To Wait or Not? What to Do When a Client Is Late

Meeting clients halfway builds their loyalty, but you can’t overdo it. Everything should be mutually convenient and agreed on in advance.

How to set time boundaries with clients

Build in a buffer for the unexpected. Beyond lateness, this covers a tough removal of someone else’s “masterpiece” or traffic. We’re all human. And what if there are kids? What if, what if, what if. You get it, we could end up in the same spot.

Find out the reason. And “understand and forgive” if it’s legitimate and within reason.

If a client is running very late but still wants the service, you can offer what you can realistically finish in the time left, like classic instead of 2-3D.

If the appointment falls through anyway, always offer options. The key here is to keep the conversation tactful and polite, and make it clear you’re concerned for the client too, but you only have the allotted time. Especially if someone else is booked after her.

Don’t rush to rage at the world and block everyone. Being client-focused matters more and more, even if you’re a top artist. Winning a client costs more than keeping one.

Most importantly, spell out your rules for clients, post them somewhere visible on social media, and remind people of them regularly.

It’s better to be known as an understanding artist (without hurting yourself, of course) than to get a negative review that could dent your image. By the way, if you want to learn how to handle negative reviews, read our article on it.