Published on 13 January 2025
Running a studio or other creative space can be really rewarding, but, as with any small business, loss of income can be hard to swallow. Especially when that income was lost at last minute because a booking was cancelled without payment or a customer didn’t show up. That’s why it’s important to do what you can to mitigate the risk of unexpected income loss and put in place measures to protect your business.
Consequences to your business of no-shows and cancellations
Would it be fair to say that the temperament of artistic souls, such as those who use your studio, is somewhat… unreliable? Perhaps not. But there is a strong probability that your business has experienced the impact and repercussions of unreliable actions, like people just not turning up to pre-booked slots, cancelling last minute or showing up late.
Such actions, however innocent in their intent, have an impact on your business, from how much you make to how you maximise your booking schedule. What to your customer is just a memory blip or poor organisation, to a small enterprise it can make it or break it.
Do it online – booking apps give you traction
An online booking system offers you not only the ease and speed of taking bookings and payments automatically. Some also offer these important peripheral benefits:
- Booking confirmation emails – the first attempt by a studio to get the client to remember the details of their reservation.
- Reminder emails – the second attempt to get a customer through the doors at the right time on the right day.
- Reminder of studio cancellation policy – this can go on the bottom of all booking emails to make sure customers are aware of the consequences of cancelling at short notice.
Confirmation and reminder emails are automatically sent to customers when booking through Jammed. This improves the chances of your customers keeping their reservation and leaves you with the time and energy to pour into other aspects of your business.
Have a clear cancellation policy
A cancellation policy can provide the protection you need to deal with no-shows and last-minute cancellations without losing big chunks of income. For those paying upfront online, you could offer a 50% refund if they cancel without sufficient notice. While a 50% refund is considered industry standard, you could choose to treat each cancellation on its won merits and decide on a case-by-case basis whether to uphold this policy should they be, for example, students, on a low income or regulars you know well.
Making your cancellation policy (along with studio information such as address, parking, equipment etc) readily available on your website or booking app will prepare your customers for any eventuality. Adding this detail into email conversations to customers will provide the gentle reminder they need of what to expect. Make sure the cancellation window is clearly stated, and the terms and conditions written in plain English, so that there is no room for misinterpretation.
Automatic booking and reminder emails sent out by the Jammed booking system can contain cancellation policies as part of the template text. These automated responses can be tailored to suit your needs and reflect your brand personality, helping to protect your business from last-minute cancellations, while taking away the stress of remembering to include Ts&Cs in your correspondence.
Have a DIY cancellation option
Some customers might appreciate the opportunity to cancel their booking themselves via an online booking platform. If it encourages more people to honour bookings or cancel in good time, having this option available will avoid the worst alternative outcomes – no-shows, no payments, no return booking.
Deposits and credit notes
Taking a deposit at the point of booking is a proven way to increase the sticking power of a reservation. Users who have paid some money upfront, which will not be returned to them if the booking is missed, are much more likely to keep that booking or cancel within the given time period.
Credit notes or vouchers might be an option to studio owners who wish to smooth any rough ground created by a cancellation or no-show, as they can be offered to encourage customers to rebook.
Regular bookings – get customers in the swing
Another way of avoiding no-shows is to offer bulk discounts on repeat bookings. If a band knows that they’ll get money off if they book a slot every other Tuesday night, for example, not only will you have a predictable regular income for those times, but you’ve also got higher odds of the band not forgetting to show up!