No Shows

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Richard Nongard - NLPBoard.com on June 11, 2011 at 7:10pm

I rarely have no shows that are existing clients.

However, I have a 20% no-show rate overall for FIRST sessions.    (less than 1% of follow-ups)

I think this is MUCH higher than years gone by, I attribute it to the economy and last minute fincancial needs.   I still don;t know why they don;t have the courtesy to call.

I have a FIRM policy; if you no show, I will NEVER EVER schedule you as a client in the future.  

Just call me, even at the time you are supposed to be there.   But no show, no call means NEVER EVER do I waste my time scheduleing them again in the future.    I do not call or follow-up with no shows, other than to put them on my NEVER EVER reschedule them list.

 

I do not mind the no shows.   I use the time to write scripts, get caught up, or just read a book.    I view it the same way Wal-mart views shoplifting, just part of the cost of doing business....  In fact, I have come to enjoy the no-shows as time scheduled to get caught up....

 

I am convinced the people telling prospective new clients to give a credit card number over the phone, are people who are not really in practice.   The idea is absurd.   No other business does this, it would not stand a credit card challenge if you charged them, and is not real user friendly.  That advice has to stem from teachers who are not actually in practice, rather than from those actually doing the work.  That being said, we DO offer $10 off if they prepay over the phone.  Those people NEVR no-show

 

I am also pretty good at predicting which clients (or types of clients) will be noshows.

I have found drug and alcohol clients don't show up.  I have stopped scheduling them.

Smokers scheduling more than 2 week out change their mind and no show.

Clients who appear concerned about the fees, often do not show up.   The discount thing works well with them.

Clients that come from advertising rather than referral tend to be the no shows.

Since I am pretty good at predicting who will no show, I am also pretty good at anticipating tasks I can get done when they no show.

 

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Cole-NLPTrainingQuest.com on June 11, 2011 at 8:58pm

Gonna have to disagree with Richard on this one...

I personally DO get a c.c. # for most new clients (if they say they don't have a c.c. then I don't challenge it)- and that keeps my no shows down to less than 1% these days.

**Mind you, I do both long term coaching as well as single hypno/nlp sessions and when I do coaching, I only work with clients for a minimum of 7 months and they are charged monthly c.c. payments automatically.

I honestly think it comes down to your confidence in asking. I'm simply transparent with my clients and explain to them the reason for getting a c.c. # is to prevent no-shows because they do happen otherwise.

 

Plain and simple and to date, no one has disputed me on it. As far as the security issues, what I do these days is simple- I let them know that in order to keep their c.c. # secure, I will be charging them $1 on my merchant account- which will be credited towards their first session- and this allows me to store their c.c. in my merchant account companies online vault and then charge them the rest after our first session together.

That said, I don't get the c.c. # so that I can charge for no-shows... I get the c.c. to PREVENT the no shows. I've been doing this for over year now and to date I've only had one person not show- and I simply called her and asked if everything was OK because she missed our appointment. She had a very legitimate excuse and we rescheduled. **I wouldn't risk charging their card for a no-show though because I wouldn't want them to dispute the charges- which they probably would- and things do happen sometimes. Again, it's simply to make sure they DO show.

That's been my experience at least...

-Kevin

P.S. This is one of the reasons I switched to using a regular merchant account as opposed to Paypal. With Paypal I couldn't safely store c.c. information.

P.P.S. I know that getting a c.c. # is a policy that a number of others as well. Quite honestly it was Cal Banyan that gave me the advice as he does the same thing- his advice happened to be good that time...

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Permalink Reply by Jill Semonin PhD- CHt on June 12, 2011 at 10:07am

I understand and have had this issue before, but lately I have not.

Here is what I do:

 

First before I am done scheduling them, I flat out tell them that it's important that if they cannot make it to please call me. I do not need a reason, just let me know because other people want their spot and are waiting. Then I thank them in advance, as they are compelled to follow what I ask.I even throw the idea that many people are becoming rude by pulling no shows and how glad I am that I get such good people. (he he he- A compliment, and subconscious input)

 

So then, If I have never seen the person and they are a "no show", and I receive no call or emergency explanation is explained. I will NEVER take another appointment with them. They will have to see someone else. I do not deal with it.Now if they call me and give me a valid reason, I will try to reschedule ONCE! If it happens again, they are placed on a "will not work with" list.

 

For clients who have already seen me, Then they have already paid, and they have already signed an agreement. (ALL MY CLIENTS pay for package sessions in advance). This makes them WANT to come, plus they usually love the sessions. I have some that don't want to stop..... :)  BUT, if they do not show up, it's in the contract that I am still paid for that session and they lose out on that session. Now, if they call me and have a good reason immediately (with-in a day) I will of course, reschedule them. I do understand emergencies.

 

Most my clients always bring me more clients, so if I work with them, they reward me for it, and I reward them back. Everytime a client brings me TWO new clients, I give that client a FREE session as a thank you. It's like a chain reaction. 

 

Lately, the shoe was on the other foot and I had to cancel my clients, because of my own issues. I was in the hospital. I actually called my clients while I was in the ER, letting them know that I would not be able to make their session. I told them that I would make it up to them ASAP. I gave all of them a free session on me, due to a delay by me.(Good ol iPad, never leave home with-out it).

 

I wrote my own contract and it's point blank and to the point. If you want a copy, feel free to email me at HypnosisByJill@gmail.com Let me know who you are and what you want, I get a lot of emails, because I write a weekly column in my local newspaper on hypnosis.

 

Be Well~

Jill

 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Richard Nongard - NLPBoard.com on June 12, 2011 at 10:36am

kevein, I remember you and I discussing this.    Of course some things play in California that would never play in Oklahoma.   You and Cal are in California....    And so  I suppose I should reedit my comments to say, "Most of the people giving this advice are not seeing clients..."   and to  "This won;t work in most of the country, but if you live in NYC or california you can try this....."  

I suppose this might work in NYC and maybe other LARGE cities.   But such a thing is not part of the culture in most of America, and I doubt would fly in Lincoln Nebraksa, Greely Colroado, or Bastrop Texas.....

And certainly not in Tulsa OK

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Permalink Reply by Stephanie Skiba on June 12, 2011 at 10:53am

To take this on a side path - I'd like to note that I do bill people (usually through Paypal invoice) for Skype coaching calls prior to Richard calling them.  But that is a bit different than people coming to an office. I do like the invoice system that is relatively new to Paypal. People can pay however they want - do not need an account. It's also good because then Richard doesn't have to waste time taking their cc info during the call.

 

Jill, I also make it a point to explain that we appreciate a call if they need to cancel. Typically, I do this right after reiterating their appointment date & time.  I think that's important.

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Permalink Reply by Jill Semonin PhD- CHt on June 12, 2011 at 11:01am

Asking for a CC # would never fly in my small city, and it wouldn't fly in Cleveland either. Too much CC fraud happening in our area. It's very rare I even take CC at all. I will through paypal if needed, but I have vericheck through my business. Checks cost nothing extra and it's a free service through my bank. I once thought about merchant services as I used them a lot in my previous businesses, but honestly, it's not needed ahead of time in my area. As stated above....I also don't mind the extra time I get when a no show happens. At first it's a rude feeling, but then like... ohhhh good, I can go make a snack and facebook. HA HA HA

It rarely happens though. I guess perhaps the suggestion that they wouldn't do that in the beginning is enough, because i can say it's only happened ONE time this entire year so far. I had a bad feeling about it prior too. So I was relieved.

 

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Cole-NLPTrainingQuest.com on June 12, 2011 at 11:47am

Richard & Jill~ The "middle America" thoughts on this sound logical to me- I really couldn't speak from experience in that regard. I have known a couple of practitioners in NYC that do ask for a c.c. # before sessions as well- so perhaps it is simply something that you can get away with in a big city.

Ken~ I'm curious, your profile mentions that you are currently studying and practice as a hobby. Do you see clients in an office on a regular basis and if so, do you ask for their c.c. # regularly? Nothing at all wrong with being new to the business, I'm just asking for my own reference as I see you live in Taylor Texas, which is a very small town and would like to hear different view points on this so that when others ask me for advice on the subject that also live in smaller towns- I can offer the best advice possible...

By the way- I "personally" wouldn't feel comfortable charging a client BEFORE their first session (unless we have agreed to monthly coaching), but that's just me...

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Permalink Reply by F. Moore on June 12, 2011 at 12:08pm

I can tell you that I let my clients know that I have a 24 hour cancellation policy.  If they do not provide me with 24hours notice, then I have charge their CC the full price of the appointment.  The reason is that I do not have enough time to fill their void with another client without 24 hours notice.  Hope this helps.

Frank

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Permalink Reply by Dennis Atkinson on June 12, 2011 at 12:31pm

If you are apprehensive of accepting a credit card pre-payment, what about setting up a Pay Pal button on your website where the client can receive a discounted price for the initial consultation if it is pre-paid?

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Permalink Reply by Richard Nongard - NLPBoard.com on June 12, 2011 at 3:23pm

Dennis, I have a paypal button on my website. Handy.

As Stephanie said (She books my sessions)  pre-payment is required for online therapy.

Kevin, I bet another big difference between Oklahoma and California.   At least half my clients pay me in CASH.....

 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Alonzo Cavazos, Ed.D., LCSW, LPC on June 12, 2011 at 4:28pm

Richard:

Thanks for sharing.  My practice thus far is small (part time), but I have a had a few no shows for first appointments and for 2nd appointments.  Those who want to be seen within 1 or 2 days show up for 1st appointment.  I hadn't thought of sorting "no shows" into categories.  Like you, I used the time for "no shows" to do other stuff.

Alonzo

Richard Nongard - NLPBoard.com said:

I rarely have no shows that are existing clients.

However, I have a 20% no-show rate overall for FIRST sessions.    (less than 1% of follow-ups)

I think this is MUCH higher than years gone by, I attribute it to the economy and last minute fincancial needs.   I still don;t know why they don;t have the courtesy to call.

I have a FIRM policy; if you no show, I will NEVER EVER schedule you as a client in the future.  

Just call me, even at the time you are supposed to be there.   But no show, no call means NEVER EVER do I waste my time scheduleing them again in the future.    I do not call or follow-up with no shows, other than to put them on my NEVER EVER reschedule them list.

 

I do not mind the no shows.   I use the time to write scripts, get caught up, or just read a book.    I view it the same way Wal-mart views shoplifting, just part of the cost of doing business....  In fact, I have come to enjoy the no-shows as time scheduled to get caught up....

 

I am convinced the people telling prospective new clients to give a credit card number over the phone, are people who are not really in practice.   The idea is absurd.   No other business does this, it would not stand a credit card challenge if you charged them, and is not real user friendly.  That advice has to stem from teachers who are not actually in practice, rather than from those actually doing the work.  That being said, we DO offer $10 off if they prepay over the phone.  Those people NEVR no-show

 

I am also pretty good at predicting which clients (or types of clients) will be noshows.

I have found drug and alcohol clients don't show up.  I have stopped scheduling them.

Smokers scheduling more than 2 week out change their mind and no show.

Clients who appear concerned about the fees, often do not show up.   The discount thing works well with them.

Clients that come from advertising rather than referral tend to be the no shows.

Since I am pretty good at predicting who will no show, I am also pretty good at anticipating tasks I can get done when they no show.

 

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Permalink Reply by Katherine Zimmerman on June 12, 2011 at 5:36pm

I just had a no show last week. I called her when she was 10 minutes late to see if she was lost and her phone was turned off which tells me she knew I'd be calling. People just aren't as considerate as they used to be. 

 

I only go to the office when I have clients and it's a 25 minute drive so I really to want to ensure that they'll come. I'm in California as well and my policy is pretty much the same as Kevin's. I explain that I won't charge their card ahead of time and that they are welcome to pay with a check, cash or a credit card after the appointment. Once they have come for their first session I shred the information. It never goes on my computer and no one has access to it except me.

 

I think that calling new clients 48 hours in advance would cut down on the no show rate. They might use that opportunity to cancel but at least you wouldn't have driven to the office for no reason. Unlike some, I do all my work at home and just see clients and teach at my office.

 

Someone else on this site suggested asking new clients, "Will you call me if you need to cancel or reschedule?" and then wait for their response. I still think some wouldn't call even after they'd agreed so I ask for the cc #. 99% of the people asked comply without hesitation. I forgot to ask for credit card info from the no show from this last week. Just goes to show that it does work.

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