Are you expanding your service offerings as many salons are doing to provide your salon guests with an overall wellness experience? To evenly distribute sessions across your operating hours and to give guests options when it comes to securing their preferred day and time, you may want to consider implementing an online appointment book for scheduling tanning, spa or other ancillary services on your menu.
To effectively manage multiple service offerings, accepting appointments for everything from tanning to water massage sessions is crucial. How you accept these appointments is just as imperative. Some customers prefer to call and book an appointment, while others prefer the self-service method of booking an appointment themselves online at their convenience.
While it’s necessary to accommodate those who prefer to make in-person appointments or call your salon to book, it’s equally important to have the tools in place to meet the needs of those who prefer to schedule online. An online appointment book is not only of benefit to your customers, but your business will reap the rewards, as well.
An online appointment book will be a win-win for your salon and your customers!
When calling your salon to book an appointment, chances are a customer may have to leave a message from time to time – and we all know how a wild game of phone tag could ensue, possibly resulting in a loss of a reservation and potential revenue. An online appointment book can produce more booked appointments and minimize the occurrence of no-shows, since guests can schedule and cancel online even during non-business hours. And while some of your customers are booking online, your phone line will be free to answer calls from those who prefer to book with you over the phone.
Your online appointment book should be easily accessible – either via a link on your business’ website or social media page. You will also want the opportunity to customize the appointment book so that it has a similar look and feel to your website, including your company logo, so that the transition is transparent to the user.
The process of booking an appointment for an equipment type or for a custom service with a specified technician should be simple and intuitive. Without guidance, a customer must be able to easily select a preferred location, service, and date and time to seamlessly book an appointment. A confirmation email to follow will result in fewer no-shows, as well.
Just as your customers prefer different methods of scheduling an appointment, some also prefer using a desktop over a mobile device, and vice versa. As a result, you want to confirm that your online appointment book has a responsive layout and that it is optimized for various device types.
When preparing to implement an online appointment book, probably the most notable consideration is that it is integrated with your point-of-sale system, so that you can easily view your customer’s upcoming and historical appointments and get them checked in quickly while reducing the chance for double bookings.
Offering the option for both existing and prospective customers to schedule an appointment at your salon will affirm the high demand for your service offerings. If you haven’t already considered implementing an online appointment book, it’s time to do so – it will be a win-win for your salon and your customers!
