Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/142672
keep client cancellations to a minimum By Irene Diamond If you are a therapist trying to grow your practice, you'll agree that one of the most frustrating things is thinking an appointment is secure, only to have the client cancel. When you don't have control over your work schedule, you have an unfortunate situation I refer to as "your clients running your business." Last-minute cancellations have a snowball effect if left to fester. This is an aspect of your practice that you need to take control of, rather than letting clients run the show. A client who cancels on you interferes with your plans for that day or week, and even one lost appointment a week can dramatically affect your income. Just as important, when a client doesn't show for a prescheduled appointment, it can play havoc with the clinical results for which you are aiming. If clients don't see the results they expect, they may not remember it is because you advised a frequency of twice a week, but they only saw you once a week due to their rescheduling. This, in turn, may affect their satisfaction with your work, and ultimately whether or not they continue to see you or refer others to you. The first step in creating an effective cancellation elimination program is to always refer to your policy as a "Rescheduling Policy" rather than a "Cancellation Policy." This plants the seed in your client's mind that it is assumed she is not cancelling altogether and will just rebook for another time or day. Once your cancellation elimination program is in place, you will begin to see fewer same-day cancellations, no-shows, and reschedules, and more revenue, schedule consistency, and sanity for you and your practice. 5 Steps to Eliminate Cancellations 1. Determine Need for Appointment Knowing why a client is coming to see you seems simple, right? But many therapists never really think about why their client is coming in. To help make an appointment stick, you both need to be clear on why the client is coming in for a session with you. Discuss this in person, over the phone, or by email. Zero in on the problem he is having, the condition or concern he is looking to remedy, or the situation he is hoping you can address. Once you've nailed down the exact reason for the visit, you will have a much easier time advising him on the frequency and number of visits you think would be best, and asking him to schedule the appointments. 2. Discuss the Session Advantages Explain the benefits you can provide clients. Be specific and paint a clear picture of the improvements you feel confident you can provide in the next session, or over a series of planned sessions. For example, you can help solidify the appointment by discussing how you will help a client lift her right arm higher so she can reach her cereal box on the top shelf. 3. Set and Confirm the Appointment's Time and Day If you will be seeing a client for a number of sessions, it is best to confirm at least two weeks of appointments. This allows you to have a better idea of what your schedule is in advance, rather than just booking single sessions as you go. 4. Gather Credit Card Info By asking for a credit card number to hold the reservation, you let clients know of the expected charges for the next session. 5. Confirm Your Rescheduling Policy Determine what your rescheduling window should be. Then discuss the fee you will charge if your client reschedules too close to an appointment. (This is the most critical part of avoiding no-shows and cancellations.) Once you have a client who books an appointment with you, you absolutely must