As you become more established and settled in your business, you will come to rely upon the income from a certain number of appointments in a week. Some weeks there will be a few more or a few less, but ideally it will average out. In order for this balance to occur, you must know how to handle cancellations.

Your Clients Have the Best Intentions

Your clients want to maintain an exercise program. That is why they sought you out and hired you. Unfortunately, people have limited amounts of time. Their schedules are filled with family, work, and social events. Sometimes clients make the commitment to exercise without fully realizing how much of a commitment it really is. If you want to keep your revenues stable, you must help them keep their commitment to you, and make them accountable for cancellations.

You will hear all types of explanations for why a client can not make an appointment: I'm stressed out at work; I have to drop my daughter off at dance; my schedule is full; and so on. While it is important to show empathy and understanding, you also have to consider the lost revenue due to the cancelled appointment.

If a client calls to cancel an appointment, be prepared to offer a solution. First, find out the reason they cannot make the scheduled appointment. Then, do everything you can to fit them in another time slot during the week. Inquire about what would work best for the client and try to be accommodating. You may have some clients with more flexible schedules who would be willing to switch their time slot so you can fit in your busier clients. Exhaust all options. You may even offer them a half-hour or forty-five-minute workout if they do not have time for a full hour, and then price the session accordingly. While you want to encourage your clients to keep their appointments with you, do not push them too hard. You do not want to add to their stress levels. Do your best to work with the situation, but if rescheduling is too difficult, let it go.

Time to Pay Up

If a client cancels at the last minute, you need to charge them for the appointment. This may be uncomfortable for you, but it is necessary. You are losing money, and without twenty-four-hours notice, it is difficult to fill an empty time slot. The amount you charge will depend on your predetermined policy. Some trainers charge the entire amount and others only charge a percentage. Asking clients to pay for time they missed is not easy, but you must make a living and your time is valuable. To minimize conflict, be sure that your policy has been clearly stated ahead of time and is understood.

There are, of course, exceptions to this rule. Sometimes people have emergencies or become ill overnight. They may have to tend to a sick child or their car may have broken down. These things happen, and it is up to your discretion whether you choose to charge for the missed appointment. Sometimes it is better for client-trainer relations to let a last-minute cancellation go once in a while. But if it becomes a habit, it needs to be addressed.