Booking Bailout: Why 70% of Gen Z & Millennials are Abandoning Appointments

If your business isn’t actively courting Gen Z and Millennials, you may be missing out on some of the most interesting and loyal clients you could ask for. These generations don’t just spend a lot of money on self-care; they’re also shaping the future of the whole industry. The youngest Gen Z members are in their early teens, while the oldest Millennials are in their mid-40s. Build relationships with them now, and you could earn their loyalty for decades to come. Winning them over begins with booking.

Gen Z and Millennials may be kind, authentic, and thoughtful, but they’re not patient — at least when it comes to setting up self-care appointments. A clunky booking process could drive two-thirds of these clients away, and you may not get a second chance to win them over. To get Gen Z and Millennials through your door, you’ll need to:

• Appeal to their digital-first preferences

• Make booking frictionless, intuitive, and mobile-friendly

• Follow up via text instead of phone calls

Why Do Gen Z and Millennials Abandon Appointments?

To learn more about the latest trends in the self-care sphere, Boulevard recently conducted a survey of more than 2,000 clients across the United States. You can see the results for yourself in The Self-Care Client Report 2026: Uncovering What Truly Matters. Some of our most fascinating findings involved Gen Z and Millennials. 

1. What Matters to Gen Z in Self-Care?

As a brief refresher, Generation Z:

• Refers to anyone born between 1997 and 2010

• Also goes by “Gen Z” or “iGen”

• Are “digital natives,” having grown up in a world of high-speed Internet and smartphones

When it comes to self-care:

• More than two-thirds (67%) of Gen Z clients have “walked away from a business entirely” due to bad booking systems

• An active Instagram or TikTok is “very” or “extremely” important to more than half (55%) of Gen Z clients

• However, Gen Z values word of mouth (25%) over social media (20%) for self-care business recommendations

To woo Gen Z clients, you need an active social media presence and loyal clients who’ll spread the word about your business. Even more than that, though, you need a mobile-friendly self-booking system. Your odds of getting a Gen Z client to book via phone call are not good.

2. What Matters to Millennials in Self-Care?

At a glance, Millennials:

• Were born between 1981 and 1996

• Also go by “Generation Y” or “Gen Y”

• Are “digital adopters,” having matured at the same time as the Internet and mobile devices

In the self-care sphere:

• About two-thirds (64%) of Millennials have abandoned making appointments due to clunky booking

• Almost half (47%) of Millennials look for self-care businesses with an active Instagram or TikTok

• Millennials are part of the 43% of clients who trust personal recommendations over online reviews

Now you know what Gen Z and Millennials care about, what should you do with it? 

How to Prevent Gen Z and Millennials From Bailing…and Keep Them Coming Back

1. Online Booking Platforms

Start at the beginning. The booking process is the first part of the client experience, setting the tone for what people should expect. A quick, simple, and intuitive process tells clients that you value their time and that your business keeps up with modern technology. Your booking software should offer:

• Self-booking on both computers and smartphones, letting clients set their own schedules

• Social media integration for clients who want to book directly from Google, Facebook, or Instagram

• Integrated payment processing so that clients can pay in advance and relax after their session

2. Reminders and Follow-ups

From promotional emails to appointment reminder texts, your clients want to hear from you (occasionally). Using automation and AI features, a good booking platform can handle a lot of this work for you. When it comes to digital communications:

• 41% of clients want a text or email follow-up on the same day as their appointments, whether it’s to say thanks or ask for a review

• Almost half (44%) of clients prefer appointment reminders via text, although 29% of clients want them via both text and email

• More than half of clients (54%) say that sending multiple messages per week feels like too much 

3. Memberships and Perks

Ideally, Gen Z and Millennial clients will want to book multiple sessions with you. That’s where memberships can be an incredible tool. Memberships can be good for everyone, saving money for clients while building a steady revenue stream for your business. More than half (53%) of clients want to book a second appointment before they leave your business, so give them a good reason to do it.

• Among top self-care businesses, memberships account for 72% of revenue

• More than half (55%) of clients expect self-care businesses to offer them memberships

• Two-thirds (67%) of clients are interested in memberships that offer regular discounts and savings

While Gen Z and Millennials can be demanding about the booking process, what they really want is a memorable self-care session. Easy booking may convince them to come once, but treatments that work and staff members who care can keep them coming back. For even more insights on how to attract new visitors and turn them into loyal clients, download The Self-Care Client Report 2026 from Boulevard.