Proper etiquette when you're late.

[Tomoreno]

In recent weeks I saw a number of reviews that had a few things in common: hobbyist was late, booker/indy was rude in response, meeting didn't happen. Then we see a review that is more of a rant and it's a no win for either side.

Before getting into this hobby I've read a number of articles educating newbies of proper ways to conduct themselves when they take a plunge into this world.
One of the points was the importance of being punctual for appointments.
It was always my understanding (and I fully agree with it) that if you're late for a session - you still pay in full.

Is it OK to use frustration of a booker/SP to pull out of a meeting without compensation?

IMO, if I'm late - it's on me and I'd feel responsibility to make it right.

What IS the proper etiquette?

 

[colton1]

Apologize and offer a $20 late charge fee for every 5 min late. Because you are not only late for your own appointment, you are also going to delay every appointment after yours.

 

[Mr Bret]

Call to let them know you'll be late.
Accept that your session may be cut short by the amount of time you were late, or maybe less if they're not fully booked.
Pay for the full time you booked even if you didn't get the full session.

Like the OP said, if I'm late, that's on me.

 

[Vera.Reis]

Apologize and offer a $20 late charge fee for every 5 min late. Because you are not only late for your own appointment, you are also going to delay every appointment after yours.

If you are running late, you know you are running late well before the time of the appointment, let us know right away. I am a full time student, you are eating away at my study time, and if you show up 20mins late without telling me, then your appointment started 20mins ago because I spent those 20mins waiting when I could have been doing something else more productive. I also have a life, I might have a personal appointment - massage, hair, nails, waxing, therapy, meeting with a teacher to discuss a paper, whatever, and I am not going to be late for my appointment because you were late for yours. Unless I'm on tour the issue is not another client, I don't see multiple clients a day in Montreal, the issue is you think I have nothing better to do and did not think it was necessary to tell me you will be late.

I had a massage yesterday for my tummy tuck swelling, if I had shown up 20mins late, it doesn't end 20 mins later than it was supposed to and I get my full hour and a half, no, I get 70 minutes. Same with any other professional and we deserve the same treatment and respect. When you are late without informing us, you are telling us you don't respect us.

 

[Jasmina]

Being late can really mess up a schedule, and as much as we try to sell you that you are the only one we are seeing, you aren't.

I recall one particular day when one client was really late, and hadnt kept in touch, and another showed up super early. I'd left a half hour between calls so I could shower and change the sheets and touch up makeup... they both showed up at exactly the same time. Literally, at the door. It was super awkward.

I was stressing out because they were both regulars and I did not want to piss either of them off (even if they were the cause of the mess, I prided myself on my professionality), luckily the one who had arrived early was super cool to wait, in fact, I think he kinda got off on sitting in his car thinking about me getting fucked, by the time he came to the room after the other guy left and I quickly cleaned up, the pent up horniness made it one of the hottest sessions ever. The other dude, even though he got to go first, was not impressed by the situation and I never saw him again after that. Oh well, that's just how it rolls I guess!

Lesson, show up on time, or at least call and see IF the provider can even accomodate a later session. And if they cant, don't be a dick about it.

(I was indy and only worked an agency for first year, never saw any situation where the provider was the one late)

 

[Vera.Reis]

Lesson, show up on time, or at least call and see IF the provider can even accomodate a later session. And if they cant, don't be a dick about it.

And if we can't accommodate a later session you should pay a cancelation fee, because we could have taken another call in the time that was reserved for you and now we lost money.

 

[Jasmina]

Yesss! So much this, most of us only take 3-5 calls a day, so even one lost session can have a negative impact on our revenue.

And if we can't accommodate a later session you should pay a cancelation fee, because we could have taken another call in the time that was reserved for you and now we lost money.

 

[Fun For All]

I've never been late or had these problems that have been mentioned.

I'm curious of this...if the late client pays a $20 late fee or gets there time cut, should an SP that keeps them waiting in their car for for 30 minutes or so cut their fee back some or give them extra time?

 

[Fun For All]

Apologize and offer a $20 late charge fee for every 5 min late. Because you are not only late for your own appointment, you are also going to delay every appointment after yours.

$20 late charge for every 5 minutes you're late, that's pretty generous.

 

[Tomoreno]

Apologize and offer a $20 late charge fee for every 5 min late. Because you are not only late for your own appointment, you are also going to delay every appointment after yours.

I'm not sure what it's supposed to mean.

Let's say I'm running late for a 1 hour appointment and show up 20 minutes after starting time. If I leave after 40 minutes and still pay for an hour - in my mind it's a fair play... unless of course you're late and still expect to have 1 hour session.

The issue I described though is people not even making it to a session. They run late, then late some more and when they communicate its not clear who's to blame for escalating a situation. Basically both sides end up pissed and neither side gets a win.

So once again, should there be a way to behave/communicate by both sides that becomes a part of proper etiquette?

 

[Vera.Reis]

I've never been late or had these problems that have been mentioned.

I'm curious of this...if the late client pays a $20 late fee or gets there time cut, should an SP that keeps them waiting in their car for for 30 minutes or so cut their fee back some or give them extra time?

I see the logic you're trying to follow, but it doesn't follow, unless she doesn't give you the full time you're paying for. Or, because of her being late, you now can only stay for 30mins, in which case you should only have to pay a 30min rate. But again, think back to other services and ask yourself what the standard is, if your therapist is late do they give you a discount and then the full session time? Hair dresser? Nail salon? Of course not, so it wouldn't hold that we would either.

 

[Tomoreno]

And if we can't accommodate a later session you should pay a cancelation fee, because we could have taken another call in the time that was reserved for you and now we lost money.

Sometimes unforseen circumstances happen and a client might be late.

From previous posts on this subject it was apparent that a client did maintain communication, but it's not clear if he didn't show up because of SP's comments or other reasons.

If you're waiting for a client and he texts:
- sorry, running late, will be another 10 minutes
You'd most likely reply:
- no problem
What happens when next text you receive is:
- sorry, it'll be another 10 minutes.
Do you patiently wait for someone who's genuinely late and will arrive or someone's who's playing you and you vent your frustration on him?

 

[Vera.Reis]

I'm not sure what it's supposed to mean.

Let's say I'm running late for a 1 hour appointment and show up 20 minutes after starting time. If I leave after 40 minutes and still pay for an hour - in my mind it's a fair play... unless of course you're late and still expect to have 1 hour session.

The issue I described though is people not even making it to a session. They run late, then late some more and when they communicate its not clear who's to blame for escalating a situation. Basically both sides end up pissed and neither side gets a win.

So once again, should there be a way to behave/communicate by both sides that becomes a part of proper etiquette?

The problem is, we don't know if you're actually going to show up or you're wasting our time! If we don't take a deposit we have no way of guaranteeing you aren't just some asshole fake booking us. Maybe consider sending her a portion of the donation, or more of it if she only took a small deposit, so she knows your serious.

 

[Micber]

$20 late charge for every 5 minutes you're late, that's pretty generous.

Maybe it has been a while for you but the daycare centre do charge $5 per minute when you are late to pick up your kids.

 

[Tomoreno]

The problem is, we don't know if you're actually going to show up or you're wasting our time! If we don't take a deposit we have no way of guaranteeing you aren't just some asshole fake booking us. Maybe consider sending her a portion of the donation, or more of it if she only took a small deposit, so she knows your serious.

Sending any money upfront surely shows our intent, but it backfired for more than 1 person because some of your peers simply keep it and move on.

 

[Fun For All]

Maybe it has been a while for you but the daycare centre do charge $5 per minute when you are late to pick up your kids.

$5 per minute...they'd only do that once.

 

[Jasmina]

Had that happen a looooot, the first 10 minutes late is fine, a pro should be allotting enough time for such an occurance, the next 10 gets stickier though, but provider should be straight forward and just say, "I may have to cut session short" if they can no longer accomodate the full time booked and both can decide if doable still. In this case, yes I would expect the gentlemen to pay for the full time allotted if 20 minutes late and I had to cut short due to that. I agree, no more would be needed. But a tip would ensure a secondary booking in the future instead of ghosting

Sometimes unforseen circumstances happen and a client might be late.

From previous posts on this subject it was apparent that a client did maintain communication, but it's not clear if he didn't show up because of SP's comments or other reasons.

If you're waiting for a client and he texts:
- sorry, running late, will be another 10 minutes
You'd most likely reply:
- no problem
What happens when next text you receive is:
- sorry, it'll be another 10 minutes.
Do you patiently wait for someone who's genuinely late and will arrive or someone's who's playing you and you vent your frustration on him?

 

[Vera.Reis]

Sending any money upfront surely shows our intent, but it backfired for more than 1 person because some of your peers simply keep it and move on.

That's on that guy for bargain hunting and seeing less than reputable providers.

 

[Fun For All]

I see the logic you're trying to follow, but it doesn't follow, unless she doesn't give you the full time you're paying for. Or, because of her being late, you now can only stay for 30mins, in which case you should only have to pay a 30min rate. But again, think back to other services and ask yourself what the standard is, if your therapist is late do they give you a discount and then the full session time? Hair dresser? Nail salon? Of course not, so it wouldn't hold that we would either.

I've never been late to any appointment to test it out...now with hair cut appointments, they have keep me waiting and have done nothing except apologize when they finally call me to the chair.

I guess on the proper etiquette topic...if I'm waiting in my car longer than 10 minutes, I'm leaving.

 

[GeeBee]

If you are habitually late for appointments in life perhaps this hobby isn't for you.

And we complain when Sp's ask for deposits!!! Yeesh. As the saying goes, this is why we can't have nice things.

Just plan your time wisely and do your best not to be late, if you're running late call her and say so, and don't make a habit of it. Anything else is inconsiderate.