How to Stop Restaurant No-shows With SMS – The EASY Way

Sometimes, your best customer doesn’t show. No-shows are the single most frustrating thing a restaurant can experience. If someone cancels on you, that’s one thing. But if that person is a high-profile celebrity or an important client, it can spell trouble for your business. 

The last thing you want to do is cause these people any inconvenience. Fortunately, there are a few easy solutions to this problem. You can get an SMS service that includes Canadian short code!

However, let’s take a look at how to stop no-shows with SMS!

What is a no-show?

A no-show is a guest who cancels on you 24 hours before their scheduled arrival. It happens for many reasons, including photographing a restaurant, having a medical emergency, or having to work late. Unfortunately, when a guest cancels on you a few hours before their scheduled arrival, it leaves you with several options:

Get in touch with the guest to inform them of the cancellation and set up an appropriate time to meet SMS the guest to let them know you have changed the booking Make a phone or in-person appointment to see the guest In some situations, you can try to reschedule the guest at another time to make sure they understand the change. You can also contact the guest and ask if they would be open to rescheduling so they are more aware of your availability.

Why Does the Restaurant Industry Have Such a Problem with No-Shows?

The restaurant industry has a difficult task when it comes to delivering quality service to all of its customers. Everyone has a different schedule and it can be difficult to know when a guest will show up. Not only do you have to be on the ball with your own schedule, but you also have to be on the ball with the guest’s schedule too.

If a guest asks you to take their order at 6pm and you are open at 5pm, you might accidentally miss out on a lot of potential customers. You never know when a guest will arrive at a restaurant until you open the door. A no-show can affect your business in several ways.

First, you won’t be able to make any payments to previous customers because you will have missed out on service. You also won’t be able to bill your regular customers for their value because you won’t have been able to meet them. Most importantly, you will have a lot of explaining to do to the host/owner if the guest is late.

What Can You Do to Stop a No-Show?

Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do to stop a no-show. But you can try to minimize the disruption they cause. If you receive a no-show, make sure you give that guest a proper explanation. If you are unable to contact the guest, write them a detailed letter explaining the situation and set up a time to speak. If you have to meet the guest in-person, be sure to bring a detailed list of what you were planning to order and why. If you are unable to make any payments to previous customers because you missed out on service, you can file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau or write a review about your experience on Google Maps or Yelp. This will help other customers avoid getting in touch with the same problem you faced.

The EASY Way to Stop a No-Show

There are a few easy ways to stop a no-show from happening. The first is to be on the lookout for potential guests. Make sure you know when they are coming to your restaurant and be ready to seat them. If you are open for business, you can also try to make eye contact with potential guests as they are passing by to let them know you are there. Make it a priority to welcome all of your guests and let them know how happy you are to have them visiting. If you are unable to make any payments to previous customers because you missed out on service, you can file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau or write a review about your experience on Google Maps or Yelp. This will help other customers avoid getting in touch with the same problem you faced.

Conclusion

If you ever find yourself with a no-show, don’t lose heart. There are a few easy solutions to this problem. First, be on the lookout for potential guests. When they are present, be sure to seat them. If you are open for business, also make sure you greet every single one of your guests. And, of course, don’t forget to take payments in advance!