Many of my clients operate businesses based on appointment booking. From automotive garages, massage therapists, hair salons to bookkeepers and more, online booking can have a great impact on traffic to your business.
Make Online Booking Easy for Regular Customers
Online booking makes it easier for your customers to book appointments with you. Regular customers can book, change, cancel or reschedule their appointment, all without picking up the phone. Not only is this easier for them, but it saves you time avoiding those 3-5 phone calls.
Encourage New Clients to Book
Online booking can also be a great tool for new customers looking to try your services. Maybe you’re interested in applying an introductory booking offer? Again, they don’t have to pick up the phone to see your availability and make their own appointment. Presently it seems most people prefer to not speak on the phone. However, you will find that if they have questions about your services, they may book an appointment online and follow up with a quick phone call.
Features to Consider When Choosing an Online Booking Platform
There are many features to consider when choosing an online booking platform. These features will be specific to your business, your needs and what you consider to be so important you can’t live without it. The goal of this plugin is to make booking as simple as possible for your customers and for your business. There is a solution out there for everyone.
Keep in Mind:
- Number of services offered
- Number of staff members
- Availability: Consistent hours daily/weekly or always changing?
Questions to Ask Yourself:
- Do you need clean-up/set-up time in between Appointments?
- How far in advance can people book/cancel appointments?
- Do you want text message & email reminders?
- Do you want a customer portal where customers can view/edit their upcoming appointments?
- Would you like this to also serve as a CRM tool?
- Do you want to accept payments online at time of booking?
- Would you like it to connect with your current invoicing system?
- Do you need to be able to keep customer records and be able to share them with the customer?
If you’re thinking of implementing a new online booking system, it’s important to first sit down and find out your exact business needs. Like buying a house, make your wish list and then start looking for solutions that fit. If this task seems daunting, give us a call and let’s figure it out together.
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Until next time,
Deanna
