How late is “too late” for an appointment?

[DallasBella]

If either the Client or the provider is running behind: at what point is it OK to cancel and move on?
For instance, I received a deposit for a meeting. Client told me he was running late. After he was already past the time he was supposed to be here: He decided to stop at the grocery store. That put his New ETA a 40 minutes after the start time.
At that point, I chose to move on with my schedule.
Am I the asshole for keeping the deposit?
(Full disclosure: I am notorious for running 15 minutes late, but I would never stop somewhere if I was already pressed on time. I think that’s the part that upset me more than the actual tardiness.)

[Anthonylewis50]

Yes

[DallasBella]

Originally Posted by Anthonylewis50

Yes

So let’s assume I waited the 40 minutes for him to show up and then he gets an extremely quick session while still having to pay the full rate because that’s all my schedule allows. There’s no winner here.

[Anthonylewis50]

I think you won.... free money.

You could have rescheduled. If you take a commoditized approach (e.g., guys are a wallet, every hour of your day must be billed, etc.) then yeah, keep the deposit. I have great relationships with ladies where I'd never show up late and they'd never fault me if I fucked up one time and did show up late. You probably lost a client forever, but I don't think you are concerned about the relationship, you're concerned about the lost hour.

So let's be real... you require deposits for just this kind of situation. You don't really care what I think or anyone else about this issue....so why ask?

You won't stop charging deposits. Guys who don't like deposits will never see you. We agree to disagree. You were compensated for a missed hour. Lots of guys ABSOLUTELY waste your time, but that's this particular business. Roofers get their time wasted too. Just own it. If you wanted to keep this customer, you would have let him slide. Short term loss for long term gain. If he's not worth your attention, you fire him. If you have it on your site how late a guy can be before you keep the deposit, then--it's still assholeish--but transparent. He bears the risk. If you don't, its very ashholeish. It makes you an asshole but there's lots of assholes in business. There's nothing wrong with being an asshole when no one else is paying your bills. But don't be an asshole and then ask for permission to be an asshole. Own it.

And maybe put on your site that guys who are late get their deposits taken...and guys who have bad sessions with you get their money back.

[Financeman22]

Was he a newbie to u or 1 of ur regulars?? If newbe take the he money if a regular just reschedule & keep the $ for the new appointment

[DallasBella]

We had never met, but I refunded half of the deposit lol

[Anthonylewis50]

Originally Posted by DallasBella

We had never met, but I refunded half of the deposit lol

This is new information. Why not share this in the initial post?

[corona]

My only question is, was there ever any discussion between either of you of rescheduling?

[Financeman22]

Just remember u can only plz half the people half the time!

[Wile E Coyote]

It does not matter what anyone thinks other than the client and provider whom it effects at the time. Communication is the key in every situation in the hobby, otherwise, there is lots of "ifs" and assumptions.

Both of you know the day and time of the appointment, as you agreed upon it when you made it, so when something comes up to not be able to keep that scheduled appointment (legit or not):

Scenario 1: The provider has something scheduled after the session is to be over, be it another appointment, she has a favorite show coming up on TV she wants to see, dinner or SO will be there in 30, ect., then the provider needs to text the client to let him know that and he can decide if he wants a quickie or reschedule.

Scenario 2: Provider does not have any plans until later on in the day if there are any, and still communicates with client, then gives him the same options. If he shows and in the provider's opinion, he is a nice guy, well groomed and great hygiene, she allows him to stay the entire hour even though it did not start at the scheduled time because she feels he may be a regular client and will see her for future visits because she is that good at first impressions too.

The client can turn into one who see her multiple times anyway in either scenario, but because there was no communication from the provider, there was from the client per the OP original post and she probably said nothing but "ok" since she has her deposit he previously paid, then there is no way that client calls her again.

Therefore, she made a little bit of free money, but unless the guy is stupid to schedule again with her since she kept his money, will not have the chance to make more money off this guy in the future due to her lack of communication.

[Greented]

Originally Posted by DallasBella

After he was already past the time he was supposed to be here: He decided to stop at the grocery store. That put his New ETA a 40 minutes after the start time.

Clearly the deposit money wasn't important to him, otherwise he wouldn't have been so cavalier about it. I think you should have kept all of the deposit.

[Wile E Coyote]

Originally Posted by Greented

Clearly the deposit money wasn't important to him, otherwise he wouldn't have been so cavalier about it. I think you should have kept all of the deposit.

Usually, if a guy pays a deposit, he can afford to lose it for nothing in return because it is more apt to happen that way. Having a provider who follows through on appointments afterwards is just a plus.

[LustyBustyGina38FF]

Keep it .. I have listed on my site in my emails on my text if you cancel or NS for any reason you lose your deposit, it's just that smiple
, guys who are that late have no Respect for our time and Schaedule

[ignatius]

You say you're notorious for running late. Do you give discounts when you make clients wait too long after appointment time?

[Wile E Coyote]

Originally Posted by ignatius

You say you're notorious for running late. Do you give discounts when you make clients wait too long after appointment time?

If I received a five dollar bill every time a provider (new or well established) was late for the arranged appointment time for 10 minutes or more with me, including the multiple ones that I have driven all the way across town to see and she NCNSed me, I would be able to see a provider, even one with engorged rates, at least twice year just on that money.

Providers who want a guy to pay a deposit to make sure the guy will show need to pay a hobbyist a deposit to make sure she shows, fair is fair, right? If not, the provider who charges a deposit has no respect for a hobbyist's time. Just trust that the guy will give your deposit back once you meet up, you know, like the provider wants a hobbyist to trust her that she will do the right thing.