A no-show costs you the hour, the product you mixed, and the client you turned away for that slot. Most salons know this and still do not ask for deposits, because the asking feels awkward and the first client who objects feels like a loss. This guide is about getting past that with a rule you can say in one breath.
Decide where the line is
You do not need a deposit on everything. A fifteen-minute fringe trim with a regular is not where the money leaks. Draw the line by time or by cost, whichever is easier to say out loud:
- Any appointment over ninety minutes.
- Any colour service.
- Any first appointment with a new client.
- Any group of three or more.
Pick one or two of those, not all four. A rule with four clauses gets explained differently by every person who answers the phone, and the client who was told one thing on Monday and another on Thursday has a fair complaint.
How much
Enough that it hurts a little to lose, not so much that it feels like paying up front. For most hair and beauty services that is somewhere between a quarter and a half of the service price, with a flat figure for colour because colour prices move. A flat $50 is easy to say, easy to refund and easy to remember. Percentages sound fair and are a nuisance to calculate while someone is waiting.
Say it the same way every time
Write the rule down as one sentence and use that sentence everywhere: on the booking page note, in your confirmation text, at the desk and in the notes your receptionist line reads from. Something like: a $50 deposit holds colour appointments and comes off the bill on the day; it is kept if you cancel with less than 24 hours notice. One sentence, no apology in it.
If you use Glow Line, that sentence belongs in the notes box on the Receptionist page. The assistant will state it when a caller asks and will not take the payment itself, which is the right split: the policy is spoken by the machine, the money is handled by you, after you have confirmed the time.
Collect it when you confirm, not when they ask
The moment to take a deposit is the moment you confirm the appointment by text. You have just given them a time they wanted; asking for the deposit in the same message feels like part of the booking, not a separate demand. Put a payment link or your bank details in the confirmation and say the slot is held once it lands. If it does not land within a day, one follow-up text, then release the slot.
The first time someone does not show
They will have a reason, and some of the reasons will be real. Decide in advance what you do, so you are not deciding while annoyed:
- A regular with a history of turning up: waive it once, say so plainly, and note it.
- A new client: keep the deposit, say so kindly, and offer to rebook with a fresh deposit.
- A genuine emergency: use your judgement, and remember that you are allowed to be generous.
What matters is that the rule exists and that the client knew it before they booked. The text you sent to confirm is your record.
What not to do
Do not post a sign at the desk in capital letters. Do not charge a no-show fee you never told the client about; it will not stand up, and it will end up in a review. Do not make the deposit rule a surprise in a text after they have already shown up twice without one.
Cancellations are a different thing
A client who cancels with notice is being considerate and should be treated that way. Twenty-four hours is the usual line; forty-eight for long colour appointments is reasonable if you say so. A client who cancels inside the window but offers to pay for the slot has told you a lot about them. Thank them, and think about whether you want to take it.
Keep a quiet count
Once a month, count the no-shows. If the number is small and the deposit rule is in place, you are done. If it is climbing, the usual causes are a booking page that lets anyone request anything without a confirmation step, or confirmation texts that go out too early and are forgotten. A reminder text the day before fixes most of it, and you can send that from the same number you confirmed from.
The goal is not a rule that punishes. It is a rule that means the only people who book are the ones who intend to come.