Missed appointments

[Leonard Childs]

Colette Collier wrote:
>
> 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


Collete,
These are very good practices, and I too try to follow the same format
that you are using, but like you said, every case is different.

Lenny Childs, RPT