Handling last-minute cancellations without losing the week

A single cancellation should not wreck a day, and on All Done, it rarely does. The platform is built around the simple reality that life happens, schedules shift, and a stylist who loses a six-hour slot on a Saturday needs it filled within the hour, not the week. Here is how the system is designed to protect both sides.

How All Done fills last-minute slots

The moment a client cancels, All Done goes to work. Your cancelled slot is instantly pushed to the top of search results in your area, surfaced to clients who have saved your profile, and offered first to anyone on your waiting list. Customers who were looking at a longer style anywhere near that time window get a last-minute alert that a trusted stylist near them just opened up. Most gaps are filled before the original client's seat has gone cold.

• Cancelled slots are promoted automatically. No posting, no group chats, no begging.
• Waitlisted clients are notified first, in the order they joined, so the system feels fair to everyone.
• Priority is given to bookings that match the time, location, and style of the cancelled slot. You are not stuck with a thirty-minute trim filling a six-hour install.

The 48-hour booking policy, in plain English

Every booking on All Done is made with a clear, upfront policy so there is no hassle, no surprise, and no awkward conversation at the chair. When a client books, they agree in one tap to the following: the booking deposit is fully refundable up until 48 hours before the appointment, and non-refundable inside that window. That is it. No small print, no discretionary decisions, no "it depends who asks."

This policy does two important things. For clients, it sets expectations early so they know exactly where they stand before they even pay. The rules do not change after the booking. For stylists, it protects the part of the week that matters most: the 48 hours before the appointment, when a late cancellation is almost impossible to refill manually. Clients still cancel, of course, but they cancel earlier, when you actually have time to rebook the slot.

Why this protects stylists and customers together

• Stylists are not left out of pocket when a client drops a long install the night before.
• Customers never get charged for a cancellation they made in good time. The 48-hour window is generous and clearly signposted.
• Emergencies are handled case by case through support, so genuine issues are never met with a robotic refusal.
• Because the policy is the same for everyone, stylists do not have to be the bad cop. The platform enforces it for you.

What you can do to make the system work harder

All Done handles most of the work, but a few small habits tilt the odds further in your favour. Keep your waitlist open on popular styles so there is always someone ready to slide in. Publish your availability as far ahead as you reasonably can. The more visible your calendar, the more clients save your profile. And confirm bookings through the app the night before: a gentle reminder the evening before has been shown to reduce no-shows significantly.

A cancellation is never going to feel great. But between the automatic refill, the 48-hour deposit policy, and a platform that surfaces your open slots the moment they appear, a dropped appointment on All Done is rarely the lost day it used to be.

“A clear policy that everyone agrees to upfront is the single biggest favour you can do both your business and your clients.”