Here are two notices I received confirming bookings I had with the provider, one by SMS from a heath professional and the other by email from a restaurant.

And what do they invite me to do?

Cancel.

Yes, that’s right both of them make it easy to cancel by raising it and then giving me an easy way to do it. They create appointment delinquents.

I reckon many people will avail themselves of the option and cancel. Simply because it’s easier to cancel than to keep the commitment. Sure something may have changed but lots of people just cancel coz its easier than keeping the appointment or the need is not as great.

So what’s the solution? Simple, make it difficult to cancel and penalise “no shows.”

How do you do that? Well, you explain your no show protocol at the time they are making the booking…. when their need is greatest.. and emphasise that a penalty applies if they fail to give you, say, 8 hours notice of inability to keep an appointment.

You do that simply and sweetly by saying, “Just to confirm your booking can I have your credit card details please. Oh, and by the way, if for some reason you can’t keep the booking and don’t gave us 8 hours notice a fee of x will apply.”

It’s amazing how well that works. When they know your protocol and the penalty is pain in the pocket cancellations aren’t a problem.