I don’t know of a single state in the US that considers no-show fees illegal. Businesses have to make those policies conspicuous and ensure the client has been made aware of them, for instance, by making acceptance of your terms a requirement before booking an appointment. Clients may attempt to place a chargeback, but if you can show the credit card company that your policies are conspicuously placed and that the client’s confirmation email also contained the policy and a link to enable rescheduling, they’ll have a hard time arguing that they shouldn’t have to comply with that policy.

We’ve had some people question it, but existing clients have never outright rejected it or refused. I think this has to do with several factors:

1.) I think there’s a lot to be said about how your demeanor sets the tone for clients. I’ve always been cordial with clients, but I’m very firm in how I communicate my expectations of them and my employees. Because of this, I don’t deal with a lot of the same problems my colleagues are faced with. (Simply put: they’re too nice, and clients know there’s a possibility they can be manipulated. That isn’t the case for me.)
2.) I don’t allow clients to question my management decisions. They’re welcome to comment on whatever they like, but a client is not going to confront me about an exception I made for a client who broke her hip because they’re upset I didn’t excuse them from a cancellation fee due to a conflicting doctor’s appointment they “forgot” (or any other excuse), and expect me to bend to their will. My response is that I’m simply not in the business of losing money. Exceptions are rare and they’re made at my discretion. End of discussion.
3.) My clientele isn’t much like a typical salon clientele. Our clients are mostly seniors (aged 55+), so I think to a degree, we’re unlikely to ever be challenged because of our client demographics.
4.) Should a client try to challenge a cancellation fee or any other policy, I’ve established systems that make it impossible for them to form valid complaints. Like you said–you send reminders, confirmations, pop ups, intakes–what more do they need? You have done literally everything you can do to ensure they’re informed and aware. Should they violate the policy after all the work you’ve done to prevent that from happening, that’s on them.

It sounds cold, but it’s important for us to stick by our policies, even if that costs us a client. When we make exceptions, we set precedents. We give clients room to argue or to dismiss our policies. It can be hard to be firm, but it’s harder to let violations go unenforced and to become a doormat. New clients who take issue with our policies are politely shown the door, and I don’t feel bad about it at all. If they won’t respect our business from the beginning, we’d rather not have them. 🙂

Most of my salon’s clients are elderly, so it isn’t abnormal for them to have a late-cancellation due to illness or injury. In those rare instances, it’s totally okay to be flexible on that policy–just don’t announce it on your website or every cancellation will be an “emergency” cancellation.

Ok Tina thanx so much

Policies that require deposits for appointments won’t discourage walk-ins (actually, it will encourage them, since walk-ins won’t have to worry about providing a deposit in advance). When and how you implement it is up to you. Personally, I had no choice but to institute it when we were already booked up. For me, it’s worth it to ensure I’m attracting the best quality of client from the beginning, even if that means that my book builds slower than it normally would, but that route isn’t for everyone. Every business is different. Since your country doesn’t use credit much, you may be better off waiting until no-shows and late-cancellations become a problem before implementing the deposit. Many salons have deposit policies that don’t kick in until a client has stood them up, punishing that specific client for their irresponsibility and disrespect. For you, that’s probably the best route to take while you’re building. Down the line, you can always change your policies as you see fit. 🙂