No Show

[joshranwest]

Hello everyone! Need some advice on something.

Seems to me, lately, there have been a few no-call no-shows for appointments. I have not had this problem in the past.

My questions to all of my fellow studio owners. Do you make them pay a booking fee? And how long do you wait, until the appointment is cancelled (say they had a 3:30 and didnt show up, its now 3:45, 3:50, 4:00, how long do you wait). Just curious, because its not fun wasting your time pacing the studio waiting, or calling the client only to get a voicemail.

Its probably a normal thing, I am just fortunate enough, I guess, to have never dealt with it in the past 11 years.

Thanks!

[jfrancho]

Regardless of the gig, I get the money up front.

[LadyPhotographer]

well you could do like the doctors, tell people you will charge them anyway if they miss an appointment. When they book with you, get the name and address and tell them they will be billed for not showing up.

[joshranwest]

Thanks for your responses. Looks like I will charge them the full balance up front, to cover any losses that might happen. Hate to do that, but as the old saying goes a few bad apples can ruin the bunch, or whatever it is, lol! Thanks!

[TonyK]

Most practices I've seen, no personal experience though, is to charge a reasonable sitting fee. The fee, in some cases, is applied to the print order. Doing so offsets the pain of the fee.

Regardless, charge something UPFRONT to ensure commitment from the person making the appointment.

Take care,

[joshranwest]

Now that I think about it more, and have the advice of my fellow photogs, I will go ahead and charge up front, that way, like you said TonyK, they will commit to the portrait sitting.

[270weatherby]

That's what i've resorted to. I did a shoot for a friend I worked with. He was a spoken word artist and needed shots for flyers. He paid me half upfront because the finance unit messed up his pay, so we agreed on payments for the remaining balance. Well he ended up getting kicked out of the Air Force and I didn't see him again. So I consider it lesson learned. Now nothing happens until I have full payment.

[jfrancho]

That's what i've resorted to.

You make it sound like its a bad thing to get paid up front. I can't think of too many instances where you get products or services on a net x-days payment plan the first time.

[270weatherby]

I didn't mean it as a bad thing. Just that I now don't trust that i'll see payment after the product is delivered. Especially in the area i'm in now. So I require full payment before a shoot. I no longer do a payment plan after the fact.

[joshranwest]

I can see why you have now required all money up front. I guess I have been fortunate these past 11 years not to have dealt with this situation with people not calling or not showing up. But hey, times change, so will my business practices.

[JoRoFoto]

I've had similar occurances happen to me and the best thing I came up with was this:

For the people who've stood you up once already, tell them you'll only book another shoot with them if they put up whatever your 2 hr minimum is if you have one as a NON-refundable deposit, so if they do it again then atleast you get the minimum hourly rate and it wasn't a total loss..

[joedave]

When you say "paid full", or "paid up front", what services are you charging for? Sitting fee, Hourly rate, print packages, all?

As a customer, the only thing I will be willing to pay, before session is the sitting fee. All other monies will wait till the day of the shoot.

JD

[jfrancho]

When you say "paid full", or "paid up front", what services are you charging for? Sitting fee, Hourly rate, print packages, all?

All.

As a customer, the only thing I will be willing to pay, before session is the sitting fee.

Then you wouldn't be my customer.
However, many bookings and shoots occur on the same day.

[joshranwest]

Great points raised. Since I have now adopted this practice, thanks to the advice of fellow Camels, all money is required before the portrait shoot. I am not offering pre paid prints, just the sitting fee. For the fee, they get an hour with me, CD, online photo gallery where they can order prints at their leisure. I tried to keep it simple for the customer.

[Mark McCall]

Josh,
I'm a big believer in requiring clientele to reserve a booking only with a credit or debit card. (everyone has a CC or debit/check card these days).

This helps you two ways:
#1. Prevents no shows
#2. Puts you in a different light in the client's eyes. You're viewed as a more exclusive service if they must reserve you with a CC.

Originally Posted by joshranwest

I am not offering pre paid prints, just the sitting fee. For the fee, they get an hour with me, CD, online photo gallery where they can order prints at their leisure.

Hate to point this out, but your killing your sales with CD's and online galleries.
I've preached this for years. People don't eat when they aren't hungry.
By allowing them to eat at the buffet of a preview CD or online gallery, they're not hungry when it comes time to place the official order.

Every photographer should make a portrait appt. with a major portrait retailer, like Olan Mills.
Let them take you through the entire portrait process. Consider it advanced education.
No proofs, no online galleries, no CD's....order when you see them, take nothing home.
Proofs are available for purchase with a qualifying order.
They know what we all should know.

[joshranwest]

So true Mark, and I have now adopted the advice you have given to my business. Great points you have raised. I have actually worked at Olan Mills years ago, and I agree, everyone should go in there and do as you said, it is a great "education"! LOL. I am not sure why I never adopted the same practice until now. Live and learn (and get a few killed sales to go along with it).

I agree, most of my clients pay via credit card, and by requiring the cc up front WITH all money due, is the way to go with this one. Thanks everyone for the advice, man I am still learning as I go! LOL!

[joedave]

Originally Posted by jfrancho

All.
Then you wouldn't be my customer.
However, many bookings and shoots occur on the same day.

You are absolutely right! I wouldn't be your customer.