You have to decide for yourself and what you feel most comfortable with. It isn't right or wrong what you did with this person but you are learning what you do want. I would just start now and say, you know I do have this cancellation policy....and I haven't enforced it yet with you but I am going to have to now because I have other clients waiting to get in and I have reserved this spot exclusively for you and don't allow others to book that time.

It took me many years to get solid on my policy. I wish I had done it much sooner. It is a learning process. Hopefully I can help spare people the agony I wnt through in learning to enforce it by talking about it more like places like this.

I had one person read something on one of my websites saying he would just about breakdown and cry when people didn't show up. he didn't have a cancellation policy. He gave up trying to build his business but recently had thought about it again and didn't realize he could have a policy that made people pay.
I also had a client write a bad review on a directory site who was mad at me because I made her pay full price for flaking out and missing her appointment. It is also about telling people up front before you enforce it so they will think twice about canceling. They have to know about it before you enforce it.

I even have a friend who has her voice mail say something like if you are calling to cancel in less than 24 hours notice you will have to pay xamount.

Rachel Sheard, LMT said:

So Julie, what's your take on me not having enforced my cancellation policy with this client of mine yet? Aside from the one where she didn't have transportation and didn't want to walk in the rain, the other short notice cancellations seemed like unforseeable circumstances... Maybe I should've cracked down with the no transportation one. ?

My cancellation policy is right on my intake form. I am not currently in the habit of reading it back to them, I've thought about making it a habit, and have done it a couple times. I guess once it is a habit, it won't feel so awkward. I guess I just figured people always read it. Combined with my disclosures of the actual massage (non-sexual, therapeutic, no dx, no rx, etc..), it's only 8 lines of regular-size font at the bottom of my intake form just above where they sign.

I agree Julie. And my cancellation policy is 48 hours notice. It is very difficult to try and fill an appointment in 24 hours. Of course, for regular clients who call in and clearly have an emergency or are sick, I will let it slide a little bit.