How to take deposits and stop no-shows

A client who has paid part of the price has skin in the game. They diary it, they turn up, and if they cannot make it they tell you early enough for you to refill the slot. Professionals who move from free bookings to deposits usually see no-shows fall sharply within the first month.

• Short, low cost services: a flat amount that covers your time, often the value of the first thirty minutes.
• Standard services: twenty to thirty percent of the price.
• Long or product heavy services such as braids, extensions or colour: thirty to fifty percent, because your product cost is real.
• First time clients: consider a higher deposit than for regulars you trust.

Full payment up front suits fixed price, short services where you rarely need to adjust the total. Deposits suit anything where length, colour or add-ons might change the final bill. A split payment gives you both: secure the booking now, take the balance on the day.

Keep it to four short lines and put it where clients see it before they pay, not buried in a confirmation email.

1. State the notice period: forty eight hours is standard.
2. State what happens inside that window: the deposit is kept.
3. State your lateness rule: after fifteen minutes the appointment may be shortened or rescheduled.
4. State one human exception so it does not read as hostile: emergencies are handled case by case.

Decide your rule once and apply it consistently. Inconsistent refunds are what turn a policy into an argument. If you do refund outside your policy, say clearly that it is a one off gesture so it does not become the expectation.