Online booking, to do or not to do?

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Jon1

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Hi, just a quick one on online bookings. I'm hesitant to turn it on based on it giving the customer too many options.

I feel an email/online booking request form would suit better and we can then work out a time that suits us best. Do people find with their online booking that they have to move people a bit to make gaps disappear or how do they find it?
 
My clients all say how much they love my online booking and it helps me out so much by saving time.
My hairdresser didn’t like it so much because people would book in at the end of the day for highlights without taking into consideration the develop time and blow dry/cut afterwards. I’m sure there are ways around this though.
I actually removed my contact form from off my website because I got a lot of time wasters. It was almost too easy to send a quick message, when all the information they were requesting was right there on the website.
I use timely.
 
I write as an accountant but can say that all my salon owner clients use on line booking and love it.

You’re freeing up valuable staff time and feedback from the salons’ clients is great - they love it too.

With the better softwares like timely, you can ensure that different services have different reservation periods - so to block out the right amount of time ( and so no 90 minute appointments at 630 in the evening for example).
 
Hi, just a quick one on online bookings. I'm hesitant to turn it on based on it giving the customer too many options.

I feel an email/online booking request form would suit better and we can then work out a time that suits us best. Do people find with their online booking that they have to move people a bit to make gaps disappear or how do they find it?

Online bookings are one more way to boost the overall customers’ satisfaction. However, you must keep in mind that not every customer is tech-savvy and if you use an app, you need to create a video tutorial to help people get to know the features of the app. You can also use Facebook for quickly accepting online appointments. Facebook has a "Book Now" button that enables you to accept bookings and list your services.
 
100% get online booking. We have noticed a massive shift towards online booking and clients love it. As long as your system is good and easy for them to use. I have a crazy busy diary and many of my clients will look through the online booking to see when I have time and then phone to book it rather than on the phone for 15 minutes going over all the options. It’s all about making it as easy as possible for people to make an appointment and if they book wrong you give them a call or email and fix it. Our system makes it clear that new clients must have a 48 hour patch test done prior to colour services. I think you need to be doing this.
 
Definitely, have been doing it for 4 years now and clients love the convenience. You can control the times you offer on line and mine is set so people can’t book more than 3 weeks in advance to enable my 6 week regulars to get priority when they prebook at their appointments. Saves a lot of time spent on the phone too which is great for me as I work on my own a lot of the time.
 
I suppose I'm looking at it from another angle. I've a full time receptionist, one of her main tasks is to get rid of 15 minute slots scattered throughout the day. I feel giving customers ultimate control will increase this. Definitely need a booking presence online though. We'll see how it goes
 
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I love it for clients who are already a client and know what they are booking. So I send them a link once they've been a few times.

New clients I prefer to book in myself as many don't read the part where I say they need a patch test first or book in the wrong service
 
I suppose I'm looking at it from another angle. I've a full time receptionist, one of her main tasks is to get rid of 15 minute slots scattered throughout the day. I feel giving customers ultimate control will increase this. Definitely need a booking presence online though. We'll see how it goes
Hi there, With Booksy you can set it so it wont leave you with 15 minute gaps and will then in turn maximise your day and leave your receptionist to focus on clients more. Hope this helps. Any questions drop me or us a line xx
 

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