Your business is your livelihood, and if clients are constantly canceling and missing appointments, you will lose money. Establishing written policies to address these issues will minimize lost revenue. The document should be worded in a clear and concise manner so there is no room for confusion or argument.

Writing Your Cancellation Policy

Your cancellation policy will make your clients accountable for missed workouts. The reason behind this policy is, that given enough notice, you may be able to fill the appointment time with another client. There is a fee charged to the client if he cancels after the allotted time. Some trainers charge a percentage of the session, while others require the full amount of the session. You are a professional and your time is valuable. If people miss appointments with their doctors, dentists, or therapists, they are charged a fee. You live by your appointments just as they do, and deserve a similar respect for your valuable time.

Your written policy should contain a standard time frame during which the client can cancel without penalty. The exact period of time is up to your discretion, but is typically between twelve and forty-eight hours. Some trainers will include a clause stating that if the client reschedules for another time in the same week, the fee will be waived. This will depend, of course, on the availability of the trainer. Once you have discussed this policy with your client and feel confident she understands it, request her signature to demonstrate her agreement, then give her a copy for her records.

Handling No-Shows

Your cancellation policy should also address no-shows. Every so often you will have a client fail to show up for an appointment and not call to cancel or explain. This can be a frustrating and disconcerting occurrence. Before you lose your temper, remember that there may have been an emergency, sickness, or schedule mix-up. There is also a chance your client is simply running late, so give him ten or fifteen minutes to get there. If your client still has not arrived, try calling to find out what happened. If he simply forgot, you must decide whether to charge him or reschedule the appointment. If you are unable to reach the client, leave a message explaining the missed appointment and ask him to call you at his earliest convenience. Remember, you do not know the reason for the no-show, so avoid addressing compensation in a voice mail.

You do not want to lose a client over one no-show, so be careful not to get too pushy about payment. For most people, this will be a total accident and it will not be repeated. They will realize their mistake and understand that you have only a limited amount of time to work. However, if this becomes a chronic occurrence with a client, you either need to charge them for missed appointments or tell them you can no longer work with them.