No show credit card declined

[lauranadeau14]

I have a makeup service and use the no-show protection for every appointment. I've had several clients who book with a credit card, confirm appointment then never show up or contact me. When I charge through the no-show the card is declined and, of course when I send and invoice, I never hear from them. 

Why doesn't the no-show protection check that the card has a minimum balance? Gas stations do that. Considering I went from paying 0 - $29 in the last month for the no-show protection I'd like it to do a better job protecting me.

[Donnie-M]

@lauranadeau14 This is a conundrum.  I know my bank the gas station just authorizes a 1$ basically making sure the card is valid and more than likely good to go.  The no show protection doesn't exactly work the same and I am sure if it doesn't go through, this might be why they didn't show up..they couldn't pay if they did.

That being said, you could always set up the fee as a deposit and then give them a coupon/credit when they show up, if it becomes a real problem.

[LusterSalon]

I am in the same boat. I believed the “no show protection” feature protected me. And it’s part of the Square Appointments fee I pay, but it’s a feature that is not what it seems.  There should be a way for Square to verify a card that is used as no show protection so the Square business doesn’t get stiffed when the person doesn’t show up for a scheduled appointment. 

[Donnie-M]

@LusterSalon I think the problem with the no- show option is how it is implemented and how you use it.  I do know when the feature was rolled out, the simple act of requiring a person to enter their credit card information and the business having a cancellation policy reduced no-shows greatly.

I just wanted to give you my perspective, because I can tell this has hit a pain point for you, and I feel you care about your business.

In your case with a declined card, I think what you would be wanting is a pre-authorization hold to be placed on the funds to guarantee they would be available if you needed to do a cancellation fee.  I think the problem here is..that is essentially a deposit which you can do and require.  If you are in a mission critical situation, I would be totally comfortable requiring a deposit.  You can always refund the deposit or have a deposit refund policy that suits your business in addition to no show protection.

But let's say the customer had their card stolen and fraudulently charged for $1000 to an Airbnb the night before.  They wake up and the dog is sick and they rush to the vet and miss their appointment.  They don't know they are a victim of fraud and their furr baby's life causes them to totally forget they had an appointment for his or her nails.  Relieved he or she goes home the next day and finds out, oh I am a fraud victim, forgot my appointment, and owe the vet $500.

Now, on your side, all you see is a declined no show charge...and 99% of the time that is completely valid and you want to charge them...but this time, the charge was declined and now you are mad you lost business, wasted time, and don't feel square is giving you a good value for the appointment fee you pay.

In this type of situation, the no show protection worked as well as it possibly could.  I had a fraud attempt on a lost card myself yesterday for 978$, it didn't go anywhere, but they tried.  If it had, I could have had a declined payment somewhere, and I will have if I have missed a billing I have tied to that card's number.

I also have ADHD and sometimes forget where I left my keys, it happens, but I don't mean to lose my keys.

To get the value you want from your square appointments, I think you should use the settings to set the cancellation window for 24 or 48 hours prior and your policy is services will be billed prior to your appointment (24 or 48 hours).  And you go in and bill those appointments or choose to just charge a deposit.

You can have complete protection, but I know I sometimes only remember the bad taste I have on something and not all the times it worked as intended.  Especially if you have very expensive services or block a large segment of time.  I get there are just deadbeats in the world who don't care about anyone else, but I think the current implementation of the no show protection is the most balanced and fair way we can have it.  But I strongly encourage you to think about the different ways you can use it to fit your personal business and make sure you get paid.

I just wanted to give you my perspective, because I can tell this has hit a pain point for you, and I feel you care about your business.

[Bronze_Palms]

Agreed. I've tried to book an appointment on Square using a card that was active but then was canceled for security reasons and it doesn't work. Are these credit cards turned off by the client? I don't understand.