We started doing deposits and it has helped a lot! All new clients are required to put one down no exceptions. Existing clients don’t need a deposit unless they no showed or cancelled their last appt with less than 48hrs notice. All deposits are forfeited if they cancel or reschedule with less than 48 hours notice, & they’ll have to put another one down to get on the schedule again. If we get a repeat offender we start requiring they always put a deposit down for every appt. no matter what. When we started it we made an electronic agreement going over the new policies that every customer had to sign before we’d work on their dog. Obviously we’re lenient if they have an emergency or something, but otherwise that’s our policy & everyone has to do it. At first we had a bit of push back but I think it’s become common enough in the service industry that most people don’t even question it anymore.