Booking rules that keep your day sane

A full calendar is good. A calendar with back-to-back appointments, no time to clean up, and a booking for ten minutes from now is not. Three simple rules fix most of it.

Length. How long each appointment takes. Set it to how long the work really takes, not how long it takes on a good day. If you run late every afternoon, your length is too short.

The gap between. A few minutes between appointments to clean up, write notes, take payment, or catch up when someone shows up late. Barbers and groomers often use 10 to 15 minutes. If your work is messy or runs over, give yourself more.

The earliest booking. How soon someone can book. “Any time” fills last-minute gaps, but it can also mean a booking you don't see until the customer walks in. An hour or two ahead gives you time to get ready. For jobs that need parts or travel, a day or two ahead is safer.

Pick for your kind of shop:

• Quick, repeat services (cuts, nails, lashes): short lengths, a small gap, and an hour or two ahead.
• Longer services (color, detailing, grooming): real lengths, a bigger gap, and a day ahead for new customers.
• Jobs on-site (trades, cleaning): a day or two ahead, with room for travel in the gap.

Write your rules down, then look at your calendar after two weeks. If you're rushing, add time. If there are holes, take some away.