usually do not charge a fee if someone cancels. I do though have some people who have booked and then canceled more than a few times. If those people call again, I will inform them that they will be charged if the cancel again.
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Dealing with those types of schedule & cancel customers is difficult because part of a mobile detailer's business plan and it's success is the convenience it provides. Part of that customer's initial interest was that an on site service works into their schedule.



How does it go- Cancel once, shame on you- Cancel twice, shame on me?
 
brwill2005 said:
So, you are scheduling two people in the same time slot, with the assumption that one is going to cancel? How often does someone not cancel, and you have to explain to them you double booked?
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I double book with new clients only. My regulars hardly ever cancel. If something doesnt seem right with a new client I double book. If both do happen to show I have loaners available and help to get both vehicles done in a timely manner. I even throw in a FREE service if needed. Ive been in business long enough to know who serious and who is price shopping but book a slot anyway incase they cant find cheaper or faster. Its all part of doing business.
 
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