There are numerous reasons why a patient can skip an appointment, from traffic delays to getting caught up in a meeting, to simply forgetting. Missed or cancelled appointments are an unavoidable aspect of running a clinic that you should consider.
However, there’s no need to be concerned about cancellations or no-shows because we’re here to help. You can lower no-show rates and prevent last-minute cancellations by utilizing the capabilities given by Pabau.
Here’s how to regain control of your time and stop losing money.
Integrating a Stripe Account
Data shows that integrating your Stripe account with Pabau will reduce your no-show rate by 20%. Having an online bookings option is terrific, but taking deposits or the full price on checkout is even better.
You will be able to require a deposit and have your clients pay the specific amount or choose to take the full price at checkout. This way, you can play safe and prevent losing time while reducing no-shows and cancellations by taking the payment instantly.
By integrating your account with Stripe, you can request a specific deposit for different services. Set up a £30 deposit for your consultations, and set up a £50 deposit for your other services.
To keep your business strong, you need to have an option to reduce no-shows and cancellations.Â
Use appointment reminders
Missed appointments happen because the clients either forgot to attend or cancel, wrote the time wrong, or had another engagement. This means that over 80% of all no-shows can be avoided.
Using an automated system to send out email and SMS appointment confirmations is also a great approach to remind your clients of upcoming appointments and reduce no-shows. Clients will be notified of the scheduled appointment on time, and they will be able to confirm their attendance, giving you plenty of time to prepare.
As a business owner, your schedule must be overflowing and having software to automate the process of sending out reminders and confirmations can be very helpful.Â
Use email and SMS reminders + confirmations
Everyone is on their phone these days, but not everyone reads their email. That is why we have the option for you to send out SMS messages.
According to our study, people open text messages within 15 minutes, and the open rate is 99%, whereas the average open rate for email just 21%.
This makes appointment reminders one of the most straightforward ways to ensure that your clients show up.Â
Have a cancellation policy
Instead of manually reminding your clients that they have an appointment with you or having them sign a written cancellation agreement, why not take advantage of the benefits a client management software offers?
Pabau allows you to choose from the two types of cancellation policies – Cancellation Policy for “Rescheduled” and Cancellation Policy for “Cancel/No Show” appointment status. After you choose the type you can choose the action that will be taken once the policy is broken/fulfilled.
You can design your own cancellation policies using Pabau’s No-Show Protection. When a customer fails to show up for an appointment, the system automatically deducts the payment from their saved card information, so you don’t have to ask them to pay for their no-show.
This seemingly trivial action can help you minimize cancellations and reduce no-shows in just a few simple clicks.
No Show protection via Online Bookings
The benefits of the No-Show Protection policy also extend to Online Bookings.
Whenever a client tries to schedule an appointment at your clinic, this policy appears as they enter their card details, alongside an explanation that their card will not be charged at the exact moment.
When customers try to cancel an already scheduled appointment, they are given a warning about the Cancelation Policy price and how much they would be charged for the cancellation. Â
The final word
Appointment cancellations and no-shows are frustrating, but once you’ve done everything, it’s vital to be prepared to limit their occurrence.
Be notified whenever someone books online with you. Keep track of everything that is going on in your business by enabling the option to receive an email notification on the booking confirmation.
Whatever the cause for the no-shows, you must choose an appropriate plan for your business model and clients. Giving customers a positive experience and making booking and cancelling easy are two of the most basic techniques to reduce cancellations and no-shows.
