in a situation like this, what I've learned is always to remind the potential client that you "may" be available at that time, but unless they can confirm that they absolutely want that time-frame and provide you with a cell number for you to call them on at that exact hour (not "around") that they've requested in case of an emergency, then they do not have an appointment. Enforce that you need at LEAST an hour's notice and you as the SP, need to get that message and confirm it before he can even step a foot near your hotel.
seriously tho...lingering in the lobby....while texting over and over...even if he DID go up, do you think the hotel lobby staff wouldn't have watched what floor the elevator stopped at? This shows a client who *ONE* isnt willing to make a solid booking....and *TWO* is not willing to consider their's or your discretion.
granted, some people are new and dont understand that this is a business....but hopefully you sent him a polite email afterwards telling him the reasons wht his approach was not "how this works"
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on the subject of CKs original problem, I have turned into the most anal businesswoman after going indi in this business...and for the better. I find in most cases if I'm dealing with someone (SP, or chick I'm trying to buy somenthing off of Usedottawa.ca etc) that the younger they are, the flakier their business ettiquette is. I have Blacklisted SPs that flake on duos and Blacklisted Graphic Design clients that are no-shows for meetings.....time is money, and I'm not going to let anyone waste my time.
I had a Graphics client studder and wonder why I decided not to take on his project after he suggested we meet at a fancy restaurant where I drank for an hour by myself only to have him not show up coz he "forgot"
he said "so thats it? you dont need my money? dont you know what I'm willing to pay you??"
sound familiar girls?
No-shows and flakes are unacceptable in ANY business...whether you're on the service end or on the client's receiving end...and a terrible businesswoman has just as much to lose as a no-show client.
That being said, I know there is a warnings section for the gents, but are they allowed to post no-shows etc in that section. No-showing is ridiculous....sometimes a si ple call to say "I'll be 10 mins late" works wonders. commmonnnnnn!