Client did not show up? Rather than a cancellation fee, refill the slot right away
Claiming a cancellation fee costs time, strains the client relationship, and rarely brings back the full rate. TerminJet automatically refills the empty consultation slot from a consent-based waitlist and lowers your no-show rate with reminders by WhatsApp and SMS. The free slot becomes billable again, instead of sending an invoice after the fact.
An empty slot costs more than the cancellation fee
A missed initial consultation is not just an open invoice. It is an hour of lawyer time that no one pays for anymore. These figures are meant as honest ranges, not as a guarantee.
- 30-50%
- fewer no-shows through automatic reminders
- 5-15%
- typical no-show rate for initial consultations without a reminder
- < 60 sec.
- until the refill request goes out to the waitlist
- 0
- placement commission per refilled appointment
How to lower your firm's no-show rate, and refill the rest
The cancellation fee reacts to the damage. TerminJet prevents the damage first and repairs whatever still slips through. First reminders reduce cancellations, then the engine fills any remaining gaps automatically.
What happens when a client does not show up
- Schritt 01
A reminder goes out before the appointment is lost
Clients automatically receive a reminder by WhatsApp or SMS with the option to confirm, reschedule, or cancel in one click. A large share of no-shows are simply forgotten, and a reminder catches exactly those.
- Schritt 02
The slot is recognised as free
If someone cancels or stays unconfirmed, TerminJet immediately marks the appointment as refillable. You do not have to watch the calendar and no one has to pick up the phone.
- Schritt 03
The waitlist is asked automatically
Within seconds the engine contacts the clients on the waitlist for the same consultation type and time, only those with documented consent. Whoever confirms first gets the slot.
- Schritt 04
The appointment is billable again
Instead of chasing a cancellation fee, the hour is rebooked and billed as normal. The client relationship with the original client stays unburdened.
Tuesday, 10am, the client does not come
A concrete case from everyday firm life. An appointment for a paid initial consultation in employment law falls through. Here is how it goes with and without TerminJet.
- The client does not show up, no one notices until 10:10am
- The lawyer has an hour free that no one pays for
- Reception writes the cancellation fee, settles the dispute over it, often it never comes in
- The next enquiry has been waiting days for an appointment, and the two never connect
- 24 hours before, a WhatsApp reminds, the client confirms or cancels in time
- If they cancel, the slot is immediately recognised as free
- TerminJet automatically asks two waiting clients with consent
- One confirms in 12 minutes, the 10am hour is rebooked and billed
Claim a cancellation fee or refill the slot
Both are legitimate. The difference lies in what the firm really gets out of it in the end.
| TerminJet: refill the slot | Claim a cancellation fee | |
|---|---|---|
| Empty lawyer hour | rebooked and billed | stays empty |
| Effort for reception | none, runs automatically | write the invoice, follow up, possibly dispute |
| Client relationship | stays unburdened | often gets strained |
| Overall no-show rate | drops through reminders | unchanged |
| Money comes in reliably |
Frequently asked questions
Does this replace agreeing on a cancellation fee?
No, and it does not have to. You can still agree on a cancellation fee. TerminJet simply makes sure that, ideally, you never need it because the slot is rebooked. The two can be combined.
Where does the waitlist for the refill come from?
From your own booking flow. When a preferred appointment is taken, clients can add themselves to a waitlist with consent. Only these people are asked automatically when a slot opens up.
Is it GDPR compliant if you message clients automatically?
Yes. Only people who have actively agreed to be notified by WhatsApp or SMS are contacted. The consent is documented, hosting runs in the EU with Hetzner, and sensitive data is encrypted with AES-256.
Does this really lower our firm's no-show rate?
In our experience, reminders reduce no-shows by 30 to 50 percent, because a large share are simply forgotten appointments. The exact effect depends on your clientele and consultation type. In the demo we give you a realistic estimate in advance.
Does this run on a portal like anwalt.de?
No. TerminJet runs white-label on your own firm domain, in your design. There is no directory, no listed competition, and no placement commission per appointment.
Do we have to set this up ourselves?
No. We set up consultation types, reminders, waitlist rules, and the booking flow for your firm and integrate everything into your website. You get a finished configuration, not an empty tool.
This is what the booking and waitlist flow looks like for clients
This is the same intake form that later runs white-label on your firm website and feeds the refill engine. Try a sample booking.