How to handle no shows and cancellations automatically in Setmore

If you’re tired of chasing clients who bail at the last minute—or worse, just don’t show up—this is for you. You use Setmore to manage your bookings, but unless you’ve set up some guardrails, you’ll keep losing time to flakes and last-minute cancellations. Here’s how to set up Setmore to handle no shows and cancellations automatically—with as little fuss as possible.

Why Bother With Automation?

No shows cost you money. Chasing them down costs you sanity. Manual reminders and emails are a pain. Setmore can automate a lot of this, but only if you set it up right. Don’t trust “set it and forget it” promises—there are always limits, and some manual intervention is still needed. But you can get close.

This guide is for anyone who books appointments with clients—salons, therapists, consultants, tutors, and more. If you’re using another tool, some of this will still apply, but I’ll focus on Setmore.

1. Set Up Booking Policies That Do the Work for You

First things first: Make your policies crystal clear before someone books.

How To:

  1. Log into Setmore.
  2. Go to Settings > Booking Policies.
  3. Set your cancellation and rescheduling rules:
  4. Minimum notice: Decide how late someone can cancel or reschedule (e.g., “No cancellations within 24 hours”).
  5. Buffer time: Prevent back-to-back bookings that leave you no wiggle room.
  6. Deposit or payment required: If you want to get serious about no shows, require a payment or deposit up front.

Pro tip: The stricter your policies, the more you’ll weed out time-wasters. But don’t go overboard—if you make it too hard to cancel, some legit clients may bail on booking at all.

What Works:

  • Setting a 24-hour cancellation window is the sweet spot for most businesses.
  • Requiring a card on file or a deposit is the single most effective no-show deterrent.

What Doesn’t:

  • Vague language (“please try not to cancel last minute”) gets you nowhere.
  • Relying on goodwill alone.

2. Automate Reminders—Don’t Just Send Them Once

Reminders cut down on no shows, but only if they actually get seen.

How To:

  1. Go to Settings > Notifications.
  2. Enable SMS and Email Reminders for both you and your clients.
  3. Set up:
  4. Initial confirmation (right after booking).
  5. Reminder 24 hours before (this one does the heavy lifting).
  6. Reminder 1–2 hours before (optional, but helps with forgetful types).

Setmore lets you tweak the timing. Test what works for your clients—some people hate texts at odd hours.

Pro tip: Don’t bother with only email reminders—SMS gets read way more often.

What Works:

  • Two reminders—one the day before, one the day of—dramatically reduce no shows.
  • Personalizing the reminder (even a “Hi [First Name], just a reminder…”) increases responses.

What Doesn’t:

  • Only sending a booking confirmation and hoping for the best.
  • Relying on clients to add it to their calendars.

3. Collect Payments or Deposits Up Front

People value what they pay for. Free appointments = more no shows. It’s that simple.

How To:

  1. Go to Settings > Payments.
  2. Connect a payment processor (Stripe, Square, or PayPal).
  3. Set up your service prices and require full or partial payment at booking.

You can choose “deposit only” (say, $20 upfront) or full payment. Deposits are less intimidating for new clients, full payment is best for recurring or high-value services.

Pro tip: For repeat clients you trust, you can offer the option to pay later—but default to payment required.

What Works:

  • Charging something up front. Even $10 makes a difference.
  • Clear refund/cancellation rules—so you’re not arguing later.

What Doesn’t:

  • Chasing down payments after a missed appointment.
  • Letting people book without commitment (unless you like being ghosted).

4. Make Cancellations Easy—But Not Too Easy

You don’t want to punish legit emergencies, but you also can’t have people bailing last minute. Setmore can handle this for you.

How To:

  1. In Booking Policies, set your cancellation window (e.g., “must cancel at least 24 hours in advance”).
  2. Enable “Allow clients to cancel/reschedule online.”
  3. In Notifications, customize the cancellation confirmation email (e.g., “Sorry to see you go. Remember: we require 24 hours notice for a refund.”)

Pro tip: Add your cancellation policy in the booking confirmation email itself. Most people don’t read your terms page.

What Works:

  • Letting clients self-cancel or reschedule (saves you admin headaches).
  • Automatic emails confirming the cancellation—so you have a paper trail.

What Doesn’t:

  • Hiding your cancellation policy or making it hard to find.
  • Forcing people to call or email to cancel—just leads to no-shows instead.

5. Use “No Show” Status and Automated Follow-Ups

Don’t just get mad—track it. Setmore lets you mark appointments as “No Show,” which is handy for records and (if you want) follow-up emails.

How To:

  1. After a missed appointment, open the appointment in your calendar.
  2. Click “Mark as No Show.”

If you want to send an automatic follow-up (like a “Sorry we missed you—here’s how to rebook” email), you’ll need to use Setmore’s integrations or a tool like Zapier. It’s not built-in, but it’s doable.

Example with Zapier:

  • Trigger: Appointment marked as “No Show” in Setmore
  • Action: Send email via Gmail, Mailchimp, etc.

Pro tip: Keep your follow-up friendly, not scolding. You want them back, not embarrassed.

What Works:

  • Tracking repeat offenders—so you can require prepayment or stop accepting their bookings.
  • Automated (not manual) follow-ups—so you don’t stew about it.

What Doesn’t:

  • Ignoring no-shows and hoping they come back.
  • Sending angry emails. It’s not worth it.

6. Use Integrations for Extra Automation (If You Need It)

Setmore covers the basics, but if you want to get fancy—think integrating with your CRM, sending more personalized reminders, or automating reschedule offers—you’ll need to use integrations.

Options:

  • Zapier: Connects Setmore to 1000+ apps. You can trigger emails, texts, CRM updates, and more.
  • Google Calendar/Outlook: Syncs appointments so you don’t double-book.
  • Mailchimp or similar: Add no-shows to a re-engagement campaign.

Be honest: Integrations can be fiddly and sometimes break. Only set them up if you actually need the extra automation.

7. Keep Your Process Tight—But Don’t Overcomplicate It

Here’s the thing: The more hoops you add, the more work it is for you and your clients. Set up your basics (policies, reminders, payments), test what works, and adjust as needed.

If in doubt, keep it simple: - Clear cancellation policy - Automated reminders (SMS and email) - Require upfront payment or deposit

You can always add bells and whistles later, but a solid, simple process beats a complicated mess every time.

Summary: Set It Up, Test, and Move On

No-shows and last-minute cancellations will never go away entirely. But with smart policies and the right automation in Setmore, you can make them rare—and stop spending your energy chasing flakes. Start with the basics, tweak as you go, and don’t overthink it. Simple, clear, and mostly automatic—that’s the goal.