An empty appointment can mean lost service time and income. Start with a clear policy, useful reminders and a simple way for customers to tell you their plans have changed.
No single tool can make every customer attend. A consistent process helps you spot patterns, set expectations and respond when someone cannot make it. Use the steps below with your own booking records, then review what changes.
Choose a consistent period, such as the last four weeks. Count appointments due to take place and how many customers did not attend. Track late cancellations separately so you can see whether each problem is changing. For example, 5 no-shows out of 100 appointments due is a 5% no-show rate. Use the same definitions when comparing periods.
Tell customers how much notice you need, how to cancel or reschedule and when a fee may apply. Make the wording easy to find during booking and in the confirmation. In Velixa, every appointment booking is secured with a card saved via Stripe, without taking payment at booking. Ordinary appointment payment is settled on the day using the saved card or cash. Any cancellation or no-show charge is handled under the applicable policy.
Include the appointment date, time, service, business details and the route for making a permitted change. Check customer contact details. Velixa sends automatic email reminders for supported appointments; optional SMS requires the reminder to be enabled and sufficient prepaid credits. A reminder is a prompt, not proof that a message was delivered or that a customer will attend.
Show customers how to change an appointment within your policy. If online changes are no longer available, make your contact details easy to find. Review a cancellation promptly so the time can become available again, and use a waitlist when appropriate. Do not assume every cancelled slot will be rebooked.
Compare no-shows and late cancellations over similar periods. Look for patterns by service, appointment time and booking lead time where your records support that analysis. Keep missed appointment value, replacement bookings and fees actually collected separate. A £50 missed appointment does not automatically mean £50 of lost profit.
Explain the notice period, appointment changes and potential fees before a customer confirms.
Check contact details and use the reminder channels you have enabled and funded.
Record no-shows, late cancellations and recovered payments separately so you can judge what is changing.
Continue with the guide or product details that match your next question.
Clear answers about this practical topic.
Divide the number of appointments where the customer did not attend by the number due in the same period, then multiply by 100. Define your reporting period consistently and track late cancellations separately.
No. Reminders can help customers remember or rearrange appointments, but delivery and attendance are not guaranteed. Review your own results rather than relying on a claimed universal reduction.
Every appointment booking is secured with a card saved via Stripe. No payment is taken when the booking is made. On the day of the appointment, charge the card on file or record payment in cash. Saving a card is not an appointment deposit. Cancellation and no-show fees are separate and depend on your policy.
Start with the appointment value, then account for any replacement booking, fee actually collected and costs you did not incur. The calculator estimates appointment revenue value; it does not calculate lost profit.
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