Advice from professional dog groomers please

Can you give me any suggestions on what to do about people not turning up for there appointments, sometimes it is new clients other times previous, now it doesn't happen often but it is soooo annoying, especially when they don't have the courtesy to let me know at all!
I was thinking of adding a charge, but then, how do I make them pay as they may not use me again?

any suggestions would be appreciated

I think it would be very difficult to add a charge. I'm not a professional dog groomer but what my groomer does, which I think is a really good idea, is that she texts me and leaves me a message on my mobile with the words 'Hi, just a gentle reminder about Skye's appointment with me tomorrow at such and such time, ring me back asap if you need to change your appointment date and time'.

My own hairdresser texts me with a similar message the day before and come to think of it my dentist rings with a message the day before my appointments too. I am pretty good at keeping an up to date diary which I live by but some of my friends are awful so this sort of texting/messaging is invaluable to them. It doesnt matter how much you think people are organised, the majority arent or are so busy they just forget......so a nice upbeat message as a reminder would be great and get over most of your problems I think?! Hope this helps.

hiya.
yes I do that already, thats why it annoys me so much that they don't have the courtesy to respond!

but thanks for the suggestion!

My customers all sign a terms and conditions BEFORE they have their first appointment. Within that it states that missed appointments without 24 hours notice WILL incur a fee of 75% of full groom price. Clients arriving more than 15 mins late for an appointment will be classed as a no show and the fee will apply. I explain that missed appointments mean loss of income. Yes I am strict with it and yes it does work VERY well as a deterrant. I very very rarely have no shows now.

Oh and the cancellation fee MUST be paid before another appointment can be made. If they do it 3 times then any future appointments have to be paid for IN FULL at time of booking, and are non refundable

And if they don't come back - don't see it as a lost customer. See it as space for another client who WILL value your skill and time and not be a complete A**ewipe!!

ahh good idea, yes I might do that! Thank you!
I had two in one week thats why it annoyed me because I could of booked someone else in as you say!
right Im going to add that in my T's&C's!!
I don't get it much but its bloody annoying when i do!

cheers!!

Three things I have found that work, and that any reasonable customer finds acceptable (if they don't, then I'd rather not have that customer):
1. courtesy text message reminder or phone call one or two days beforehand (this prevents no-shows because a lot of people just honestly forget)
2. all NEW customers pay a non-refundable £20 deposit (most no-shows are new customers)
3. repeat offenders are black-listed and must pay full grooming in advance. They lose their money if they miss the appointment.