How to reduce no-shows (customers who don’t turn up): 8 steps

An empty chair means lost time and money that never comes in. You can’t avoid no-shows completely, but a few simple rules cut them a lot.

1. Confirm every appointment straight away

When customers instantly get an email with the time, the address and an Add to calendar button, the appointment goes into their phone and doesn’t get forgotten. On GJENO this happens automatically for every booking.

2. Let reminders do the work for you

Before the appointment, the customer automatically gets a reminder by email. You don’t need to message anyone yourself.

3. Make cancelling easy

It sounds strange, but it works: when cancelling is easy, customers cancel instead of simply not turning up. The time is freed and someone else can take it. On GJENO, customers cancel or ask for another time in two taps.

4. Set a clear cancellation rule

For example: “free cancellation up to 3 hours before the appointment”. You set it under Business profile → Booking rules, and customers see it before they book.

5. Offer exact times

When appointments don’t overlap and you run on time, customers arrive on time too. Under Hours you can choose “Only at the times I set”, e.g. 10:00, 11:30, 13:00. See how to plan your day.

6. Let people know when you’re running late

A job can run over for you too. With the Running late button in the dashboard, the rest of the day’s customers instantly get a notification and an email. They come a little later and nobody gets annoyed waiting.

7. Mark who didn’t come

Under Appointments, mark the appointment as No-show. Under Customers you can see each person’s history. Before giving a time to someone who has missed several appointments, confirm it with a call or a message.

8. Don’t allow bookings too far ahead

Appointments booked two months ahead are easier to forget. Under Booking rules, set how many days ahead customers can book.

How to fill a time that frees up

When someone cancels, the time shows as free on your profile straight away. Help it fill up:

• Post an Instagram story: “A time just opened up today at 15:30”, with your profile link.
• Message regular customers who like last-minute appointments.
• Keep the QR code in your window: passers-by see the free time and book it themselves.

What to write to a customer who didn’t come

No telling off, but be clear. Most people simply forgot. For example: “Hello! We were expecting you today at 11:30, but you didn’t make it. We hope everything is all right. Whenever you like, you can book another time from our link.” A message like this often brings the customer back instead of losing them.