Just to chime in: I think the answer is "all of the above". In cases like this there are always individual circumstances that should affect your general policy. Generally, I do not call the night before, because I do not want to set up that dependency when I might not be able to always call. The appointment is on unless one of us cancels. I can be counted on to show up or call, the client should bear the same responsibility. Usually I leave a bill at the door, thereby proving that I did show up. You can always waive the charge if they call with a very good reason, but you can't easily try to institute the charge when you find out they just didn't have any respect for your time. People who do this chronically will not help you build a good clientele. On the other hand, if things are slow, I have been known to let this policy slide. I also never leave a bill if I arrived late for the appointment and they are not home. To me, late is after the 30-minute window I ask them to give me. If I call and there is no answer, I come anyway. If they have an answering machine, I leave a message saying I'm on my way. If they show respect for my time, I show respect for theirs. If they have hard feelings, I try to smooth it over and part on congenial terms. Sometimes you gotta eat it; sometimes you don't. Last week a very good teacher forgot to leave her door open. She was mortified. I was understanding. I doubt it will happen again with her, and the subject of an additional charge never came up. I decided that she had already referred enough good people to me to deserve a break, and I am comfortable with that decision. They're all different. Colette Collier, RPT
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