Unreasonable cancellation charge?

[Boozy]

I'll clarify here that Mia has no intention of going somewhere else. She likes her masseuse, regardless of how she feels about the policies of the clinic where she works.

If I were her, I wouldn't go back. But I wouldn't make threats; I'd just quietly find another place to go. I've been going for massage therapy for years, and I've never seen a place with such rigid adherence to policy. That's fine if that's the way they operate. They may lose a few customers, but they obviously feel that it saves them money in the long run.

If they've had a lot of problems with last-minute cancellations, then I can understand the policy. But in this situation I'd think that common sense and courtesy should have taken precedence. I've never had trouble finding a spa or clinic that works with me in situations like this.

[Samaliel]

I agree with all the people saying that being a regular doesn't have anything to do with the situation and doesn't entitle anyone to anything.

But given the circumstances - asking for 24 hours notice when the appointment has been made 2 hours before appointment time - they should have tried to work something. They can't reasonably ask for a 24 hours notice when you didn't even have a chance to give it in the first place. Heck, had she call the day before at noon, she wouldn't have been able to do it either.

If anything, they should change their policy in order to take last minute appointments into account.

[Crazeyal]

THIS is a perfect example of "no customer service"!!!

Now.. the rules are the rules, and the REASON that there is no customer service is probably self entitled morons who call five minutes before the appointment and scream until they get another appointment. FOR FREE... and then don't show up.

The sports clinic probably has a laundry list of people wh ohave abused them and aren't taking crap anymore. It sucks. IF I had been dealt with like this, I would not use them again either... but I understand the sentiment entirely.

[walking with scissors]

Was she told about the cancellation policy when she made the appointment?

[Boozy]

No. But like I said, she was a regular. I think they go over all their policies during the first visit only.

If I had been them, I might have said, "I realize that you're making this appointment only several hours in advance, but the 24-hour cancellation policy still applies. You need to make this appointment or you'll be charged."

[smileyeagle1021]

No. But like I said, she was a regular. I think they go over all their policies during the first visit only.

If I had been them, I might have said, "I realize that you're making this appointment only several hours in advance, but the 24-hour cancellation policy still applies. You need to make this appointment or you'll be charged."

oh boozy, i agree with you 110%... whenever I book someone a hotel reservation I let them know of the cancellation deadline every time... I don't care if it's the first visit or the hundredth... especially if it is already too late to cancel... I will make a point to at least twice mention that it is past the deadline to cancel and that once booked you will pay whether or not you show. And I won't even finish the reservation if I don't get an acknowledgment that you heard and understand the policy.

[Auto]

What matters here is that she's a regular customer.

Making money off repeat busness is far far easier than finding new customers to replace the ones who leave.

I have no problem with hitting no-shows with fees, with not allowing cancellations within 24 hours of an appointment. In fact, I'm pretty tough that these ass-hats need to be made to pay.

But here it's a regular customer who's not trying to be a jerk. She's trying to be decent.

By charging her, is the business protecting itself because it turned away customers who wanted that slot? No. She took a last-minute slot that would not have been filled, and when she couldn't make it, she called.

To me, the massage parlor earned itself revenue it doesn't deserve and it's doing it on the back of a steady customer.

As I said upthread, if anyone deserves not to have the rules rammed down her throat, it's this woman. The circumstances are just too unusual for the normal rules to apply.

How is the business better off losing her as a customer? Does the person giving the massage agree that she should be charged? (I'll bet the massage therapist isn't too happy that the front office is giving one of her regulars a hard time over this.)

These rules exist to charge people who take advantage. I don't see anything here to suggest that she's trying to take advantage.

If I were doing massages or similar appointment-based work, I'd kill for a book of business like this woman. She's considerate and decent when most customers probably aren't. And best of all, she's a regular who pays the bills.

No one who's serious about making money turns his back on these kinds of customers just to make a point intended to deter the ass-hats who abuse the system.

I'd cut her slack.

it's funny. I'm usually zero tolerance when it comes to taking abuse from customers. Here, I think mercy is called for.

[Rapscallion]

A regular customer - I'd be more likely to cut someone some slack if they're a regular and decent customer. I just did that on a customer of ours who spends the thick end of £100k per annum with us. They don't take the proverbial, and we forgive them a few minor transgressions if it's a genuine error on their part.

Someone who was fresh in from the street and demanding and so forth for bull reasons? I'd be less likely to have any real interest in keeping them happy.

Rapscallion

[greensinestro]

I can understand this policy being I have had this happen with hotels. When you book a certain rate on the web, the rate may say something like "no cancellations, credit card is charged full amount upon booking". A few years back, my wife became sick at the last minute, so we could not go on our trip. I called the hotel, and even though they explained their policy to me, they canceled the reservation due to unforeseen circumstances, plus the fact that I had used this hotel many times in the past.

As for your friend, I think it's a bit unreasonable the way they treated her after only twenty minutes, but it makes me wonder why she didn't speak up to her boss and tell him or her about her appointment. I guess that's how things work out.

[Sliceanddice]

ok iver read some comments and i have to say i agree with boozy and befor my beloved EQ or fun smiley jump let me explain.
you are thinking in a different manner which is ok and can be helpful.
But this is different.
When its a hotel and you have a lst minute cancleation, you've all said, you cant resale the room normally, refunding loses you money.
But in this situtation, she had just called and something came up making it unable fore to keep, and it was an open appoitment 2 hours before so they where already expecting nothing there, and if she does cancel they can still give that appoitment to give some else.
Now im not say she shouldnt have been charged for canceling, because hell it was short notice, and maybe right after she called, beofre she called back, they had to turn somoene away, but 75 dollars? on an what i can only guess was 100 dollar session? that you cancled 20 minutes after scheduling? really not that unreasonable.
yes it sucks but i think they should have discounted the charge because it was pbviosly beyond her control, not waved.
i dont believe thats reasonable. 25 yes 75? Hell if i could do id rather give my appointment to Kathy the she witch than pay that.

[protege]

How is the business better off losing her as a customer? Does the person giving the massage agree that she should be charged? (I'll bet the massage therapist isn't too happy that the front office is giving one of her regulars a hard time over this.)

That's how I see it too. I don't think anyone's trying to abuse the system, yet the regular, who is probably on a first-name basis, is getting the shaft. I don't know about you all, but if I was a regular (that is, I always go there, pay my bills on time, don't make a scene, etc.), I'd be pissed. I'm sure my reaction would be "well, fuck you...I'm not paying that" and I'd go somewhere else. They've lost my business, in other words.

[dekydrose]

Ok. I'm chiming in on this as my husband is a massage therapist and this is a problem that occurs regularly.

There is NOTHING more irritating in the world then having someone schedule a massage, and then call to cancel on the same day. My husband dealt with this just last night. He had a two hour massage scheduled-this was made about 40 minutes prior to the massage start time, the receptionist turned down several people asking to book my husband. The customer then called 10 minutes later and requested to cancel since she was asked to stay later at work (just so happens to be the same reason your friend needed to cancel). The receptionist told her she would still be charged for the cancellation since they HAD turned down other people and it could not be guaranteed that they would re-book my husband in that time slot.

Payment for the massage is something that is expected once it is scheduled, especially when it is on the same day. I think this is something you would be able to understand better if this was your profession. She ended up coming in as well, btw...and shortened her massage to an hour.

Bottom line is that there are extenuating circumstances such as a death in the family or "OMG my child just fell and broke their leg... I need to take him to the hospital" and then there are just the not-so-well-planned reasons to cancel such as being asked to stay later at work or changing one's mind.

BTW, to the poster, I LOVE your avatar...I own a pug myself and I'm a wee bit obsessed.