The main cost of booking.
WHY THEY HAPPEN
Forgetting No commitment Circumstances
WHAT REDUCES THEM
Reminders, the day before and a few hours before Deposits Easy rescheduling A stated cancellation policy
THE REMINDER
The single most effective measure.
Most no-shows are people who forgot.
FOR NIGERIAN CUSTOMERS
A WhatsApp or SMS reminder reaches people better than email.
Use whatever channel they actually read.
DEPOSITS
Substantially reduce no-shows and deter some bookings.
For high-value appointments, worth it.
EASY RESCHEDULING
Someone who can reschedule in one tap does, rather than not appearing.
Make cancellation easy too. A cancelled slot can be refilled; a no-show cannot.
THE CANCELLATION POLICY
State it clearly at booking.
Enforce it consistently or do not have one.
WHAT TO MEASURE
No-show rate, and whether reminders reduced it.
