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July 21, 2004

Setting Limits

What is it about setting limits that makes them so hard to enforce? After being in business for over five years, one would think that enforcing boundaries would be easy. However, I'm finding that some of my longest standing clients are the hardest to deal with.

I think what has happened is that early in my practice when I had few clients, I was very accommodating to people canceling or moving their appointments. I had room in my book and I didn't want to put people off for fear they would find another, more accommodating therapist. Now that my practice is busy, my appointment book is less flexible. Unfortunately, these people continue to act in the same mercurial manner, adversely affecting other clients' appointments and my bottom line.

Canceling or moving appointments at the last minute for a good reason is understandable. But if a client makes an appointment and continually shows up late or moves it at the last minute, I begin to lose patience. The solution to this problem is to charge the client for the appointment. When the prospect of introducing this policy comes up, I often lose my nerve.

I consider myself a professional, but I'm not a doctor or dentist, so can I really expect to charge for missed appointments? I take the work I do seriously and find it especially grievous when others lack respect for my work. These clients take away time from others who value my service. I especially take issue with this behavior when it is perpetrated by other business owners and professionals, because I expect that they would be able to empathize with my situation.

I have a written office policy posted which makes it easy to introduce new clients to the way I operate my business. My continuing challenge is in persuading a few long-term clients not to take advantage of me, hopefully without alienating them.

Posted by linda at July 21, 2004 8:01 AM