Free tool

What do no-shows really cost you?

Enter a few numbers about your business to see what missed appointments cost you each year in lost jobs, fuel and time, and what a booking deposit could win back.

Your numbers

%

Missed or cancelled too late to refill.

min

Driving there and waiting.

With a booking deposit

% of price

Kept when a client still doesn't turn up.

%

Your own estimate. Change it to see the effect.

What no-shows cost you each year

Missed appointments

83

Hours wasted

55

Lost jobs

$9,984

Wasted fuel and travel

$666

Total yearly cost of no-shows

$10,650

Won back each year with a deposit

$6,240

These are estimates from the numbers you entered. Every business is different, so try your own figures rather than relying on the defaults.

How the calculator works

Missed appointments per year are your weekly appointments, times 52 weeks, times your no-show rate. Each one costs you the price of the job, the fuel and travel to get there, and the time you lost.

With a deposit, two things change. Some clients who would not have turned up now do, so those jobs happen. And for the ones who still miss, you keep the deposit. How many no-shows a deposit stops depends on your clients, so set that number yourself.

Ways to cut no-shows

  • Take a deposit when the client books, and say so before they book.
  • Send a confirmation straight away and a reminder before the visit.
  • Make it easy to reschedule, so clients move the booking instead of skipping it.
  • Only take bookings in the areas you actually serve, so you are never driving far for a job that may not happen.

ZipScheduler lets clients book online only in your service areas, takes a deposit through your own Stripe account, and sends the balance after the job with the deposit already taken off. Read how to set up deposits.

Questions

What is a normal no-show rate for a service business?

It varies a lot by trade and by how bookings are taken. Businesses that take no deposit and send no reminders tend to see more missed appointments than those that do. The best number to use is your own: count the missed appointments in your last month and divide by the total booked.

Why do no-shows cost a mobile business more than a shop?

A shop loses the slot. A business that travels to the customer also loses the drive there and back, the fuel, and often a job it turned down because that time was taken.

How much deposit should I ask for?

Many service businesses ask for between 20% and 50% of the price. A smaller deposit is mostly about commitment; a larger one suits higher value jobs or work where you buy products in advance. Say it clearly on your booking page before the client books.

Will a deposit put customers off?

Some first time customers may hesitate, which is why it helps to explain it plainly and to let regular clients pay in full if they prefer. Clients who have paid something are much more likely to turn up or give you notice.

More free tools

ZIP codes within a radiusEvery US ZIP code within a few miles of yours, ready to copy into your service area.Jobs per day calculatorHow many more jobs fit in your day when you work one area at a time.
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