Dear Annie: My daughter is the co-owner of a salon in Florida. All the folks there work extremely hard trying to make a living.

Here is the problem: Let’s say “Karen” books a hair color treatment that requires three hours to complete on a Thursday. That time frame is now blocked off on the schedule.

On Wednesday, Karen is contacted to verify she will be in to receive her color treatment, and she verifies. As the time approaches Karen’s appointment, several folks walk into the salon to request a service but are denied because the time has been allotted to Karen.

Karen is 10 minutes late and then 20 minutes late and then 30 minutes late. The salon then calls Karen to make sure she has not run into a ditch.

Karen says: “Oh, I forgot all about it. I’ll have to reschedule.” Apparently, these no-shows have no concept that they have not only cost the salon three hours of productivity but also denied service to many walk-ins.

In some cases, folks who cannot make their appointment have the courtesy to call and inform the salon so the time allotted for their service can be filled.

Would Karen just blow off an appointment with her doctor or dentist?

Folks have to come to the realization that salon owners and employees have careers that have always catered to the customer. Customers also have to understand that they have a responsibility to the salon to either uphold their commitment and show up when scheduled or have the decency to call and cancel their appointment in a timely fashion so the salon can fill the time.

The “I forgot” excuse is bogus. Remember, the owners and employees are trying to earn a living while providing the best service possible. Do you have any suggestions to make it easier to address these Karen moments? — Customer Etiquette

Dear Customer Etiquette: Yes, to answer your question, I think that Karen could also blow off a doctor or dentist appointment. It is not a personal attack on your daughter; it is a personality flaw of Karen’s, in that she didn’t learn about consideration for others.

In order to deter people from forgetting about appointments, your daughter could install a cancellation policy.

Many businesses have them, including doctors and dentists. She could also look into an automatic email reminder for customers, with a note stating the salon’s cancellation policy.

Read more Dear Annie and other advice columns.

“How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit Creators Publishing for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to [email protected].