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How do you guys handle it when a customer calls the day or two before their scheduled appointment? I’ve lost $500 this week because of this. This being my busy season, it pisses me off when someone calls and takes a spot in my book and then proceeds to make up some retarded excuse as to why they can’t make it. I think I’m going to start charging a $50 cancellation fee.
Ron,
Great question. I don’t get cancellations a lot, but it does happen. I don’t think I’m as busy as you are, but it still bothers me just the same. I think we as carpet cleaners don’t rank up there with a plumber (when water is leaking) or A/C technicians (in the summer when the A/C is broken), so customers feel they can do it.I too have thought about a fee, but I fear how it will go over with customers. The bottom line is that some customers are more difficult to deal with. I suppose it might be better to lose some of them.
If you implement a cancellation fee, how would you collect it? On their next invoice? Send an immediate bill for the fee? I wonder if they would pay?
One idea I had was to solicit my customers’ email addresses which would allow me to reach them very quickly. I thought I could send out an email if I got a cancellation perhaps offering some sort of special in order to fill the suddenly vacant time on the schedule.
I’m anxious to hear from some operators who have been doing this much longer.
Thanks for posting on this subject Ron!
Mike
Bill on next invoice??? What next invoice? I just got stood up today and I will not return period. Anyone that does not show up or return phone calls..they are done to me. Only had 3 or 4 in 3+ years…including the one today. I just remember their names and have a small list that I will not clean for again.
If they cancel with a day’s notoce, I can usually pull someone forward to fill the slot, if not, I usually try to take those minutes to do something productive. Sometimes I have been lucky enough for a new call to fill the slot and for more work…
I agree..it might be problematic to collect the fee and then piss them off as well…the real question is this… Do you want them for a customer? I would prefer good customers, not unreliable ones.
I’ve been thinking about this today. I’m going to let the customer know that there will be a cancellation/reschedule fee if done so within 48 hours of the job. This way less will cancel or reschedule and the ones that do will have a damn good reason and I’ll probably let it slide if they do call.
Ron I have the same sentiments, I’ve thought about taking a credit card number from new customers i’ve never cleaned for and informing them of a cancellation fee. I haven’t made this move yet but agree it is very upsetting. Dont know about you but my schedule has me running in several different directions and can seldom just bump someone in to take their place, and may end up driving over 100 miles one way for one appt. talk about pissed. Not only that but then the one appt has to pay the full trip charge which usually doesnt make them happy. What do you do? I try like hell to talk the customer into keeping their appt. and even sometimes explain to them the situation they are putting me in at that point. Some will reschedule right then, others could care less. Im with you on a fee, how much do you charge though? I considered my minimum rate as a good guidline.
I have thought about this also and so I am with you guys to a certain extent. One thing, unless you do Joe’s idea with the credit card, you can’t legally charge these poeple for work not provided, atleast not in my state or city, and it’s hard to prove. I can hear your growl’s already. It makes me mad to guys but think this way. You are the customer ok, then you want to cancel a day or so, or even the day of and you call and cancel, “ok Mr. Hollingsworth, that will be $50.00 for a cancellation fee”. Realistically guys and gals, that customer is going to smear you in the ground. I usually handle it this way. I tell them, Ok sir or mam, sorry we couldn’t serve you today but thank you for calling and considering Heaven’s Best. I look forward to serving you in the future. The price may go up as your current scheduled appointment fell into our promotion period for a free spotter, or 5 bucks off, etc. I can already guess some of you will disagree with me but consider this. I have had 4 cancellations in 2 years and have rescheduled all 4 of those at their own will.
Mike Nowlin
Hi Ron.
It is frustrating, but asking someone to pay a fee for a service they didn’t receive is ridiculous. I’d never pay that. Not only will you never be able to collect, you’ll lose that customer and all their possible referrals forever. You should be thankfull that these people give you a day or 2 notice. At least then you have a chance to put someone else in that slot. Maybe it doesn’t always work out for the best, but things happen in peoples lives that are more important than carpet cleaning an your going to piss them off if you aren’t willing to acknowkedge that.
I am very sympathetic to your problem. Just understand that cancellations will happen. When they do, I think it is a good policy to be understanding and try to reschedule. I also agree that if you get stood up with no notice, delete that person from your customer list. We can’t afford to be running all over creation for customers as inconsiderate as that.
BS!
These people call me to schedule a week or two in advance, take up a spot in my book. Then I book out 2 weeks in advance and turn down a dozen potential customers that want to schedule with me and then I have 5 people cancel during one of the busy weeks of the year. Not only did I lose the customer, but I lost the other customer that I turned down plus about $1000 in business.
I’ve read all of the above suggestions and comments. Ironically, I am sitting here for the same reason this thread is here. I totally understand the ill feelings toward cancelations. Truthfully, today, it was a death in the family, last week, a dog was on it’s deathbed. I’ve heard them all. If it is a lame excuse, I can normally get them to keep their appt. by letting explaining to them that it is costing me money, or let them know we offer 30 days same as cash or that we accept plastic. I’ve even let them make monthly payments. I have billed a deadbeat customer a bill for $50 for a no-show. Never got paid nor did I expect to. The hotels have it made. You give them you’re CC info to reserve a room. If you don’t show, they collect regardless. I don’t believe we have that luxury. As Dave Dilts said, make good use of you’re time. I’m not, I’m sitting on the computer wasting time. Gotta go put a new beater bar on my Hoover!
Good Day!Hi Ron.
It sounds like the cancellations aren’t your problem. You’re scheduling too much business for one van. When demand is ahead of capacity (not a bad problem to have) you’re going to lose business if there is any hiccup in your schedule. It sounds like you may be losing business by not being available enough to service your potential clients. Cancellations are just magnifying that problem, it seems.
Like it has been said before, Ron; it sounds like it’s time for you to bring on some help. You’ve done a great job at getting your business rolling along and it seems like it’s grown beyond your capacity.
Cancellations are a problem, but by taking an adversarial approach to the customer, you may end up slowing your growth more than you had hoped.
After reading my post back, I wanted to clarify one point.
I didn’t mean to imply that you can’t handle your business. I am suggesting that you may be too busy for your existing number of tecnicians and vans. Add a technician. Add a van. This is what I meant by capacity.
Sorry if that was misinterpreted.
We have struggled with what to do with this issue as it appears many others have as well. Ultimately, I think we just have to accept it as part of doing business. We have had weeks where we’ve had reschedules every day. If it is a good regular customer, I will accept it (especially for a valid reason). I am more “forgiving” for a cancellation that is at least a day in advance. If they call the night before, or the day of, it is frustrating, especially when it is for a bad reason (I can’t leave the dogs outside in the cold for that long….yes, we’ve had that one). Do whatever you can to keep the job scheduled, and don’t be afraid to let your customer know that they may be putting you in a bind. Don’t let your customers walk all over you, but in the same regard, realize they are the ones in control for the most part. If you have to reschedule, I always try to get them to reschedule right then. About the only time I could see charging them a fee is if you go to their house and they no show on you. I know a lot of the big companies will mail them a bill if this happens ($25-$35).
If a “regular” reschedules for a bogus reason, I just put it in the mental rolodex and realize how important my service is to them. Probably won’t throw them any “pickles” in the future.
Ditto here, a customer called and cancelled for tomorrow. Rats!!!! We always try to rechedule while we have them on the phone but if they don’t rechedule right away or want to call us back, we always tell them that we will call them in in 2 weeks, a month or whatever time frame seems appropriate at the time and on the excuse they came up with. We always make the return call. If they don’t commit then we ask if they had someone else do it, and If so, how much, how was the quality, who did it, and why. Puts a slight guilt trip on them but what the hey. Usually here it is that the money was a bit tight and they just haven’t committed to spending the green stuff.
I think our experience has been that with a brand new customer, they cancel due to a lower price, and I thank God that they went with someone else…let them kick their tires. I don’t particularly care for the strict price shopper…in the end, they do get what they pay for.
A returning customer almost always reschedules immediately or really does call back when things have settled down a bit. I never bug people with calls unless they either ask for it or agree when I ask them if they want me to call them back later…
My last 2 cents on this topic.
Dave
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