Waitlist and cancellation fill

A waitlist is a record of clients who would take an earlier appointment if one opened up, and cancellation fill is the practice of offering freed slots to those clients.

Every cancellation creates a gap in a vet's day. If nobody fills it, that time is simply lost. Meanwhile, other clients are waiting for a visit next week who would happily come in today. A waitlist connects the two. When a slot opens, the front desk works down the list until someone accepts.

What to record on a waitlist

The list is only useful if each entry says enough to match a slot. Note the client and pet, the appointment type and how long it needs, which vet or vets are acceptable, the days and times the client can do at short notice, and how they prefer to be contacted. An entry that says only "wants earlier" sends the team round in circles.

Running it day to day

Cancellations tend to arrive at awkward moments, so agree who checks the waitlist when one comes in and how far ahead the clinic tries to fill. Offering a slot to several clients at once can lead to two acceptances, so many clinics offer it to one client at a time with a short reply window, then move to the next. Clients who take an earlier slot are removed from the list and their original appointment is cancelled straight away.

Keeping it fresh

Old entries lose value quickly. A client who wanted an earlier visit last month may have already been seen elsewhere. Reviewing the list weekly, and removing entries once the original appointment date has passed, keeps it short and accurate.

An example

At a two-vet clinic, a client cancels a long dental slot the evening before. The next morning, the receptionist checks the waitlist, finds a client whose dog's procedure is booked for the following week and who said she could come at short notice, and texts her the offer. She accepts within the hour, and her later booking goes back into the schedule for others.

How Tilly handles it

When a client cancels or moves an appointment with Tilly, the change goes straight into supported practice software, so the freed slot is visible to your team and to the next caller looking for a time.

The no-shows guide covers filling gaps. Related: no-show rate and double booking.