Learning a good lesson

[nik_oops]

Let me just say that I have been busy! Part-time & self-employed but for me with the rest of my life (kids, husband's business, house) it's busy! Careful what you pray for, huh?

Anyway, I am learning the hard way that you, rather than your clients, have to be in charge of your schedule otherwise you'll end up with 1 client smack dab in the middle of the day every day of the week thus messing up your entire week. So this is my 2nd quarter resolution. I will no longer ask clients what time would be good for them to come in. From now on, it is "I have a 9:30 available on Tuesday or Thursday". The next time available after the 9:30 is filled is 11:00, and so on. If I have more clients than that, I fill out from there.

Do y'all see any problems with that? Could it or would it run clients off? Or am I just taking charge of my life?

 

[Pompal 09.]

Can you book people around "middle of the day" client? What if you had limited hours? Like 9 to noon two days a week and 3 to 7 one day a week? Or whatever hours worked well for you. If you set your hours and don't give up your family hours would that work? For the space I rent at currently I see clients three mornings a week and two afternoons/early evenings. It gives me time to have three afternoons for other activities/jobs and it's flexible enough that I can see my "after 9 to 5" clients, "early morning" clients, and those that prefer coming in on their lunch break.

With the hours I am given on my lease I break it into time slots, the same every week. I always see am clients at 9 and 10:30 (rarely an exception - 90 min session or something). My afternoons/evenings are slightly different, since I go to pilates at noon one day a week. But for the most part my clients have come to ask for the "10:30 on Tuesday" or "4:30 on Friday." It's made my schedule book (and life) much easier to manage.

Just my 2 cents there. Let us know how you make out.

 

[SnowWhite]

Generally my rule has been I have to be done by 2:00 because I have to pick the kids up from school. But the problem is that they'll choose 1:00 every single time. I might consider some evening hours but the problem is my husband has his own busines (on call 24/7) so it's hard to schedule appts after 2:00 without knowing for sure if the husband can watch the kids. Plus, my time with the family is important. My boys will only be little so long, pretty soon they won't have any use for me, I'm enjoying them while I can.

With the filling time slots thing, that's not to say that if they say (after presented with my available times) that the only day they have open is ____ after 12 then we can talk from there. I just need to be a little more in charge of my time.

 

[Ellen]

I agree with Dragonflies. Decide which mornings you will be available and which afternoon/evenings you'll be available so at least people have that much of a choice.

I used to say "what time do you want to come in" which was so stupid because I'd have the craziest schedule. Then I started to give them time slots to choose from, but I was available everyday....so I'd end up with a scattered schedule like you mentioned.

Wednesdays for me were historically slow, so I gave them up entirely. Same with Mondays, I'd get no shows or last minute cancellations, so I gave up Mondays (I'll take evenings appts tho from people I know). And that leaves 3 days...historically my busiest to fill my book up. I also work half a day on Saturday, but only for prebooked appts. I so very rarely do same day unless it's someone I know.

So I have 3.5 days to work and 3.5 days to spend with my family....right now that works for me. Even if it means that I have one morning appt and 3 afternoon/evening appts with a few hours gap in between. I can run errands, go home for a visit, or stay at the office and read.

Good luck with your schedule I am sure you'll find something that works for you.

edit: oops you must have posted when I was still writing.....

 

[NatxandxMilly]

But the problem is that they'll choose 1:00 every single time.

With the filling time slots thing, that's not to say that if they say (after presented with my available times) that the only day they have open is ____ after 12 then we can talk from there. I just need to be a little more in charge of my time.

There's nothing wrong with being in charge of your time. After all, you're the practitioner here! However, if your clients take the 1pm slot everytime why not offer them anything "between 9am and 12:30pm" any given day of the week. If that doesn't work for them perhaps you and hubby can sit down and declare one afternoon a week for you to see clients. If he gets a call and has to leave the sitter is arranged, or perhaps another parent could pick up the kids one afternoon a week and watch them at her house for an hour or two? You're not sacrificing all of your family time, but one afternoon or early evening a week sounds like a nice middle ground to me.

Hope you find something that works for you and your clients.

 

[gars]

It's probably already been said, but I am having a hard time concentrating on all the numbers in the posts for some reason.....

So:

"I have a 9:30 available on Tuesday or Thursday". The next time available after the 9:30 is filled is 11:00, and so on. If I have more clients than that, I fill out from there.

I personally don't like this idea, because you have more avaliable slots and are telling the person you can have 9:30 and then if they say "no", you are saying well, then you can have 11:00. I think it may make people feel you are being inconsiderate by not telling them what the availiability really is, if that makes sense.

Here's a thought.

We know you need to be out of there by 2:00pm and you don't like cutting it so close with the 1:00 pm massage. Assuming you mainly take 1 hour appointments and you like to start at 9:30 am, you could just make your books be availiable for the following:

* 9:30 am - Massage avaliable
* 11:00 am - Massage availiable
* 12:30 pm - Massage availiable

There could be some fudge time if you felt like you weren't going to have any other massages that day, but if you tried to start booking on this sschedule it would allow you for three slots per day, that the client could choose from and still get you home in time.

This is what we do with our books.

We have an appointment book with the times starred / highlighted that we take appointments (of course our times are different because we work more lunch and evenings). Depending on the client and how the day looks we will decide if we are willing to change a highlighted time when a client needs a better fit. Usually we don't make changes of the set times unless it is someone special (long term client, or someone we just know is not taking advaneforum.xxxe). On occasion you get people who take advaneforum.xxxe, but then you just adjust them back to what is "availiable" on the next appointment.

Our office started working a LOT smoother when we incorporated this method.

So, it could sound like this on the phone:

"AV8TRX Massage, how may I help you?"

"Oh, hi, I'd like to book a massage with you. I hear you are great!"

"Well, thats wonderful. *smiles* How did you hear about me?"

"Oh, my girlfirend ShamaLamaDingDing from the 50's Diner just raved about you!"

"Really! Well my office hours are T-W-Th from 9:30 until 12:30. Is there a particular day or time that is better for you?"

"Oh, Mondays are best, but since you are open on Tuesday... what do you have avaliable?"

"I have a 9:30, 11:00 and 12:30 availiable."

etc......


Hope it helps.

 

[bossy45]

I think the advice in this thread is great. I have nothing to add, but did want to say...

"Oh, my girlfirend ShamaLamaDingDing from the 50's Diner just raved about you!"

t044

 

[seeme1995]

I have a very part-time practice too, and my clients know I'm only available for short times. Because of this I do just offer a single time -- "I have an 11 o'clock on Saturday" or whatever the appt is I have open/want to offer. They don't seem to mind.

 

[diatonicform]

I know how you feel, I have a lot of regular clients that always get the same time, which is fine, but there is one that is so high maintenance and thinks I have nothing better to do than rush to meet her! If she has a 10am appointment, she'll call and say "there's no way we can do it earlier? Like 9:30am?" (This just happened last week, so I said "well, I can cancel my dogs vet appointment...") and I didn't even get a "thank you for working your schedule to fit this in" or anything like that. Now, I tell people when I'm available, but I will still work with them, but you have to set your limits.

 

[Darth Mike 420]

Learning a good lesson

I will no longer ask clients what time would be good for them to come in. From now on, it is "I have a 9:30 available on Tuesday or Thursday". The next time available after the 9:30 is filled is 11:00, and so on. If I have more clients than that, I fill out from there.

Do y'all see any problems with that? Could it or would it run clients off? Or am I just taking charge of my life?

Good for you AV8TRX!! t023 I started this kind of scheduling a few years back and truly it is the best thing I did to take control of my time.

I have found it best to qualify them first, "Do you prefer mornings or evenings?" Once I know which they prefer I offer them the time slots I have available according to their preference, "I have a 10AM on Tuesday or a 11:15AM on Thursday...which one would you like?" Then I'm quiet until they tell me which one will work for them.

I do get the occasional call from someone who wants me to adapt my schedule to them. I am very kind, but I refuse. "No I'm sorry but I'm not available on that day. I am available on blankety blank and blankety blank. Do you prefer mornings or eve...".

 

[pjamies]

Yep, I now schedule pretty much the same way as what's already been described. I don't ask what time they'd like to come in, ks that gives them the subconscious message that they're in control of your practice. It also makes me look like a newbie Instead, I first ask them if they are looking for a morning, afternoon, or evening appt. (I have different hours on different days, so this also partially dictates what day, which is why I don't ask what day they're looking for first...unless, of course my schedule is pretty wide open.) So it's something like:

Me: "Do you prefer mornings, afternoons, or evenings?"
Client: "I'm generally free in the evenings."
Me: "OK, I have a 6.30 on Monday, a 5 o'clock on Tuesday..." etc.
Client: "Five o'clock on Tuesday sounds good."

Etc.

This way, 1) a therapist can sound busy even if s/he's really not, 2) YOU remain in control of your practice, and 3) you're able to (in a friendly way) sort of "take charge" of the call, which is what clients are looking for. They want to know they're in good, capable, confident hands. They want to know they're dealing with a professional. Leaving your schedule open for them to decide feels sort of wishy-washy

Just my ramblings
Hugs,
~jyoti

 

[Maryshaye]

My regular clients - those who have literally been with me for years, have standing appointments for their regular time slot - 1Pm 2:30PM, etc on their regular day of the week every week, every two weeks, once a month, whatever. Those go into the calendar at the first of the year and only come off on a day one of them has to cancel for whatever reason. All other appointments go in around them during the hours I schedule appts - 9:30A till 7P Mon-Fri.... It works well for me that way. Keeps the regulars very happy, and the new clients develop their own standing appointment times too when they have been with me for a while... everyone wins and I go home happy.....

 

[Bad Karma]

I did not have time to read the other posts, but I tell my clients what appointments I have available for the week and they can choose from those openings. I have made the mistake of asking the client when they would like to rebook, but then they come up with some weird times and always choose my days off. So, it's easier for me to just say, these are my openings, what would work best for you? Works Great!!!!