The phones are ringing once again – but often they’re ringing to cancel.   

As Omicron spreads, many appointment-based businesses such as hairdressers and beauty therapists and allied health services like dentists are facing a raft of cancellations.    

Niq James, chair of Hair and Barber New Zealand, believes it’s an issue many businesses are facing.   

As close contact businesses, Hair and Barber is advising salons to encourage customers to get a test if they feel unwell and rebook if needed.   

“In a week you’re probably getting about 60 per cent of your clients cancelling and having to rebook,” he said.   

In his Christchurch salon, James had five appointments on Wednesday alone that had to cancel.  

He said it is tough for the business financially when owners and staff are expecting bookings that fall through.   

“We went through a stage there where the phones were a little bit quieter, people weren’t booking in, there was a bit of hesitancy.  

“But now we’ve entered a phase where the phone is ringing because people are needing to cancel appointments, or others who have cancelled theirs a few weeks ago are needing to come in.”  

Most people are good at letting them know if they need to cancel, James said.   

Hair and Barber New Zealand recommends businesses don’t charge a cancellation fee.   

James said a fee could make people want to turn up if they’re sick or deter them from booking again.   

They instead recommend salons have a cancellation list so people can take open spots at short notice.   

It’s another blow after lockdowns, Jenna Duehr from the New Zealand Chiropractors' Association said.   

“We’re not the only businesses feeling that, it seems to be everywhere, but definitely, it’s hard after lots of time off in the past couple of years that we haven’t been able to practice.”  

Practices have been reporting a lot of cancellations, some are down to 50 per cent capacity, she said.   

New Zealand Dental Association President Dr Erin Collins said dental practices are expensive to run, so it’s never good having spaces in the day.   

But they’re still facing pressure trying to catch up with backlogs caused by the lockdowns, so there are often people waiting for spots when there’s a cancellation.   

Collins estimates his Auckland practice faces up to 30 cancellations or reschedules a week – around five per cent of patients.  

“The heroes in the dental practice at the moment are the reception staff...they’re all just doing great work re-scheduling patients and bringing them in.”  

Most practices run cancellation books and the pressure they’re under from lockdowns means there’s often many people waiting for spots, Collins said.   

He said most people are good at letting their dentist know they can’t make it and most practices are accommodating and do not charge cancellation fees.