subject: Online Scheduling Calendars Make Booking Easier For Small Businesses And Customers Alike [print this page] Convenience is certainly a factor many people consider when they look for a service provider. Hours of operation may be a consideration. The multitude of services or products could be another one. One consideration that's becoming more and more prevalent in today's 24/7, Internet-infused world is the ability to schedule appointments and book reservations online. Thanks to online scheduling calendars, service-based businesses can now offer this important benefit to customers while automating and improving their own scheduling procedures at the same time.
ONLINE SCHEDULING CALENDARS KEEP A BUSINESS OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY
It's not a stretch to say that normal business hours simply do not fit into most people's schedules, as they're typically at work during those times as well. They may not have the option to pick up the phone and call in their salon, massage or other appointment and, therefore, must contact the business after hours. However, unless the business has an answering service or off-hours receptionist, chances are they're going to reach a business's voice mail instead of a live person. They then can only request a specific appointment time-not confirm it-and the business owner and staff must then take time to follow up with all left messages.
This traditional method of booking appointments is outdated and ineffective. It also places limits on when a business can accept appointments. Properly-implemented online scheduling calendars keeps a business open 24 hours, as a customer can just as easily view availability and book an appointment at two o'clock in the morning or two o'clock in the afternoon.
Now let's look at another reason why the traditional method of scheduling is inconvenient: Some people simply do not want to pick up the phone to make an appointment. They conduct all of their other daily tasks online, so why not scheduling an appointment as well? This preference may also determine what service provider the customer frequents, as he or she might not even consider a business that doesn't offer online scheduling and instead choose one that does (and the ones that do are your competitors).
In addition to online self-scheduling, some online scheduling calendars also feature automated e-mail and text message reminders sent prior to a scheduled appointment or reservation time. Reminders are not only appreciated by customers, they can also help keep the business's appointment slots filled by decreasing the "no-show" rate. In fact, studies show that reminders of any kind can reduce this rate by over 50 percent, a significant figure for a business that relies on kept appointments for its operations to run smoothly.
ONLINE SCHEDULING CALENDARS BENEFIT BUSINESSES, TOO
Online scheduling calendars are a beloved service for most customers. And they're also an important tool in helping businesses improve their own scheduling processes. The key to a streamlined appointment-scheduling and reservation-booking process is automation, which most online scheduling calendars help businesses achieve.
The main feature that helps automate a scheduling process is online self-scheduling. Because customers can book their services online, they call in less frequently. This means that business owners, receptionists and staff will spend less time answering the phones, thereby freeing up their time for more pressing tasks.
They'll also spend less time recording appointment and customer information in paper schedule books, spreadsheets, database and the like, since all input appointment and reservation details are housed and managed automatically in one centralized location. This fact also makes it easy for businesses to extract information, instead of having to juggle numerous files and folders.
As mentioned above, appointment reminders go a long way in reducing "no-shows" who miss their scheduled times. But it takes a considerable amount of staff time to follow up with reminder phone calls, e-mails or postcards. When using online scheduling calendars, service providers need only specify when they want the e-mail or text message reminder to go out-for example, one day before the appointment or three days before the appointment-and the system does the rest.
AN AFFORDABLE SOLUTION FOR ALL BUSINESSES
Aside from the numerous features and functionality of online scheduling calendars, other appealing characteristics include price and implementation.
Many online scheduling calendars are what are commonly known as Software as a Service (SaaS) applications that offer "pay-as-you-go" payment options. They typically do not require any long-term contracts and offer affordable monthly service fees, which are important for many small businesses with limited budgets.
They're also easy to implement. Because most online scheduling calendars are Web-based, they only require an Internet connection to use. There are no downloads, no installations and no extra hardware required. And they don't require any internal or contracted IT support, as the service providers generally handles all maintenance, updates and upgrades. Business owners and customers simply access the online business calendar in the same way as any Web site.
Many software applications are not for everybody, but online scheduling calendars are perfect for any business that depends on and requires appointments and reservations. They can completely transform scheduling processes for both the business and its customers. Some scheduling software providers even offer a free trial of their service, so an owner and staff can see for themselves how the application can fit into their operations.
It's all about convenience for many customers. Be sure your business is giving them the convenience of online scheduling calendars.
