Do you need to cut down on no-shows and cancellations? What do you do to keep your customers from cancelling on the morning of their appointment?

Few things are more satisfying than a fully booked calendar. A steady flow of work means a steady flow of revenue, which is what every business desires. When this occurs, everything is going swimmingly until you receive a call for a last-minute cancellation. It’s annoying, but you get over it. Except then you get another…and another… 

It’s a deflating experience that can quickly become costly for your business. Last-minute cancellations are, well, last-minute, which makes filling those gaps in the day difficult. This means a missed opportunity for work, which is something that all field service businesses want to avoid. 

But can last-minute cancellations even be avoided? Not always (life happens! ), but there are ways to keep them from becoming a constant annoyance; we’ve listed four of them below! Continue reading to learn how

1. Reduce last-minute cancellations by automating confirmations and reminders.  

2. Establish a last-minute cancellation policy to avoid no-shows. 

3. Be prepared for the worst! Prepare templates and a customer list.

4. How to handle one-time situations where you need to cancel at the last minute.

Although you cannot always prevent customers from cancelling, you can take steps to mitigate the impact of last-minute cancellations on your business. And we’re here to assist you in developing a solid strategy, so keep reading!

1. Reduce last-minute cancellations by automating confirmations and reminders. 

Let’s get to the bottom of why so many last-minute cancellations occur: People forget things easily, and your customers are people. It’s in our nature (literally). That’s why we love reminders, and you should be sending them if you aren’t already. 

Some of us like these reminders so much that we increase the frequency with which we receive them. Consider how your customers will feel if they book a service with you two weeks in advance, receive a vague appointment slot, and then hear nothing from you in the weeks leading up to the job, only to receive a “on the way” text 30 minutes before the appointment. 

They could be on their way to the grocery store or in the middle of a business meeting. They’ll cancel instinctively, and at the last minute. It’s inconvenient for both of you.

The simple solution is to send confirmations and reminders at various intervals prior to their appointment. When a customer schedules an appointment with your company, make sure to confirm the appointment as soon as possible. Customers will remember the date and time of the appointment, and confirmation emails have a 79% acceptance rate. 

Set up reminder messages based on how far in advance the service was booked. We suggest sending a few emails and/or text messages. Send an appointment confirmation, a reminder at least two days before the appointment, and another the day before or on the morning of the service. These helpful reminders can reduce missed appointments by 10%.

2. Establish a last-minute cancellation policy to avoid no-shows. 

Nobody likes paying a cancellation fee, which is why having one is a good idea if you have a lot of no-shows. Of course, while a last-minute cancellation is inconvenient for your business, your cancellation policy should be reasonable. If you try to charge customers 50% for cancelling less than 48 hours in advance, you will most likely lose business. So, what’s the happy medium? 

Policies will differ from one business to the next, but there are a few must-haves. First and foremost, make your cancellation policy abundantly clear. Nothing is worse than having something come up at the last minute, attempting to cancel an appointment, and discovering for the first time that there is a penalty for such short notice. 

Keep in mind that these are still your customers, and the goal is not to punish them. You should always strive to create excellent customer journeys, so be as open as possible. If they schedule a service over the phone, make sure you and your team inform them of the cancellation policy. Include it in confirmation and reminder emails as well.

You can specify how far in advance they must provide notice, but we wouldn’t recommend requiring more than 48 hours. Consider how much time you’ll need to reach out to other customers to see if they’re available for an earlier appointment when deciding on a timeframe. 

Then think about the fee you’ll charge for a last-minute cancellation. Be reasonable in your charges and keep the situation in mind. If your customer truly has a last-minute emergency, consider waiving or crediting the cancellation penalty when they rebook. The goal should always be to maintain customer relationships rather than to tear them apart. 

Having said that…

3. Be prepared for the worst! Prepare templates and a customer list. 

Even when all precautions are taken to prevent a last-minute cancellation, no shows occur. But just because a job is cancelled doesn’t mean you can’t schedule another one in its place. So, if all else fails, have a plan ready. 

Receiving a cancellation call an hour before a scheduled service can be both disheartening and overwhelming. Maybe you had two hours set aside for the job—what now? We recommend making a list of customers who require more immediate services.

You probably have clients calling to get an appointment as soon as possible. However, if things are hectic, you may not be able to fit them into your schedule right away. In such cases, ask them if they are willing to be contacted if someone else cancels. It could be a win-win situation. When you get a last-minute cancellation call, you don’t have to scramble, and they may get serviced sooner. 

When contacting customers on this list, always try calling first. If you are unable to reach them by phone, send them an email or text message as well.

This will be easier for you and your team if you have a well-organised customer database. 

Because you need to schedule these appointments quickly, automation will be your best friend. Have ready-to-use templates with personalisation tags on hand so your team doesn’t have to waste time customising each message. We recommend that you keep your message brief and to the point. Explain that an appointment has become available and inquire whether they are available. If they are, that’s fantastic! Put them in your calendar. If not, go back over the list and move on to the next customer. In these situations, being proactive is critical. Last-minute cancellations can be uncontrollable, so focus on the things you can control and make sure you have a solid plan in place to keep your schedule full.