How much are no-shows actually costing you?
Most tradespeople underestimate the real cost of a missed appointment. It's not just the job that didn't happen — it's the drive there, the time slot you could have filled, and the mental energy wasted chasing someone who isn't picking up.
If you're doing 10 jobs a week and even one a fortnight doesn't show, that's potentially $2,000–$4,000 a year walking out the door — before you count the fuel and wasted time.
Why do customers not show up?
The reasons are almost always one of these:
- They forgot. The appointment they booked two weeks ago slipped their mind entirely.
- Something came up — and they didn't think to call you.
- They weren't sure you were still coming. Nobody confirmed, so they assumed it fell through.
- They changed their mind but felt awkward about cancelling.
Most of these aren't the customer being malicious — they're just human. That means the solution is a system that handles human behaviour, not a sign on your van telling people to show up.
Key insight: The single biggest cause of no-shows is that nobody confirmed the appointment. A simple message sent 24 hours before eliminates the majority of them before they happen.
5 practical ways to reduce no-shows
1. Send a confirmation when you book
The moment a job is booked, send the customer a message confirming the date, time, and what you'll be doing. It makes the appointment feel real and gives customers an easy moment to flag a problem early.
A simple text works: "Hi [Name], confirming I'll be with you on [date] at [time] to [job]. Any questions just reply to this."
2. Send a reminder 24 hours before
This is the single most effective thing you can do. A reminder the day before jogs their memory, prompts them to check their diary, and gives them a chance to reschedule before you've driven there.
Ask them to confirm: "Hi [Name], reminder I'm coming tomorrow at [time]. Reply YES to confirm or call me if you need to change."
3. Make it easy to reschedule
A lot of no-shows happen because the customer feels awkward cancelling. If you make it clear that rescheduling is no big deal, they'll tell you instead of ghosting you. Include your number and say rescheduling is fine.
4. Take a deposit on bigger jobs
For jobs over a few hundred dollars, a deposit commits the customer financially. People don't no-show when they've got skin in the game. Even $20–$50 is usually enough.
5. Automate it
Doing all of the above manually takes time you don't have. The solution is automation. Tools built specifically for tradespeople handle appointment confirmations and reminders automatically — you just add the job and the system does the rest.
This is exactly what the No-Show Reducer does. Add a customer's name, number and appointment time — it sends the confirmation, the 24-hour reminder, and asks them to confirm. You only turn up when they're ready.
Stop driving to empty houses.
The No-Show Reducer handles appointment confirmations automatically. Set up in 5 minutes, reduce no-shows by up to 80%.
Try it free for 14 daysWhat to do when a no-show happens anyway
- Call once, leave a voicemail. "Hi, it's [name] — I'm here at your property. Give me a call back when you get this."
- Wait 15 minutes maximum. Your time has value.
- Send a text. Some people don't pick up unknown numbers but will read a text.
- Note it. If a customer no-shows twice, require a deposit going forward.
The bottom line
No-shows are largely preventable. A consistent confirmation system and a 24-hour reminder eliminates most of them. If you want to do it without adding anything to your workload, the No-Show Reducer handles it all automatically for $9 a month — less than the cost of one wasted journey.