Cancellations, rescheduling and no shows
The conversation we absolutely hate having is the one that makes us look like the most unfair salon in the universe.
That conversation is about cancellations, rescheduling and no shows.
As well as posting about it on our socials, linking to it in every email, explaining it when an appointment is booked over the phone and it being stated when appointments are booked online, we feel it is important to write a blog about it to explain our policy in more detail.
When we launched Queen B in 2016 we were one of the few salons in the UK to have a cancellation policy in place and it created a bit of a stir but our guests then understood why we had this in place and the benefits and they respected it.
A visit to Queen B is very different to your normal salon visit; we are by appointment only which of course means the time you have booked is blocked out for the allocated time of your treatment.
We understand everyone leads very busy lives which is why we operate our business this way.
You have a 2 hour appointment booked for 1pm, you are seen on time and are ready to leave and get on with your day from 3pm.
No fuss, no stress, no being late for your next meeting or your dinner date, it works around you and your diary.
So what do cancellations, rescheduling and no shows actually mean?
Cancellations
When you cancel an appointment because you are sick, something came up, you forgot or whatever reason means you cannot make your appointment so you need to cancel but do not know when you can rebook for.
Rescheduling
Pretty much the same as the above but you want to change the date or the service.
No shows
As it says on the tin, you just don’t show up for your appointment, no phone call, no email, not even a carrier pigeon.
Our policy
When you book an appointment at Queen B online, on the phone or in salon, we secure your appointment with your card details and take a deposit of 50% of the treatment(s) booked.
We explain that you can cancel, reschedule or modify your appointment without charge anytime 48 hours before the start time of your appointment.
Less than 48 hours notice is considered a “Late Cancellation” and will result in a charge up to 100% of the scheduled treatment(s).
Appointments that are booked within the 48-hour period are still subject to the cancellation policy.
You receive a confirmation email and then 72 hours before your appointment you are sent a reminder text message and email.
It is your responsibility to read the emails and confirm your attendance using the link provided.
We may also call you if you have not confirmed your appointment so it’s advisable to save our number (020 3441 7172)
We cannot be responsible if you missed the call, didn’t see the email, your phone fell in the river or “son took the phone to nursery” (True story apparently)
This is the stage where you should let us know if you need to cancel or amend your appointment.
Now imagine this, you need an urgent appointment but we are fully booked and then low and behold someone decides not to show up for their appointment, how frustrated would you be to know you could have had that space!
Now we know and totally understand things can come up last minute, you get called in to work, you may be ill or your baby sitter might have let you down, so providing we have enough notice we will do our best to fill the space to avoid you being charged and believe us when we see we try our best to fill the space.
This actually is a lot of work, creating images to post online, trying to move guests around to fill the space etc, all to ensure we can remain sustainable as a business and not charge you for not being able to make an appointment that you originally booked.
When a guest cancels last minute or decides not to show up, it becomes a massive challenge for us to remain sustainable. It’s actually a big financial loss.
Below explains the loss to a small independent business like Queen B of just 1 cancellation per day using a pedicure treatment as an example.
1 cancellation = £50
1 cancellation every day over a 6 day period (Week) = £300
1 cancellation every day over a 4 week period (Month) = £1200
1 cancellation every day over 52 weeks (Year) = £15,600
On top of that there’s always that chance of that very special person who feels that have the right to cancel last minute and should never be expected to pay for not showing up so what happens, we not only are out of pocket for that appointment but that guest also ends up having to find another salon because we are the bad guys who are trying to protect ourselves and remain sustainable.
But that’s only 1 cancellation per day – Imagine if we have 2 or 3 per day.
Hopefully that explains the effects of late cancellations, rescheduling and no shows and why we have to have a strict cancellation policy in place.
Amending your treatments and arriving late.
When you book an appointment at Queen B, you receive an email confirming the time and date and services booked so it is imperative you read these emails as amending your treatments when you arrive is not always possible.
Should you wish to cancel or reduce the services booked on the day they are regarded as a cancellation as we would have blocked out the required time slots so you will still be charged for what was booked.
Arriving late for your appointments may also mean we will not be able to complete all of the services booked and this will mean every guest after you will also begin their treatments late resulting in them having to wait for their appointment to begin.
Worse still, imagine arriving 10 minutes late on a day that is fully booked (which is most days) and straight after your visit your therapist will be going on their lunch break. That means in order to complete the whole service they would lose 10 minutes off their lunch break. I’m sure you wouldn’t want that to happen.
Sometimes being late cannot be helped but the sooner you let us know you are going to be late, we can do our best to inform the next guests to avoid disrupting their day and hopefully still be able to complete the full service or offer a shorter service however you will still be charged for the original service(s) booked.
So please ensure you arrive on time for your appointment (5 minutes earlier would be amazing so you can arrive relaxed and ready to enjoy the experience).
We are not the only businesses who have a cancellation policy in place.
It has become essential for many salons as well as dentists, doctors, personal trainers and tradesmen.
Of course there are salons that do not have a cancellation policy, those salons are not by appointment only so you can just walk in and wait your turn.
Please appreciate, we really hate having these uncomfortable conversations, we really do, but we have to have this policy in place or we will be become another high street statistic which we know none of us want! Just like the other +4500 salons that have closed their doors since the pandemic.
PS if you are one of those guests who had to find another salon because you felt we were unfair but now understand why, we still love you and would love for you to get in touch so we can make you smile again 🙂
But wait…I’ve got another reason I can’t make it
Im menstruating so I can’t have a wax
Great news, we can still wax you but you will need to wear a tampon or menstrual cup.
For basic bikini waxes and extended bikini waxes, a freshly-changed sanitary towel would also be OK.
Please note that the Queen B 48-hour cancellation and appointment change policy applies at all times. We are unable to cancel or change appointments free-of-charge with less than 48 hours’ notice, even if you are on your period.
If you are not prepared or able to wear a tampon or menstrual cup and are booked in for a Brazilian or Hollywood wax, then your options are to either; replace your intimate wax with an alternative treatment of equivalent length and value; find someone else to take your appointment slot; or forfeit your appointment on the day, understanding that you be will charged in full unless we manage to fill your slot with another paying guest.
I have Covid
While we are a Covid Secure Salon and take hygiene and the safety of all of our guests very seriously, the government ended the laws about self-isolating back in early 2022 and therefore all cancellations due to Covid will be subject to our cancellation policy. If in doubt or if you are feeling unwell, we highly recommend for you to cancel your appointment in advance to avoid being charged.
Thank you for your understanding – As ever any feedback, comments or questions, please get in touch using our usual channels.
