Dealing with Appointment Cancellations

As we get on with our day, things don't always turn out as planned.  Sometimes, we have our entire day laid out perfectly, and one or more of the people we plan to meet with call to cancel.  Typically, my first response to this is thinking that this time slot or part of the day is shot, and of how I could have booked someone else in that window. Immediately after this thought runs through my mind, I began to look at how I can make the best use of this time.  Below, I am sharing some of those ideas with you:

1) Offer to meet via Skype, phone or web.

2) Keep a running "to-do" list of things that aren't urgent, that is separate from your daily to-do list.  When you have a cancellation, pull out that list and take on completing one or two of the items on it.

3)  Catch up on social media!  If you have a blog, create a post; check up and respond to mail on your Linked In account; or update or post to your Facebook page.

4) Make some sales calls.  I keep a list with me at all times of current clients, as well as referrals.  I have booked some appointments that have really paid off, by sitting in my car making calls for a 1/2 hour after someone cancelled their meeting with me.

5) If you are a consultant like me, a good way to minimize client cancellations is to incorporate a cancellation fee into your client agreement.  Mine is only a fraction of what my charge would have been for the visit, but it still causes people to think twice about cancelling.



6) Pick up your dry cleaning, shoes from the shoemaker, or those few items on your shopping list that you've been meaning to grab.

7) Visit the local cafe (Panera Bread or Starbucks are my favorites) and read and respond to email...for me, I always have plenty of emails to read and many that require responses.

8) Check your voicemail and respond to messages.


This list is a little short, but it has certainly helped me to maintain my productivity when someone cancelled on me at the last minute.  I hope you find it useful!!