Unreasonable cancellation charge?

[Boozy]

My best friend Mia made an appointment yesterday morning for a massage. She had pinched a nerve in her shoulder and her arm had gone numb. She called the sports clinic at 9 am, and made an appointment for 11 am the same day.

Within 15 minutes, her boss (who had been AWOL until that point) showed up in her office and dumped some emergency last-minute project on Mia's desk. Mia quickly realized that, numb arm notwithstanding, she would have to work through her lunch, and was thus unable to make the massage.

She called the sports clinic at about 9:20 to cancel her appointment. She was informed that there was a cancellation charge of $75 (almost the full price of the massage) because they "require 24 hours notice for any cancellation." She made the point that she had only made the appointment 20 minutes earlier. No deal. Her credit card would be billed.

She managed to pass some work off to a co-worker so she could go for the massage, seeing as she was paying for it anyway.

In the clinic's defense: As a regular, Mia was entirely aware of their 24-hour cancellation policy. But I still say they were being unreasonable. The point of giving notice of cancellation is so the clinic can fill the appointment slot. They can hardly claim that they had other patients lining up for that slot, given that it was still open 2 hours before.

Mia still plans to use the clinic for massage. If I were her, I wouldn't be going back.

[smileyeagle1021]

coming from the other side of the table I'd say it's quite reasonable... in the hotel industry if it is past the cancellation deadline you can have not hung up the phone yet, once you say "I agree to the terms of the cancellation policy, please finish the reservation", it does not matter if 30 seconds later you say "no cancel it" if the confirmation number has already been generated it's too late. So it is pretty standard.

[One-Fang]

It's one of those annoying situations. Yes, that's standard, and reasonable, and all above-board. But yes, I would expect that sort of situation to be an exception.

Chances are, there's a computerised system that doesn't allow exception over-rides, anyway. Not 24 hours before the appointment? You're gonna get charged.

I probably wouldn't be avoiding the place in future, either. There's really no need to boycott a place for sticking to their policies.

[Auto]

If she's a regular customer, they ought to make an exception to the rules. She should ask to speak to someone higher up so she can make clear that if the charge is not waived, she'll be going elsewhere.

I understand the point of the policy but the circumstances here were unusual.

[Broomjockey]

If she's a regular customer, they ought to make an exception to the rules.

Demon phrase. *hiss* No. If an exception is to be made, it should be done based on merit of the situation. Not because person A has been going longer than person B.

In this case I'd say maybe an exception should have been made, if possible. but as suggested, the receptionist might not have the power. I'd suggest Mia ask in case a situation like this occurs again. The doctor might be able to put a note on her account or something.

[smileyeagle1021]

Demon phrase. *hiss* No. If an exception is to be made, it should be done based on merit of the situation. Not because person A has been going longer than person B.

In this case I'd say maybe an exception should have been made, if possible. but as suggested, the receptionist might not have the power. I'd suggest Mia ask in case a situation like this occurs again. The doctor might be able to put a note on her account or something.

i'll second the *hiss*

when I'm at the hotel I'll consider a cancellation without penalty if it's for something like a canceled flight, or severe illness, or death in the family, or similar for any person doubtless of how frequently they stay... just saying you're a frequent guest make an exception you will be told that if you are a frequent guest you know the rules.

[Evil Queen]

I third the *hiss* and agree with Smiley, at least in the way of hotels. Yes, I understand you're a regular, so in the 20 minutes between making your reservation and now, I have done everything I could do to make sure you get your favourite room cleaned, the A/C turned on and the annoying guests running up and down the halls on the above floor to stop so that your stay is peaceful.

My cancellation policy takes effect at 6pm. Make your reservation 10 til and cancel it 5 after, I'm still gonna have to charge you. Cancel anytime before 6pm Local time, and you're free from all charges.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

If she's a regular customer, they ought to make an exception to the rules. She should ask to speak to someone higher up so she can make clear that if the charge is not waived, she'll be going elsewhere.

I understand the point of the policy but the circumstances here were unusual.

*sniff sniff* I smell an SC in the making.

I mean, come on now. These forums are full of stories about people demanding discounts or exceptions to policies because "I'm such a good customer!"

Granted, many of them turn out not to be, but if an exception to the policy is going to be made, it should be because of the circumstances surrounding it. Not just because the customer is a frequent patron, as others have mentioned.

I will also guess the receptionist couldn't waive the cancellation fee herself.

[Peppergirl]

Oh - hotel God and Goddess, that reminds me, speaking of waiving 'no shows' because of a cancelled flight:

What's your take on a hotel asking me for the flight number and airline so that they could call and verify that I was telling the truth about my client's flight getting cancelled, THEN telling me NO, they wont allow the cancellation?

[smileyeagle1021]

ok Peppergirl... you just used 2 different terms, so I'll answer your question as best as I can... if you call in after deadline to cancel I'll waive a cancel charge if it's for a canceled flight (can't speak for all hotels)... but if you don't call at all on that night, don't call until the next day then sorry, it's charged, too late, shoulda called last night.

[Peppergirl]

Let me explain. My brain was ahead of my typing.

It was a 24 hr cxl policy on a 7 night stay, and the day he was due to arrive, his flight got cancelled and he could not arrive until the next day. He was still gonna stay 6 nights, I was just unable to modify it through my GDS because it was within the 24 hr cxl polcy. I called around 6pm hotel time.

The desk clerk asked me why he couldn't come till the next day and I explained that there were tornados in Chicago, and that his flight was cancelled and that the airline had rescheduled him for the following afternoon, which was the earliest he could get out.

He then surprised me by asking for the airline and flight number. I was shocked, but not offended. Usually the hotel clerks either waive the 24 hr rule or say no, but I've never been asked for the flight number. No worries though, I gave it to him and he placed me on hold, presumably to call United.

He came back about 10 minutes later and said he verified it, but that he was not waiving the 24 hr policy and he would still get charged for that night, event though it wasn't an outright cancellation, he was still coming for 6 nights.

I asked for a manager, I wasn't sucky about it, who seemed confused that the desk clerk did this and gave me her name and advised me that he would not be charged for that night. She also apologized.

maybe the guy was new?

[smileyeagle1021]

yeah, peppergirl, that is strange... even in CRS i'm sometimes authorized to make a change like that, and I'd definitely have no problem doing that when I'm at the hotel (other than I'm never there that early)... the however on that though is if the guest wants to be able to check in before check in time I'm still going to have them pay for the night because the only way to hold a room for early arrival is to not rent it out.

[Auto]

Sorry, but it's a massage place.

The hardest thing about being successful in that kind of business is landing customers. You advertise, you hope for world of mouth, you try to get referrals from doctors.

And you don't abuse regular customers.

Not when the circumstances of the dispute are as murky as they are in this case.

How can someone give 24 hour notice of a cancellation in these circumstances?

She's exactly the sort of customer every massage place wants. She's decent, she'll take last minute openings and the SECOND she learns she can't make it, she calls to cancel.

She's anything but a SC and if I were the manager of the business, I'd be doing everything in my power to keep her happy and coming back.

If anybody deserves to have discretion used in her favor it's this woman.

No way do you ram the rules down her throat. How easy is it to replace her business?

Enforcing the rules on her is penny wise and pound foolish.

If I were her, and they made me pay, I'd take my business elsewhere.

[digilight]

I agree that discretion should have been used in this case. With a downward trend in business right now most places are hurting to keep numbers up. Unless this establishment has a unusually high client base and generally has appointments fill up, I can understand their policy.

Now I would agree that possibly a offer to reschedule at that time to waive the $75 fee would have been a mutually beneficial offer for both sides.

Now from the other end of the table. We have a family friend who was a massage therapist (did my MIL once a month when she would come down here, and my wife and SIL on occasion). SHe had to go out of business because of all the appointments who just didn't show up. So From what she went thru, I can understand this type of policy.

Both sides have a good point, but there is always a middle ground depending on the situation.

[smileyeagle1021]

Sorry, but it's a massage place.

*snip*

And you don't abuse regular customers.

Not when the circumstances of the dispute are as murky as they are in this case.

How can someone give 24 hour notice of a cancellation in these circumstances?
*snip*

If anybody deserves to have discretion used in her favor it's this woman.
*snip*

If I were her, and they made me pay, I'd take my business elsewhere.

first, every business will have the same problem

second, no you don't, and I agree with you that in this case they should have at least given her the option to reschedule, but that has to do with the fact that it was last minute, it was somewhat out of her control, and she called as soon as she knew that she couldn't make it... not because she was a regular

and final point, I've heard that both from people who have threatened to leave, and some truly have, most came back, and some from people who are complaining about some hotel with the EXACT same policy as us screwed them and will never go there again... so all you'll do is go from one place that you feel screwed you to another with the same policy and they will get someone to take your place who just got "screwed" at another place.