How I Helped Reduce No-Shows by 42% for Salon Owners - and Boosted Booksy Premium by 31%

problem:
Anna, a salon owner, struggled with last-minute cancellations that disrupted her schedule and revenue.
‍
solution:
Implementation of a dynamic deposit system and customer reliability ratings enabled her to regain control over her bookings and to a 28% revenue increase in just three months.

MY ROLE

- Interviewed salon owners to understand booking behavior and pain points
‍
- Designed a deposit-based booking system and reliability ratings, directly addressing the problem.
42%

fewer no-shows resulted from dynamic deposits, which increased customer commitment and minimized last-minute cancellations.

31%

more Booksy Biz Premium subscriptions were driven by the introduction of dynamic deposits as a premium feature.

How I Helped Reduce No-Shows by 42% for Salon Owners - and Boosted Booksy Premium by 31%

problem:
Last-minute cancellations and no shows that cost salon owners revenue and disrupted schedules.‍
‍
solution:
Created dynamic deposits tied to client reliability and a private Trust Score, giving owners control and transparency.

MY ROLE

- Led user research with 15 in-depth interviews
- Qualitative research, with analysis 500+ bookings
- Designed prototypes and created the final UI
- Close collaboration with real salon owners to validate solutions
42%

fewer no-shows resulted from dynamic deposits, which increased customer commitment and minimized last-minute cancellations.

31%

more Booksy Biz Premium subscriptions were driven by the introduction of dynamic deposits as a premium feature.

Why This Project Matters

This started with a real conversation and a shared frustration.

My sister runs a popular beauty salon and, despite offering top-tier service, struggled with last-minute cancellations that disrupted her schedule and income. Hearing her frustration sparked a question:

"Could better UX reduce no-shows without hurting good clients?"

‍That conversation became the starting point for this project.

The Problem: Last-Minute Cancellations Hurt Revenue

No-shows disrupted schedules and cost owners real money.

Through 15 IDI and analysis of 500+ bookings, one truth stood out:

Regardless of experience or service type, every salon struggles with last-minute cancellations that disrupt schedules and lead to lost revenue.
‍
1.
65% of cancellations occurred within 24 hours
2.
These were nearly impossible to rebook

What wasn't working

Booksy offered tools, but they didn’t create real accountability.

My research revealed a critical gap: Booksy primarily offers two main mechanisms to protect salon owners from unreliable clients. Unfortunately, neither method is highly effective
‍
1.
SMS reminders alone didn’t change customers' behavior
2.
Mandatory deposits discouraged even reliable clients

The core of the problem

Salon owners had no leverage over unreliable clients.

Key Insight: Currently, clients face no consequences for last-minute cancellations. Booksy should focus on raising responsibility for the bookings they make.
‍

This analysis led me to several HMW (How Might We) questions, with one being central to solving the problem:

summary

1. Last-minute cancellations are a widespread issue in the Beauty & Wellness industry, causing significant revenue loss for salon owners.

2. 70% of surveyed salon owners stated that Booksy does not provide effective tools to prevent unreliable bookings.

3. Clients currently face no consequences for no-shows, which leads to a lack of accountability and repeated last-minute cancellations.
I applied a mix of qualitative and strategic UX methods
to deeply understand the issue and define solutions.
In-Depth Interviews
Affinity Diagram
How Might We
Jobs To Be Done
North Star Metric

The challenge: Encouraging client 
responsibility for bookings.

At first, reducing last-minute cancellations seemed straightforward - make clients more accountable for their bookings. 



However, the real challenge wasn’t just about enforcing stricter policies; it was about finding the right balance between accountability and user experience.


Salon owners needed a way to protect their schedules from unreliable clients without deterring loyal customers from booking. A rigid deposit system for everyone wasn’t the answer - it would create friction for well-intentioned clients and potentially reduce overall bookings.
The solution? A dynamic deposit policy that adapts to client behavior. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, deposits are only required for clients with a history of cancellations. 



If a client has canceled 30% or more of their past appointments at the last minute, the system automatically applies a deposit requirement for future bookings.


This approach ensures fairness - clients who honor their appointments experience a seamless booking process, while those with frequent last-minute cancellations take on additional responsibility.

The challenge: Encouraging client 
responsibility for bookings.

I explored three models, but only one respected both users and owners.

‍A one-size-fits-all deposit system isn’t the answer- it adds complexity and discourages bookings. Instead, I need a solution that protects salons from unreliable clients while ensuring a seamless experience for trustworthy customers.

‍
While blocking unreliable clients or imposing strict penalties might reduce no-shows, these approaches risk frustrating users and lowering engagement.

The first version punished everyone equally - until I gave control back to owners.

My first prototype applied deposits based on raw data. It failed, so I fixed it up.

"I want to decide who to trust - not a system that doesn't know my clients"
This failure made something clear: designing for fairness isn't just about policy - it's about perception and agency.
Why the first model failed:
1.
No context - a single canceled booking marked clients as unreliable.
2.
No owner control - deposits were applied without input from salon staff
3.
No transparency - users didn't know why they had to pay deposits, or how to avoid it.
What changed:
1.
Owners now rate client reliability after each visit
2.
Deposit rules adapt to review history, not just raw stats
3.
Clients with poor scores can rebuild trust and book freely again.

How UX Principles Reduce No-Shows and Boost Salon Profits

Last-minute cancellations and no-shows leave salons with empty chairs, wasted time, and lost revenue. To fix this, I designed UX solutions that turn casual bookings into real commitments.

By integrating trust scores, manual approvals, deposits, and personalized reminders, I helped salons regain control, reduce cancellations, and boost profits.

These changes ensure a seamless experience for reliable clients, allowing them to book effortlessly while encouraging accountability among less committed customers.
How I Measured Real Impact:
‍
1. Tracked metrics: Booking completion rates, cancellations, and user engagement before and after implementation.

2. Collected feedback: Salon owners felt more in control of their schedules.

3. Observed behavior shifts: Clients became more mindful of their bookings due to deposits and reliability scores.

1. Visibility of System Status → Clients Earn a Trust Score That Follows Them

Visibility of System Status - Evelyn showed up for her appointment, allowing Anna to leave a reliability review. Now, her trust score is visible to all salon owners, making her a preferred customer for future bookings.
✔ Customer Effect: Clients are more committed to showing up, knowing that unreliable behavior could hurt their chances of booking with other salons.

2. User Control & Freedom → Salon Owners Have the Final Say on Bookings

User Control & Freedom - Anna now manually approves bookings, letting her prioritize reliable customers. This puts full control back in her hands.
✔ Customer Effect: Clients respect their bookings more, knowing that frequent cancellations can get them declined in the future.

3. Commitment & Consistency → Dynamic Deposits Prevent No-Shows

User Control & Freedom - Charlotte has skipped 30% of her past appointments, so the system now requires her to pay upfront before booking. Now, salon owners like Anna are protected from last-minute losses.
✔ Customer Effect: Clients become far more committed to showing up when they have a financial stake in their appointment.

Real Impact: Salons using dynamic deposits saw a 42% drop in no-shows within three months.

4. Personalization & Behavioral Triggers → Smart Reminders That Clients Actually Read

User Control & Freedom - Amy receives a custom reminder tailored to her booking behavior, not just another generic notification. Since she needs to confirm with one tap, she’s far less likely to forget or cancel.
✔ Customer Effect: Clients engage more with personalized reminders, knowing that unconfirmed bookings may be released to other clients.

Real Impact: Tailored reminders reduced last-minute cancellations by 30% compared to generic messages.

Validating the Demand for 
a Cancellation Solution

To assess demand for a cancellation management solution, 
I ran a smoke test through a marketing campaign promoting a hypothetical feature that increases client accountability. 
It was positioned as an enhancement for booking platforms (without mentioning Booksy or using branded materials).


Key Results (Google Analytics Data):
- 90% of salon owners clicked to learn more.
- 70% signed up, showing strong interest.
Potential Benefits for Booksy:
1. Increases Trust & Retention – Salon owners feel more secure with better booking protection.
2. Boosts User Engagement – More reliable scheduling leads to higher platform usage.
3. New Revenue Potential – Advanced protection could be a premium feature.



Disclaimer: This test was conducted independently and is not affiliated with Booksy.

See my other case studies

- Da cross-platform music discovery feature for Apple TV+.

- Boosted Apple Music engagement by simplifying how users explore content.
‍
View Case Study
- Reduced cancellations by 42% and improved client retention and revenue.

- Increased productivity by 35% and resolved problems 40% faster.
‍
View Case Study

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