3 ways self-service scheduling software can grow your business

Businesses that rely on providing services via appointments — hair salons, dental offices, consulting and law firms, etc. — need a dependable way to manage the bookings process. The right online solution will offer easy interfaces to both customers and employees, as well as convenient features that save time and money for everybody.

If you’re keen on boosting profitability, increasing productivity, or enhancing customer relationships, take a look at some reasons why a great appointment software can make for an even greater business experience.

Convenience for customers

Online appointment scheduling gives customers more freedom. They can review available timeslots at their leisure, book at any hour of the day, and easily reschedule when a conflict arises — all without having to make a phone call. What’s more, they’ll be able to add appointments to their personal calendars with the click of a button, and can elect to receive helpful reminder emails. At a time when 75% of millennials choose texting over talking on the phone, you can bet more and more people will appreciate these aspects of online booking.

A clear scheduling solution not only helps organize work activities and connect with clients, it should also process collections with ease. Look for software that integrates online payment and can accept payments from credit cards, debit cards, money transfer services and bank transfers.

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Business owners should make sure to choose a bookings software that works well on both larger screens and mobile devices, as mobile and tablet internet usage recently eclipsed desktop usage for the first time.

Advanced features for business owners

Online appointment scheduling should offer equivalent flexibility to employees, who may need to manually schedule, reschedule, cancel, or otherwise modify appointments based on stray phone calls and emails from customers. But good booking software should also do more. Additional features to look for include a customer and client list and email integration. In tandem, these capabilities make it easy for business owners and managers to generate (and stay in touch with) a large mailing list.

Managers should also be able to use their bookings software to modify staff lists, define services and pricing, and set hours. In other words, it should be easy to update the information that both customers and employees need to know, in a way that anyone can view it.

A business-facing app

According to recent research, a greater percentage of mobile device users prefer apps to browsers. Accordingly, a good bookings service should provide a mobile app that offers the same functionality and features found in the web version. This allows business owners to keep their company’s operations moving smoothly, even when on the go.

Setting up online appointment scheduling for your business doesn’t have to be a difficult process. Good bookings software can work just as well as a customized solution — just make sure you seek out the options you need.

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3 ways self-service scheduling software can grow your business

Convenience for customers

Keep your team connected securely

Advanced features for business owners

A business-facing app

Get started with Microsoft 365

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