OK, I Was Late. What Do You Do About No Shows?

Stone Mountain

LAst week, on the Friday, we had someone call in for an estimate. She INSISTED on making an appointment then and there, but it was in an area where I have my new salesman, so I don't go there any more.
(about a 45 minute drive). So I took the apointment, for THE NEXT DAY!!!
Anyway, I went, she's not there. no answer on the home phone, or the cell phone. I was actually ON TIME (unusual for me). I left a message, and my card in the door.
No call, no apology, nothing.
I should send a bill for my time and gas!

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AtlanticWBConst

What can you do?

Pretty much...just come on the forum and complain...that's about it.

That stinks...

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mdshunk

No shows are frustrating. I did sales work while I was in college. It's nothing personal against you. It slips people's mind, and they're mostly embarrassed they messed up like that. What I always did was left a business card in the door, and wrote "Sorry I missed you", on the back (subconsciously, making them think it was me that screwed up, since I'm the one apologizing). Follow up with a phone call (later that day, or the next), where you state how sorry you are again for having missed them, and say something like, "I have Tuesday at 5:30 and Thursday at 6:00. Which one is best for you?". It's maybe 75% effective at getting the appointment re-booked. Very darned rarely will that same person stand you up the second time if they do rebook. The one time that I can remember it happening to me, I rearranged some of their garden gnomes to entertain myself and left. I don't recommend that.

GregS

Happened to me every so often.

Now when I book a few appointments in a day, I finish the first one and then call the next one to make sure they are going to be there.

Call before you leave the house/office in the morning.

Brian

If they aren't there at the appointment time, I call all available numbers and leave a message. I give them 15 minutes. If they don't respect my time, they probably won't respect my crew's time.

I leave them a card. If they call, we'll see what the excuse is and then decide how/ if to proceed.

While it is a waste of time, at least I don't have to take measurements and work up an estimate for a jerk. In that respect, it saves me time. The customer may think he's the only one doing an interview-- I'm also deciding if I want this person as a customer.

Brian Phillips

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mdshunk

Don't automatically assume that a person who missed an appointment is a jerk or did it for spite. Maybe they got held up at work, and only had your numbers written down at home? Maybe they just plain forgot? I know for a fact that the group of people that don't call themselves to reschedule includes folks that are too embarrassed to do so, and some that are afraid you're mad at them.

Gordo

Fahgetaboutit!

I've been doing this for 12 years now. Been stood up twice. Left my card on the door and never heard from them.....ever again. No courtesy call....nothing. Blow it off. It wasn't meant to be.

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Looks like some pros were here.

ATH

Sometimes things just work out ...

We are rarely more than 5 minutes late for an appointment (a GPS helps to find an address on the first try as well as telling you roughly how long it'll take to get there) and had NEVER missed an appointment.

One day about a year ago, late in the evening, both my wife and I realized that we had just completely blown off a customer visit to look at some new work. Both of us had a brain fart and it didn't occur to us until it was already too late.

The next day we called and begged the customer for forgiveness and to reschedule. She layed on as much guilt as she could (she is a realtor and claimed that SHE would never do such a thing). We hung our heads in shame and apologized over and over.

On the day of the new appointment, we made sure to be there several minutes early, intent on apologizing quite a few more times. No one was home. We waited for ten or fifteen minutes after the appointment time and then called her cell phone.

This time SHE had completely forgotten the appointment. She got there as quickly as she could and we got the work.

It was impossible for her to make the step onto her pedestal after admonishing us that SHE had never done such a thing and couldn't understand how it could happen to anyone else.

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Wayne
Around the House
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Tscarborough

For a 40 minute drive, you should get a confirmation 45 minutes before the appointment.

hrscammisa

I had a sunday app called to make sure they were home and he says we were just leaving would be back in 1 hour and he would call me.Never called never herd a word. the other day my friend says did you go and see john I told her the story and she says yea he is real busy. Well so I'm I and thats my family time never called him again.

Stone Mountain

Occaisionally they'll call and apologize. Family emergency or some such.
No problem, I'll go back.
I won't call them. If they don't call me, then the missed apointment is probably on purpose.
I once had someone leave a message to cancel an apointment as I was knocking on the door. It was a 50 minute drive. The reason was htet they had decided to buy from someone else and no longer needed my estimate. I was younger then, so I was rude to her and left plenty of rubber on her driveway.
I have lots more stories like that. Even when you confirm sometimes they forget.
Just frustrating!

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Magnettica

At worst, if u go back and get the job figure it into the cost of doing the job. This has happened to all of us at one point or another. I guess you could send her a bill and charge her for her mishap but I doubt she'll pay it. But hey, it can't hurt to try.

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Teetorbilt

I have all appointments confirmed the day before, kind of a friendly 'reminder'.

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Hobroom

You could always put a lien on their property kidding