But it’s important for clients to understand exactly what they’re going to get when they book a service with you online.
Schedulicity offers waivers for classes and workshops, which are great for health and fitness businesses on our software.
We also offer waivers for appointment-based businesses, like massage therapists or hair stylists.
Here’s how they work, how to make the most of them, and a loose template to get you thinking about how you might use one.
(Just think of this as Waivers 101 class.)
In this article:
Disclaimer: While we cover the basics of service waivers, we’re not legal experts. You should work with a lawyer to get feedback and approval on any service waiver you create before giving it to clients.
Make sure that you’ve got your legal bases covered (including liability insurance).
Service waivers — you may have also heard them called “liability waivers” — help you:
By requiring that clients read and acknowledge the fine print, salon waivers help ensure they understand exactly what coming to see you means.
Liability waivers create peace of mind for all parties involved.
Waivers exist to keep you and your clients safe and — lower priority but still important — happy.
By being as transparent as possible about how your services work, and by requiring that a client read and acknowledge those details, you create a more seamless booking process.
If you find yourself explaining the fine print to clients over and over again, or worse, you’ve noticed that many clients come to their appointments unprepared for your services, writing a service waiver could save you time and hassle.
According to our Customer Support team, some of the most common reasons businesses use service waivers include:
Extra credit if you include your pandemic clause in your “we’re reopening” email.
Every business varies, so no two service waivers look alike.
It’s essential that you consult a lawyer on what you should and should not include in a waiver for your business.
For that reason, we made it as flexible as possible to add a customized service waiver to your Schedulicity account.
You can write your waiver, get it approved through legal consultation, and upload the text directly to your account.
That said, here are some things that often appear in a service waiver draft to get you thinking:
Here’s a brief exercise to get you thinking about what to include in a service waiver draft.
But before you try to write one by yourself:
Often, there’s boilerplate language for waivers that a lawyer can recommend depending on your industry and specific needs.
It could save you a lot of effort if you ask your lawyer whether they have a waiver template you could adapt for your use.
Write down some answers to the following questions.
You can use these notes to work toward a service waiver draft or for discussing in your next legal consultation:
Your service waiver will wind up looking something like the following, but again, this depends on your industry, business, and location as well as various laws and regulations.
(We can’t stress this enough: The below is an example, not a legal binding waiver. When writing your own service waiver, LAWYER UP!)
I agree and consent to the following:
[Outline of the service details here].
I am fully aware of the risks involved in this service including [outline of risks]. I have no medical condition or allergies that would prevent me from participating in this service. I knowingly and voluntarily release any claim I may have against [your business name] for injury or damages that I may sustain as a result of this program.
Additionally, I have read and reviewed [business name]’s policies as well as general business guidelines, and I understand that if I do not follow these policies, I may be subject to [outline what happens in the even to of a no-show etc.].
It’s so simple, we made this fun video here. (And here’s where you’ll find service waivers in your Schedulicity account.)
