How to introduce deposits without losing your regulars
Diana Page
👑 VIP
👑 VIP
PMU Artist · Peterborough · 2mo ago
Six months ago I had ten no-shows in a single week. Six months ago I was running my waxing salon in Nottingham with a WhatsApp number, a paper diary, and a growing sense of dread every Monday morning when I'd open my messages.
Today I run on SimplyBook.me. I take £15 deposits on every booking. I have automated reminders going out 48 hours and 2 hours before every appointment. My no-show rate is down to almost zero.
Here's what changed and how I did it.
Step one was accepting that my old system wasn't sentimental — it was just inefficient. The 'personal touch' of WhatsApp bookings is lovely in theory but in practice it means being available 24 hours a day and having no real protection when someone lets you down.
Step two was choosing SimplyBook.me after a week of free trial. The setup took me an afternoon. I imported my services, set my working hours, connected my payment account and turned on SMS reminders. That's genuinely it.
Step three was telling my clients. I sent a group message saying I'd moved to a professional booking system and included the link. I framed it as a service improvement — which it genuinely is — rather than a policy change. No one complained. Several people said they preferred it.
Step four was adding deposits. I did this a month after the switch, once clients were used to the new system. I kept the amount reasonable at £15 and the policy clear: non-refundable within 48 hours. Done.
Today I run on SimplyBook.me. I take £15 deposits on every booking. I have automated reminders going out 48 hours and 2 hours before every appointment. My no-show rate is down to almost zero.
Here's what changed and how I did it.
Step one was accepting that my old system wasn't sentimental — it was just inefficient. The 'personal touch' of WhatsApp bookings is lovely in theory but in practice it means being available 24 hours a day and having no real protection when someone lets you down.
Step two was choosing SimplyBook.me after a week of free trial. The setup took me an afternoon. I imported my services, set my working hours, connected my payment account and turned on SMS reminders. That's genuinely it.
Step three was telling my clients. I sent a group message saying I'd moved to a professional booking system and included the link. I framed it as a service improvement — which it genuinely is — rather than a policy change. No one complained. Several people said they preferred it.
Step four was adding deposits. I did this a month after the switch, once clients were used to the new system. I kept the amount reasonable at £15 and the policy clear: non-refundable within 48 hours. Done.
💬 4 Replies
👁 1.6K Views
💬 4 Replies
Join the conversation! You need to be logged in to reply.
The point about filtering your client base with deposits is something I wish someone had told me when I started. It sounds harsh but your business actually runs better with fewer, more committed clients than with a packed diary full of flaky ones.
#1
I've been in this industry for 6 years and the switch to online booking was the best operational decision I ever made, full stop. Not even close. The time saving is enormous and the professionalism it adds to your brand is something clients notice and comment on.
#2
This is really relatable. I went through almost the exact same process 6 months ago. The biggest thing for me was realising that the clients who pushed back hardest on deposits were the ones who'd let me down before. Once I saw it that way the decision became very easy.
#3
I use Shedul alongside Xero and the integration is really smooth. Invoices sync automatically, payments are recorded, and my accountant has stopped asking me for spreadsheets every quarter. If you're trying to run a proper business rather than a hobby this kind of integration matters.
#4