Appointment Scheduling Tips - Dealing with No-Shows and "Bumpers"
The management of appointments is a great way to market and grow your business. Appointments and bookings are not something that just passively happen to you. By taking a pro-active stance, you can not only improve the turn-up rate of clients, you can build loyal customers.
So how do you manage your appointments?
Re-booking
Where possible, take bookings for the next appointment at the conclusion of the current appointment. If the person says they will get back to you, politely enquire if they would like you to give them a call in a week's time to set up their next appointment.
Confirm Appointments
Always confirm every appointment in your diary. Set up systems to help you do this – you could ring everyone for the coming week on a Monday morning, set aside 10 minutes once a day to call the upcoming appointments or send SMS messages to their phones.
Choose your words
Don't say, "Call us if you can't make it" – you are making it easy for them to change or cancel their appointment. Say, "I am calling to confirm your appointment at Wednesday 4pm. I look forward to seeing you then".
Repeat offenders
Don't be afraid to "sack" clients who always cancel or don't show up. You can refer them to other practitioners, or consider charging cancellation fees.
Time management
Don't run over time. People who are on time hate to be kept waiting, so if possible keep the finishing times fixed.
Too much or too little
Overbooking just makes you stressed and running late. Under-booking, by leaving large gaps between clients, trains your clients that you are always available and happily run over time at no additional cost to them.
Call all new clients
Call each client after their first experience with you: While this is heading into feedback territory, by contacting all new clients to see how they found your first session, you are reinforcing that you care about them and value their business.
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This article is just one small taste of what you can find in Small Business Marketing Ideas - the latest release from Heart Harmony on how to grow your business in just minutes a day.
Remember - until 31st March 2011, you get double the value, as Small Business Marketing Ideas comes with a free download of Employee Performance Reviews.
HR Tip of the Week: Get Ready for Major WH&S Changes
Think back a few years to when Workchoices and then the Fair Work Act was introduced. Remember the hullaballoo? Businesses heard about the changes ad nauseum.
But right now there is an even more radical change on the horizon. From 1 January 2012, Australia is moving to a national workplace health & safety system. This will mean major changes for most businesses ... and yet we have barely heard a word. Even the media is remarkably silent on the topic.
So this is a head's up to all managers. Keep an eagle eye out! Actively seek out information, and save the Safe Work Australia site into your favourites.
If you really want to get on the front foot, you may want to schedule in time later this year to review all of your existing workplace health & safety policies and procedures. You may also want to book time in for cross-the-board training of your team members in early 2012 in the changes.
Feel free to share this link with your friends & colleagues. I know how hard it can be to find powerful performance review questions when you need them!
Legal stuff: This newsletter is intended as only a general guideline for Australian businesses. You should seek specific advice for your situation rather than relying only on this newsletter
Earnings disclaimer. Some of the content may include advertorial information, which means I may receive financial compensation for the products I recommend. But - unless I know and trust the product first, I will not recommend it.
Hi Ingrid,
You may want to check the spelling of the word "advertarial" in your disclaimer - I believe it is spelled "advertorial".
Cheers,
Chris
PS Really like your weekly emails.
Hi Chris - and thanks for finding it! I have had two separate proof-readers and myself since I started using that clause ... and all 3 of us had missed it! Goes to show that no matter how many eyes look over something, there will always be one pesky typo that will sneak through the net. Glad you are enjoying our newsletters.
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Confirm Appointments 
Think back a few years to when Workchoices and then the Fair Work Act was introduced. Remember the hullaballoo? Businesses heard about the changes ad nauseum.
You asked for it - and we obliged. 
