If you are passionate about making people look and feel better and relaxed both inside and outside, managing a spa or owning a beauty salon is a great career choice. It won't just be a job or a source of income; but rather, an amazing daily experience that you can be excited to go to every day.
Running a beauty salon or spa is not all peaches and roses; as with every other business, it comes with its challenges. Some things are inevitable like conflict, no-call-no-shows, appointment cancellations, refunds, etc. - and you have to deal with them. Avoiding these tasks (as tempting as it may seem) is not good business practice and more often than not, you tend to lose clients.
To ensure that your spa or beauty salon has a constantly organized system, it is best to have policies in place to address any of these potential challenges. ≈
Why do you need a cancellation policy for your spa business?
There are plenty of reasons why someone may not show up to their appointment or cancel last minute. Emergencies may come up or the common reoccurrence of clients that either have messy schedules or are simply forgetful. As a business owner, you need to plan for situations like this, hence the cancellation policy.
Reasons for a cancellation policy includes;
- To protect you from loss: Your cancellation policy should have a fee and duration attached to it before the appointment to allow you to rebook that spot, or else you'll lose both time and money.
- It strongly encourages commitment from the client: When your customer is aware of your spa cancellation policy, the individual will make an effort to meet up at the scheduled time.
- It helps your business growth: People tend to see a spa with a firm policy as very professional and trustworthy, which increases your customer base.
- It helps with an organized schedule for your spa: Without a cancellation policy, your client can decide to cancel at the last minute or not show up without any notice. You'll be faced with the challenge of having a disorganized schedule which can be frustrating and discouraging. With a proper policy, you can easily fix clients on the waiting list into your schedule once an appointment has been correctly canceled.
- It helps you do away with wasted time: With strict policies, unserious clients tend to not come to your spa, leaving you with loyal and serious customers.
24 Hour Appointment Cancellation Policy
This is a universal policy. It allows for canceling or rescheduling an appointment with 24 hours prior notice. It is usually a strict policy with a cancellation fee attached to it depending on the service requested and when the cancellation was made. This policy approach is effective when you have a client profile in your salon system and a good appointment booking system to monitor your booking.
With a 48 or 72-hour cancellation duration, the spa has ample time to rebook for clients on the waiting list, but with a 24-hour cancellation policy, it is harder on the spa but easier for the client hence the strictness of the policy.
10 Templates of Salon Cancellation Policies
As important as cancellation policies are, if not properly written and addressed, they can cause controversies. Your salon cancellation policy should be clear, direct, and easy to understand. It should be made visible to all clients, and it can be posted at the reception of your salon and on the home page of your salon website. Your cancellation policy should include a timeframe, cancellation fee, and contact information.
Policies are of different types, and they determine how the template looks. Here are ten templates your salon can adopt.
Strict
- We understand that your activities are not fixed, and your schedule can change. We request that you inform us of your plans to cancel or reschedule your appointment (a particular duration) before your appointment. Appointment canceled within (period) will incur (a percentage) of the service fee.
- Appointments made within a (period) can be canceled or rescheduled at least (period) before the appointment time to avoid a fine of (a percent) of service charge.
- You need to know that if you are (period) late for your appointment and the remaining time is not sufficient to complete your service, we will timely reschedule your appointment after (a percent) of the service charge has been deducted. If you do not appear within a (period), it will be considered that you failed to show up, and you will be charged (a percent) of the service fee.
- We do not offer refunds on salon appointments, but if you call before (a defined time) to cancel, we will reschedule for you based on your convenience and use your previous payment for the new appointment. However, if you do not call to cancel or reschedule within (a period), you will lose any payment you've already made.
- Group salon sessions are fun, but someone might cancel or want to reschedule; we understand. You are required to inform us (at a particular time, usually more than 24 hours) of your cancellation or reschedule plan for any member of the group. If any member is absent without notice or informs us less than (a defined time), the group will be charged (a percent) of the service fee on the card used for booking.
- We value and respect your time and choice of our salon service. Should we need to cancel an appointment due to unforeseen events with less than (a specified duration) notice, we will discount your next identical service with (a percent) of the service charge. We will timely reschedule your appointment based on your convenience.
Moderate
- We understand that some emergencies occur that prevent you from notifying us about canceling or rescheduling your appointment. We give our clients one opportunity a year for late rescheduling or missing appointments without service charge. Please register today for this opportunity.
- Your first time of missing an appointment or late cancellation will be recorded with no charge attached. Subsequent rescheduling, cancellation within (a particular period), or not showing up will attract a charge of (a percent) of service charge.
- Our salon understands that unavoidable events occur that can prevent you from making your appointment. If the event is confirmed, a cancellation fee will be charged immediately. On your next appointment, full or part of the cancellation fee will be deducted from your service charge.
Flexible
- We will do everything in our power to modify or cancel your appointment if you require one. Just give us a call at your earliest convenient time or send an email. No notice will incur a charge of (a percent) of the service fee.
Appointment Cancellation Fees
The cancellation fee charged depends on the time the appointment is canceled and the number of canceled services. Usually, 25 to 50% of the service charge is collected once the notification of the appointment rescheduling or cancellation comes in after the minimum required time. A 70% to 100% cancellation fee can be charged if the client doesn't send a notification and doesn't show up. If the client makes a late cancellation after requesting multiple services like a massage plus a pedicure, then you can charge 50% or more.
It is important to note your competition cancellation fee before setting yours in order to not lose clients because of high charges. To ensure your cancellation fee applies, you should always collect a deposit or payment for the service while scheduling the appointment.
How to choose the correct type of policy?
- Flexible cancellation policy: This is one with a refund policy on cancellation and does not have specific timing for the cancellation period as long as it is done before the appointment. Charges are mostly put in place when the client doesn't show up without notification.
- Moderate cancellation policy: This also has a refund policy but has a specific time attached to the refund policy. This policy usually allows for one-time late cancellation with no charge attached, but subsequently, charges are incurred when the policy is not adhered with.
- Strict cancellation policy: This is the policy most established spas and salons adopt. It hardly comes with a refund policy, and there is a charge attached to every breach in the appointment time.
Choosing the right type of policy is dependent on your business location and customer base. If you are located in a busy city with a large customer base, a strict policy will work for you, but you might want to consider a flexible policy if you are located in smaller, rural areas. As a start-up spa or salon, you might consider using a flexible policy, but as your business grows, upgrade your policy to a moderate one and eventually a strict one if the need arises. If last minute client cancellations become a common occurrence in your business, it is advisable to go for a strict policy.
Conclusion
Implementing policies may not be fun, but it is important for your spa and salon. Do not underestimate the importance of a cancellation policy; go with one that works for your location’s demographic. Try to research a cancellation fee that works for your clients, do not overcharge or undercharge. Choose an easy-to-operate system for your booking, reminders, and policies.
A cancellation policy is important for your business growth and revenue; so, implement one today.
