TURNING PEOPLE AWAY. - tanTALK

hotgirl · 01-24-2003, 06:58 AM

How do you handle sending people away when you can't fit them in? So many of our clients are so used to just walking in but it's so busy now that I have to turn away half my walk-ins past 2 pm. I'm no busier than I should be at this time of year, but I jst hate having to say "Oh, I'm sorry, my next available booth isgoing to be in 45 minutes." Of course, then there's the ones who protest........ Gotta love that. Should I put up a sign recommending that people may want to phone ahead to avoid delay and disappointment?

BooBop · 01-24-2003, 07:13 AM

Sounds like it is time for you to expand!!! Do you take appointments or walk in only?

hotgirl · 01-24-2003, 07:42 AM

We take appointments!!! We're really in no position to expand; people are just used to walking right in. The wait is NEVER more than 45 minutes but a lot of people never make appointments. We don't mind normally but I am just getting tired of swarms walking right in at 3:30 in the afternoon surprised that there isn't a booth waiting for them. I feel so bad saying no, but I don't understand how people don't learn that that is the busiest time of the day and this is our busy season, so if it was wide open then, we would not be in business!!!

hotgirl · 01-24-2003, 07:43 AM

We take appointments!!! We're really in no position to expand; people are just used to walking right in. The wait is NEVER more than 45 minutes but a lot of people never make appointments. We don't mind normally but I am just getting tired of swarms walking right in at 3:30 in the afternoon surprised that there isn't a booth waiting for them. I feel so bad saying no, but I don't understand how people don't learn that that is the busiest time of the day and this is our busy season, so if it was wide open then, we would not be in business!!!

hotgirl · 01-24-2003, 07:43 AM

We take appointments!!! We're really in no position to expand; people are just used to walking right in. The wait is NEVER more than 45 minutes but a lot of people never make appointments. We don't mind normally but I am just getting tired of swarms walking right in at 3:30 in the afternoon surprised that there isn't a booth waiting for them. I feel so bad saying no, but I don't understand how people don't learn that that is the busiest time of the day and this is our busy season, so if it was wide open then, we would not be in business!!!

uniquelyyours · 01-24-2003, 07:58 AM

When I used to have only 4 beds I had the same problem. If you can not expand I would suggest placing a sign on the door that states during a certain time frame it is necc. to have an appt. When your tanners get finished tanning try to get everyone to make an appt. before their next visit. Maybe you can offer an incentive for people to tan during your slower times so you don't have rush you can't fill. Last year with ten beds we had the same problem. We are in the process of adding 5 more. I am excited about giving the workers some relief from the rush at lunch and after 5:00pm.

redhot · 01-24-2003, 10:52 AM

I have 5 beds and only take appointments on one HP bed. My other units are max 10-15 minutes, so the waits aren't that long. I think some salons that have 20-30 beds have the longer wait times. Plus, these people have to understand that during season, every salon should be busy. If they're not, then something's wrong. You'd think if a person always finds a long wait at 3:30, after having it happen over and over - then they'd come at a different time in the future!
I feel bad, too when I can't get someone in and they leave. Some people don't mind waiting though. Actually getting to sit down, relax, and read a magazine sounds great to them. Then I get these other people who are just SOOO busy that they won't wait 5 minutes!
I tried doing all appointments and it didn't work. People are always running late and it throws everything off. But I guess if you have 20-30 minute beds, you'd pretty much have to do appts.
I keep a very nice assortment of magazines, people love them. Sometimes it's hard to get them to put them down to get in to tan! I also have a large boutique area where people spend time browsing while they wait - it helps the time go by!
When it's really busy, my massage therapist brings her chair-massage chair up to the front and gives people quick 5-minute chair massages. She gets business/contacts out of it and the customer's feel pampered.

YU-CAN-TAN-TOO · 01-26-2003, 04:05 PM

Do you offer a free tan or something to compensate them so they won't be upset or possibly not even come back? I know the salons that only have a small amount of beds couldn't do this, but would it be a bad idea to upgrade them to any available bed that's not being used (providing there is not an appointment reserving it)?

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01-24-2003, 06:58 AM	#1 (permalink)
hotgirl Join Date: Jan 27 2002 Posts: 288 Rep Power: 23	How do you handle sending people away when you can't fit them in? So many of our clients are so used to just walking in but it's so busy now that I have to turn away half my walk-ins past 2 pm. I'm no busier than I should be at this time of year, but I jst hate having to say "Oh, I'm sorry, my next available booth isgoing to be in 45 minutes." Of course, then there's the ones who protest........ Gotta love that. Should I put up a sign recommending that people may want to phone ahead to avoid delay and disappointment?

01-24-2003, 07:13 AM	#2 (permalink)
BooBop I love Derf!! Join Date: Apr 5 2001 Age: 66 Posts: 7,766 Rep Power: 28	Sounds like it is time for you to expand!!! Do you take appointments or walk in only?

01-24-2003, 07:42 AM	#3 (permalink)
hotgirl Join Date: Jan 27 2002 Posts: 288 Rep Power: 23	We take appointments!!! We're really in no position to expand; people are just used to walking right in. The wait is NEVER more than 45 minutes but a lot of people never make appointments. We don't mind normally but I am just getting tired of swarms walking right in at 3:30 in the afternoon surprised that there isn't a booth waiting for them. I feel so bad saying no, but I don't understand how people don't learn that that is the busiest time of the day and this is our busy season, so if it was wide open then, we would not be in business!!!

01-24-2003, 07:43 AM	#4 (permalink)
hotgirl Join Date: Jan 27 2002 Posts: 288 Rep Power: 23	We take appointments!!! We're really in no position to expand; people are just used to walking right in. The wait is NEVER more than 45 minutes but a lot of people never make appointments. We don't mind normally but I am just getting tired of swarms walking right in at 3:30 in the afternoon surprised that there isn't a booth waiting for them. I feel so bad saying no, but I don't understand how people don't learn that that is the busiest time of the day and this is our busy season, so if it was wide open then, we would not be in business!!!

01-24-2003, 07:43 AM	#5 (permalink)
hotgirl Join Date: Jan 27 2002 Posts: 288 Rep Power: 23	We take appointments!!! We're really in no position to expand; people are just used to walking right in. The wait is NEVER more than 45 minutes but a lot of people never make appointments. We don't mind normally but I am just getting tired of swarms walking right in at 3:30 in the afternoon surprised that there isn't a booth waiting for them. I feel so bad saying no, but I don't understand how people don't learn that that is the busiest time of the day and this is our busy season, so if it was wide open then, we would not be in business!!!

01-24-2003, 07:58 AM	#6 (permalink)
uniquelyyours Join Date: Oct 29 2002 Location: N.C. Age: 51 Posts: 209 Rep Power: 22	When I used to have only 4 beds I had the same problem. If you can not expand I would suggest placing a sign on the door that states during a certain time frame it is necc. to have an appt. When your tanners get finished tanning try to get everyone to make an appt. before their next visit. Maybe you can offer an incentive for people to tan during your slower times so you don't have rush you can't fill. Last year with ten beds we had the same problem. We are in the process of adding 5 more. I am excited about giving the workers some relief from the rush at lunch and after 5:00pm.

01-24-2003, 10:52 AM	#7 (permalink)
redhot Waiting Confirmation Join Date: Jan 14 2003 Posts: 211 Rep Power: 0	I have 5 beds and only take appointments on one HP bed. My other units are max 10-15 minutes, so the waits aren't that long. I think some salons that have 20-30 beds have the longer wait times. Plus, these people have to understand that during season, every salon should be busy. If they're not, then something's wrong. You'd think if a person always finds a long wait at 3:30, after having it happen over and over - then they'd come at a different time in the future! I feel bad, too when I can't get someone in and they leave. Some people don't mind waiting though. Actually getting to sit down, relax, and read a magazine sounds great to them. Then I get these other people who are just SOOO busy that they won't wait 5 minutes! I tried doing all appointments and it didn't work. People are always running late and it throws everything off. But I guess if you have 20-30 minute beds, you'd pretty much have to do appts. I keep a very nice assortment of magazines, people love them. Sometimes it's hard to get them to put them down to get in to tan! I also have a large boutique area where people spend time browsing while they wait - it helps the time go by! When it's really busy, my massage therapist brings her chair-massage chair up to the front and gives people quick 5-minute chair massages. She gets business/contacts out of it and the customer's feel pampered.

01-26-2003, 04:05 PM	#8 (permalink)
YU-CAN-TAN-TOO Join Date: Jan 2 2003 Posts: 61 Rep Power: 0	Do you offer a free tan or something to compensate them so they won't be upset or possibly not even come back? I know the salons that only have a small amount of beds couldn't do this, but would it be a bad idea to upgrade them to any available bed that's not being used (providing there is not an appointment reserving it)?

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