No Shows - was: reminders

[J Patrick Draine]

On May 6, 2005, at 12:23 PM, Matthew Todd wrote:

> Do any of you still insist on a service call fee even if no one is at 
> home for the appointment?

No, not me. If they're so apologetic that they *insist* on making 
payment, I may bill them for an hour of my time -- but I'll probably 
end up giving their piano some extra TLC when the make up appointment 
actually occurs.

Now, if, after a customer called me to make the initial appointment, I 
had sent an appointment reminder card imprinted with the admonition 
that they will pay for the appointment if they're a no show, and I 
called the night before to remind them of the appointment, I might be 
more aggressive about it all. That's just not my personal style, nor do 
I like soliciting work by phone (even from past customers).

This year I have had a couple occasions when *I* was a no show for 
customers, and service providers for my household. Sometimes life 
events trump one's appointment book; reasonable folks accept an apology 
and we all go forward from there.

Just my 2 cents,
Patrick Draine