What if a Member Wants to Cancel?

Today, we are considering, “What if you signed a patient up for your membership and he or she wants to cancel and leave the membership early?” 

Membership Agreement

First and foremost, before you even sign anybody up, you need to make sure that you have a membership agreement that includes all of the terms of the agreement. In regards to cancellation, I do recommend having an early cancellation fee, stipulated in the membership agreement. At Origins Functional Medicine, ours is $300 if patients want to cancel early. Make sure all of that is spelled out for your patients because it will come up with some patients at some point.  You also want to make sure that you're very clear in describing to your patients what you will be doing over the course of the year, so they understand what they'll be gaining during that time period with you. There should be no surprises at any time throughout the year. 

Canceling Membership

Too Costly

The most frequent reason for patients wanting to cancel early is that it is too costly in terms of supplements and labs. That's one of the main things in about month three or four. They may be like, “Oh, I can't do this every single month.” I recommend to physicians what I normally do at every appointment: reload the cart with the supplements that you are recommending and tell patients the price of labs. Then flat out ask them, “Are you able to do this this month?” “Is this amount of investment for the supplements or the labs something that you're able to do?” And most of the time, they say, “Yes,” but they may reply, “You know I really can't do that this month.” Then, you have to decide which supplements can wait and what you really need to work on at this point.

Remember that supplements are just that—they're supplemental. Working on those lifestyle aspects, such as thought work, nervous system, and things like that, are free. Those implementations can also lead to their healing. So, that's number one—doing a preventative action and checking in with them. You don't want them to not say anything, and then month four or five later say, “This is too expensive. I just can't do it.” 

I never assume anything. I'm always asking questions such as, “How are these plans going for you?” “How is the financial commitment?” At every appointment, I'm asking their feedback for the investment. That's number one—the investment. And then if they do say, “I need to cancel early,” you know it’s because they just can't continue to afford this. Then you ask, “Is there an issue with the supplements and/or labs, or is there a issue with the membership fee itself?” You can always make adjustments to the labs and the supplements, and you would hate to see them lose the progress that they have gained. You want to still be there to support them. There are so many other things within your membership for them to take advantage of that they're already paying for, such as the classes that you have if you contracted with independent contractors that they paid for within the membership. So, there are these other things that they have to take advantage of and are also extremely healing for them. That's important to distinguish.

90-Day Break

At times, I do offer a 90-day break. If they say, “You know there's an expense that all of a sudden came up…” Maybe they have something with their car, or their child needs something. I may say, “Would a 90-day break be helpful for you?” Then you can start back after the break is over. 

I'm just setting the stage and being curious and asking questions, because the feedback that they give you is something that you can work with. And it gives you information about how you've set up your membership, how you've set up your appointments, and if there's anything that needs to be adjusted, then you can go ahead and make those changes moving forward for the next person. You're always pivoting. 

Creating a Plan Together

Another reason I hear that patients want to cancel early is due to the fact that sometimes people go overboard with the supplements. They start with those foundational supplements, and then they keep adding to them. By month five or six, patients are on 10+ supplements, and I think that can be difficult for patients to sustain over time, especially if they feel like that is the main piece of the practice, the main intervention being advised—prescriptions or supplements.

So, make sure that you're rotating them out like, “Okay, you're focused on gut right now. These are the gut healing supplements.” And then you move on and do something else, and it's a bit of, “You can discontinue these and we're going to add on this. Is this doable?” You are doing the schedule with them. It can be, “Do this at breakfast, this at lunch, and this at dinner. Is that something that you can do?” You are always checking in, always working with their schedule, making sure that you are discontinuing things that they don't need anymore. 

You always want to make sure that they have those wins, that they're able to comply; because if they're having trouble complying with either the nutritional plan or the supplement plan or the exercise plan, whatever you have them doing, then they would rather probably stop than have to come in and tell you that they haven't done half the things you've asked them to do. So, you’re always making sure that whatever plan you are creating that you are establishing it with them and that they're agreeing to it. You don't want to say, “This is everything you have to do. And I'll see you in two months.” Without more direction, they may come back and say, “I didn’t do any of it.”

No one wants to feel like that on a regular basis. Create the plan together, and check in frequently to keep the patient in check and "with the program."

In Review

Again, those are the three primary reasons that I hear that people want to cancel early.

First, it is because it's financially too much with the addition of the supplements and the labs. Our membership fees are only included services; they don't include the supplements or labs. The beauty in that is they can be adjusted based on your patients’ needs. That's number one. Always ask them at every appointment how that is for them. 

Second, it is because they're not able to handle the plan that you're giving them. And so, we just need to make sure that when you are developing that plan that you're doing it with them together, which will help that. 

And the third piece is offering them that 90-day break. Be curious. Ask them why. Ask them what's occurring for them. You would rather them tell you than complain to their partner, complain to their spouse, and then just become so fed up after a few months that they're just like “Ah, forget it, I'm just going to cancel.” You need to be involved in those conversations. 

Conclusion

You can make those tiny adjustments in the beginning of arising issues, as opposed to trying to salvage a membership when they already have one foot out the door, having already made their decision. Make sure you're checking in with the patient at every appointment: how are things going, ask them about the time commitment, the do-ability and the financial piece of it-- at every single appointment. Then you can avoid some of those cancellations before patients have asked for it, and they've already made up their mind. 

If you do come to a cancellation with a patient, keep your head up, knowing that you did your best for them and that you certainly brought them to a greater understanding of health, wellness, and healing.