Comments on: How to Reduce Cancellations, Reschedules and No-Shows: Our Strategy http://alternativehealthpractice.com/2008/03/how-to-reduce-cancellations-reschedules-and-no-shows-our-strategy.html Practice growth for complementary, alternative and holistic health professionals Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:11:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Managing your appointments - heartharmony.com.au - Small Business Tips http://alternativehealthpractice.com/2008/03/how-to-reduce-cancellations-reschedules-and-no-shows-our-strategy.html#comment-4544 Managing your appointments - heartharmony.com.au - Small Business Tips Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:56:32 +0000 http://alternativehealthpractice.com/2008/03/how-to-reduce-cancellations-reschedules-and-no-shows-our-strategy.html#comment-4544 [...] why I loved this blog post by Alternative Health Practice.com - it outlines some great strategies to help all businesses manage their appointments. Some of the [...] [...] why I loved this blog post by Alternative Health Practice.com - it outlines some great strategies to help all businesses manage their appointments. Some of the [...]

]]> By: Acupuncture http://alternativehealthpractice.com/2008/03/how-to-reduce-cancellations-reschedules-and-no-shows-our-strategy.html#comment-4322 Acupuncture Thu, 17 Jul 2008 01:55:25 +0000 http://alternativehealthpractice.com/2008/03/how-to-reduce-cancellations-reschedules-and-no-shows-our-strategy.html#comment-4322 Thanks, Dan. As my acupuncture practice grows, I have found myself doing reminder calls for the habitual cancellers/postponers. I haven't put it into practice for everyone, but it seems to be working out better. Cheers! Thanks, Dan. As my acupuncture practice grows, I have found myself doing reminder calls for the habitual cancellers/postponers. I haven’t put it into practice for everyone, but it seems to be working out better. Cheers!

]]> By: Dan http://alternativehealthpractice.com/2008/03/how-to-reduce-cancellations-reschedules-and-no-shows-our-strategy.html#comment-4223 Dan Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:33:33 +0000 http://alternativehealthpractice.com/2008/03/how-to-reduce-cancellations-reschedules-and-no-shows-our-strategy.html#comment-4223 @Acupuncture: Thanks for the comment! I can't imagine not doing our reminder calls. It takes about an hour to call everyone for an upcoming busy day, but for us, if we can save just one missed appointment, it covers the cost of about two weeks of paying someone to make those calls. Even if you don't have staff, I think you can pay a person for 30 minutes a day to just make your reminder calls, and come out money ahead. @Acupuncture:

Thanks for the comment!

I can’t imagine not doing our reminder calls. It takes about an hour to call everyone for an upcoming busy day, but for us, if we can save just one missed appointment, it covers the cost of about two weeks of paying someone to make those calls.

Even if you don’t have staff, I think you can pay a person for 30 minutes a day to just make your reminder calls, and come out money ahead.

]]> By: Acupuncture http://alternativehealthpractice.com/2008/03/how-to-reduce-cancellations-reschedules-and-no-shows-our-strategy.html#comment-4219 Acupuncture Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:17:19 +0000 http://alternativehealthpractice.com/2008/03/how-to-reduce-cancellations-reschedules-and-no-shows-our-strategy.html#comment-4219 Thank you for this post, as well as the comments! I just began a business and do find that while I had set a cancellation policy, I haven't stuck to it as I should. I think reminder calls for people who prove unreliable can be helpful, but then, should I really take my time to remind them? It seems to be a fine line between knowing life happens and wanting to be forgiving & flexible, but then sending the wrong message and not respecting our own time. With recent cancellations and finding your post, I certainly have to figure out what will work for me! Again, thanks for your tips :) Thank you for this post, as well as the comments! I just began a business and do find that while I had set a cancellation policy, I haven’t stuck to it as I should. I think reminder calls for people who prove unreliable can be helpful, but then, should I really take my time to remind them? It seems to be a fine line between knowing life happens and wanting to be forgiving & flexible, but then sending the wrong message and not respecting our own time. With recent cancellations and finding your post, I certainly have to figure out what will work for me! Again, thanks for your tips :)

]]> By: Dan http://alternativehealthpractice.com/2008/03/how-to-reduce-cancellations-reschedules-and-no-shows-our-strategy.html#comment-4208 Dan Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:31:16 +0000 http://alternativehealthpractice.com/2008/03/how-to-reduce-cancellations-reschedules-and-no-shows-our-strategy.html#comment-4208 Hi Julie, Thanks for the comment! We're a little more lenient. Maybe it's the Canadian in me... :) Mostly, though, I screw up the odd appointment myself in my personal life, so I know it's not always malicious disrespect when a client makes an honest mistake. Our three-strike rule usually applies to existing clients. They spend a decent amount at the clinic, and we're flexible - if they miss a couple of appointments over a couple of years of spending thousands of dollars with us, it's hard for me to gripe. New clients who just don't bother to show or call don't get the same level of flexibility, though. Hi Julie,

Thanks for the comment! We’re a little more lenient. Maybe it’s the Canadian in me… :)
Mostly, though, I screw up the odd appointment myself in my personal life, so I know it’s not always malicious disrespect when a client makes an honest mistake.

Our three-strike rule usually applies to existing clients. They spend a decent amount at the clinic, and we’re flexible - if they miss a couple of appointments over a couple of years of spending thousands of dollars with us, it’s hard for me to gripe. New clients who just don’t bother to show or call don’t get the same level of flexibility, though.

]]> By: Julie http://alternativehealthpractice.com/2008/03/how-to-reduce-cancellations-reschedules-and-no-shows-our-strategy.html#comment-4207 Julie Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:17:48 +0000 http://alternativehealthpractice.com/2008/03/how-to-reduce-cancellations-reschedules-and-no-shows-our-strategy.html#comment-4207 The hardest yet most important part is enforcing the cancellation policy. I think that giving people warnings and three strikes is way too lenient and it further teaching people how to treat you (and your business). How you treat your clients affects other therapists too so be aware that what you do is also affecting the next client. I have a very strict policy being a massage therapist. My schedule is full, I can only do so many sessions a week so each appointment matters to me. I recently had a few people cancel at the last minute who knew that I would charge but thought that they would get away with the first one as long as they rebooked right away. I said it wasn't so they left angry never to come back which is OK with me but it is a reflection of the whole profession. It is all about getting people to respect us. When they don't they are more likely to cancel at the last minute or just no show. Julie The hardest yet most important part is enforcing the cancellation policy. I think that giving people warnings and three strikes is way too lenient and it further teaching people how to treat you (and your business).

How you treat your clients affects other therapists too so be aware that what you do is also affecting the next client. I have a very strict policy being a massage therapist. My schedule is full, I can only do so many sessions a week so each appointment matters to me. I recently had a few people cancel at the last minute who knew that I would charge but thought that they would get away with the first one as long as they rebooked right away. I said it wasn’t so they left angry never to come back which is OK with me but it is a reflection of the whole profession.

It is all about getting people to respect us. When they don’t they are more likely to cancel at the last minute or just no show.

Julie

]]> By: Weekly Links- New on CMNotes | Chinese Medicine Notes http://alternativehealthpractice.com/2008/03/how-to-reduce-cancellations-reschedules-and-no-shows-our-strategy.html#comment-3932 Weekly Links- New on CMNotes | Chinese Medicine Notes Thu, 22 May 2008 13:17:56 +0000 http://alternativehealthpractice.com/2008/03/how-to-reduce-cancellations-reschedules-and-no-shows-our-strategy.html#comment-3932 [...] How to reduce cancellations- this is the short version of the long subject line of a post over at Alternative Health Practice, a blog with lots of ideas about running a clinic for alternative health, which applies to CM. Note it. [...] [...] How to reduce cancellations- this is the short version of the long subject line of a post over at Alternative Health Practice, a blog with lots of ideas about running a clinic for alternative health, which applies to CM. Note it. [...]

]]> By: Ingrid http://alternativehealthpractice.com/2008/03/how-to-reduce-cancellations-reschedules-and-no-shows-our-strategy.html#comment-3604 Ingrid Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:46:49 +0000 http://alternativehealthpractice.com/2008/03/how-to-reduce-cancellations-reschedules-and-no-shows-our-strategy.html#comment-3604 Great post! You have outlined some terrific strategies that apply to anyone whose business runs on appointments. Great post! You have outlined some terrific strategies that apply to anyone whose business runs on appointments.

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