Missed appointments

[Ted Simmons]

Colette,  You've re-capped it nicely.  Thanks.
   Ted Simmons

>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