No-shows kill margin: an empty bay-hour during peak window can never be recovered. Here's how to prevent them and how to handle the ones that still happen.
Prevention: deposits + reminders
The single most effective no-show prevention is a non-refundable deposit at booking time. Customers who paid $200 to hold a slot don't no-show. They reschedule.
Setup:
- 20-25% deposit at booking
- Refundable if cancellation is 48+ hours in advance
- Forfeit if cancellation is under 48 hours OR a no-show
There's no fixed percentage we can promise — the effect depends on your deposit size and customer base — but it's the single biggest lever available. Compare your own before/after no-show rate in Reports → Operations.
Reminder sequence
Even with deposits, send reminders:
- 7 days before: confirmation SMS
- 24 hours before: reminder SMS with bay address + arrival instructions
- 2 hours before: "We're ready for you" SMS
The 2-hour text catches the customers who forgot and reminds them to leave. Some will respond "I forgot, can we reschedule" — a slot you'd have otherwise lost cold.
When a customer no-shows
After 20 minutes past the appointment time:
- SMS first (not a phone call): "Hey [first name] — we're ready for you. Are you on the way?" Friendly, no judgment.
- Wait 15 more minutes. Some customers genuinely lost their phone.
- Mark the slot as no-show in the calendar. Forfeit the deposit per policy.
- Don't call them angrily. The deposit forfeit IS the consequence. The customer doesn't need to be lectured.
- Free up the bay for walk-ins or rescheduling.
The follow-up message
Within 24 hours of the no-show, send a measured follow-up: "Hi [first name] — we missed you yesterday at [appointment time]. Per our policy your deposit covers the slot, but I'd love to get you rebooked. Want to grab another date?"
A meaningful share of no-shows rebook after this message. Don't be sarcastic — they often had a real reason.
When to make exceptions
Refund the deposit and rebook free if:
- Customer or family medical emergency (don't ask for proof)
- Severe weather you didn't cancel for
- Documented system failure (your SMS reminder didn't actually send)
Don't refund for "I just forgot" or "something came up." That's what the policy is for.
When to politely fire a customer
If a customer no-shows 2+ times in a 6-month window, politely decline to book them again. "I appreciate your interest, but our schedule is tight and we can't hold spots that don't get used. I'd recommend [competitor] for your next service."
Repeat no-show customers cost more than they're worth in any pricing tier.
Configuration in SalesThumb
Only part of the policy above is something the software enforces — the rest is yours to write down and apply consistently.
What you can configure:
- The deposit — Settings → Online Booking, in the Deposit card. Turn on the requirement and set either a flat amount or a percentage.
- The reminders — Settings → Notifications. The booking confirmation, 24-hour, and 1-hour reminder templates all live in the templates list; see Configuring text reminders for the walkthrough.
What SalesThumb doesn't hold: there's no cancellation-policy field, no refundable-hours setting, and no auto-forfeit rule. Refunds and forfeits are a judgment call you make per customer. So write your policy down somewhere customers see it — your booking confirmation template is the natural spot, since every booking gets one — and keep the wording identical every time. A policy you apply inconsistently isn't a policy, and it's the inconsistency customers argue with.