No-shows hurt twice: the chair earns nothing, and the stylist waiting beside it is idle for the same hour. Salons that keep their diary full do not rely on luck; they make it easy for a client to keep the appointment and expensive for the salon to lose it.
Start with confirmation. A booking that is acknowledged within minutes feels real to the client, and a reminder the day before brings it back to mind. Record the phone number on every booking so reminders and messages reach the right person, and let the client see what they booked: service, stylist, date and time.
Give the front desk a nudge, not a burden. When a booking arrives, the receptionist and manager should be told in the same place they already work, so nothing waits until the morning shift to be noticed. A single unread-alert badge on the POS is enough to make that happen.
Fill freed slots the same day. When a client cancels, the slot is worth less the later you leave it. Mark the booking cancelled rather than deleting it, so your reports still show true occupancy, and offer that time to the waitlist or to a client who usually asks for that stylist.
Last, keep deposit rules simple and human. For long or costly appointments a partial deposit is normal, but the reason should be explained politely at booking. Salons that combine a warm confirmation, a timely reminder and an obvious way to reschedule rarely need to punish a no-show at all.