Blog | Booksalon

Time to introduce an electronic calendar and booking system

Written by Joel Castren | May 17, 2022 3:49:28 PM

At booksalon, we’ve heard countless myths about electronic booking systems. Here are a few we want to set straight…

  • “I’m bad with computers! I’ll never learn how to use an electronic appointment system” - If you know how to use a smartphone and websites like Facebook, you’re guaranteed to be able to use an electronic appointment system as well.

  • “I don’t want customers to be free to choose their own times online. It could mess up my schedule” - The electronic calendar can be enabled for your personal use without making appointments available to your customers. This way you can use the digital calendar just like you do your traditional paper calendar. When you are ready to publish your calendar, you can then set restrictions on what time slots your customers can book so they don’t book when you are on breaks or unavailable. Eventually your new electronic system will free you completely from the hassle of phone bookings.

  • “I have such a well-established client base that I just don’t need more clients and I’ve learned to do checkout reports pretty quickly anyway” - That’s great! But things can always be done better. Remember that some client turnover is inevitable, and most clients (especially new ones) expect service online nowadays. Your current clients may need to cancel bookings as well, and it’s important to offer these cancellations as quickly as possible to other potential clients.

 

6 reasons it’s time to switch to an electronic calendar and appointment system

  1. It is FREE!

    You will receive an electronic calendar and appointment system from booksalon completely free of charge and without the commitment of lengthy minimum terms.

  2. It reduces last minute cancellations

    Even if your calendar is full, last-minute cancellations and no-shows can always occur to impact on your revenues. Booksalon's electronic appointment system automatically sends your client a reminder message when their reservation is approaching. They can choose either text message or e-mail reminders to help them remember when their booking is coming up.

  3. It can be accessed anywhere

    Can you remember what time Monday's first client is due to arrive? Imagine the scenario: you’re relaxing on a Sunday evening when you realize you’ve left your paper calendar at work. You have no idea when you need to open the salon the next day. With booksalon, as long as you have an internet connection, your electronic calendar is always just a few clicks away.

  4. It takes care of bookings for you

    You no longer need to worry about always being by the phone. The online booking system handles client appointments while you’re serving clients, during your time off, and even while you’re fast asleep. That means you can either focus on your clients or make the most of your well-earned free time. And remember, you are in control of the time slots your clients can book. 

  5. It’s a competitive advantage

    Easy access to services remains one of the most effective ways of standing out from the competition. More and more companies are becoming “digitally mature”, and clients have become accustomed to the benefits of digital services their favorite businesses offer. Many clients, especially young people, value being able to book services when and how it suits them best.

  6. It encourages after-sales

Have you ever wondered how to turn casual clients into regulars? The salon industry is highly competitive, and this makes it difficult to strengthen client relationships. But what if you could send newsletters and reminders about your business to your one-off clients via email?

With an electronic appointment system, you can obtain your clients' emails, and if they opt-in to marketing communications, you can promote your relevant services to them and even offer unique deals to encourage them to return more often.

 
 

Some words from our clients who made the switch from paper calendar to electronic appointment system:

“When a client calls, for example when I’m at the store, and wants to book an appointment, I can now do everything on my phone. I don’t have to dig out my paper calendar in an awkward place.”

-Johanna L

“Now that our clients know how to book online, time on the phone has gone down 70%. If we used to talk on the phone 20min/day, now it is just 7min/day.”

-Sanna K.

“At first we thought the times booked online needed to be corrected. Now clients do it themselves according to our terms. We have all been calmer since the system was introduced, and there have been no need for adjustments.”

-Outi M.

 

Enable booksalon's free appointment system

Contact a booksalon specialist for more information on booksalon's free appointment system and calendar. Book an appointment below and receive free tips for setting up the service. If you don’t have any questions, start your trial right away for free via the link below!