Life happens. Customers need to reschedule or cancel appointments. Make it easy for them while protecting your business with smart policies and automation.
Enabling Self-Service Rescheduling
Turn On Rescheduling
Go to Settings → Bookings → Rescheduling
Toggle Allow customers to reschedule to ON
Set Rescheduling Rules
Configure when customers can reschedule:
- Minimum notice: At least 24 hours before appointment
- Maximum times: Limit to 2 reschedules per booking
- Cutoff time: No reschedules within 2 hours of appointment
24-hour minimum notice is standard. Adjust based on your industry—salons might allow 4 hours, while medical practices need 48 hours.
How Customers Reschedule
Customers can reschedule in three ways:
1. Via Message
Customer: "Can I reschedule my appointment?"
AI: "Of course! What day and time works better for you?"
Customer: "Friday at 3pm?"
AI: "Friday at 3pm is available! I've updated your appointment. You'll get a new confirmation shortly."
2. Via Booking Link
Include a reschedule link in confirmation emails:
"Need to change your appointment? Click here: [Reschedule Link]"
3. Via Phone
Your team can manually reschedule in the dashboard.
Cancellation Policies
Set Up Cancellation Rules
Go to Settings → Bookings → Cancellations
Configure Cancellation Window
Set minimum notice for free cancellations:
- 24+ hours: Full refund / no charge
- 12-24 hours: 50% cancellation fee
- Less than 12 hours: Full charge / no refund
Clearly communicate your cancellation policy during booking. Surprise fees damage customer relationships.
Automated Rebooking Offers
Enable Rebooking Automation
When a customer cancels, automatically offer to rebook:
"Your appointment has been cancelled. Would you like to book a different time? I can show you available slots."
This recovers 30-40% of cancellations!
Cancellation Fee Handling
Set Up Fee Collection
If you charge cancellation fees:
- Enable Collect cancellation fees
- Set fee amount or percentage
- Choose collection method (charge card on file or send invoice)
- Configure fee waiver rules (medical emergencies, etc.)
Fee Waiver Scenarios
Consider waiving fees for:
- First-time cancellations
- Medical emergencies (with documentation)
- Weather-related cancellations
- VIP customers
Waitlist Management
Enable Automatic Waitlist
When someone cancels, automatically offer the slot to waitlisted customers:
- Go to Settings → Waitlist
- Toggle Auto-offer cancelled slots to ON
- Set priority order (first-come, VIP, highest-value)
Waitlist Notification
Waitlisted customers get instant notifications:
"Good news! A slot just opened up for [Service] on [Date] at [Time]. Want it? Reply YES to book or PASS to skip."
First to respond gets the slot.
Analytics on Cancellations
Track Cancellation Patterns
Go to Analytics → Cancellations to see:
- Cancellation rate: % of bookings cancelled
- Reasons: Why customers cancel
- Timing: When cancellations happen most
- Repeat offenders: Customers who cancel frequently
- Recovery rate: % who rebook after cancelling
If cancellation rate is above 15%, investigate. Common causes: unclear booking process, poor reminders, or pricing issues.
Best Practices
- Make it easy: Don't force customers to call to cancel
- Be flexible: Life happens—show empathy
- Communicate clearly: State policies upfront
- Offer alternatives: Suggest rebooking immediately
- Track patterns: Identify chronic cancellers
- Fill gaps quickly: Use waitlist automation
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I block customers who cancel too often?
Yes. Set a rule like "3 cancellations in 6 months = require deposit for future bookings" or manually block repeat offenders.
What if someone cancels due to emergency?
Your team can manually waive fees. Go to the appointment, click "Waive Fee," and add a note explaining why.
How do I handle no-shows vs cancellations?
No-shows are worse. Charge full price for no-shows, partial for late cancellations. Set this in cancellation policy settings.
Can customers reschedule unlimited times?
No. Set a limit (we recommend 2 reschedules max) to prevent abuse.
Troubleshooting
Customers can't reschedule
Solution: Check that rescheduling is enabled and they're within the allowed window. Verify the reschedule link isn't expired.
Cancellation fee not charging
Solution: Verify payment method on file. Check that fee collection is enabled. Ensure cancellation is within fee window.
Waitlist not getting notified
Solution: Check that auto-offer is enabled. Verify waitlist customers have valid contact info. Check notification channel is connected.
Too many last-minute cancellations
Solution: Increase minimum cancellation notice. Require deposits for bookings. Send more reminders to reduce forgetfulness.