6 benefits of online appointment management

From medical centers and hair salons to sports clubs, more and more businesses are offering their customers online appointments. Given how much of our time we spend online — whether on mobile, tablet or our computers — it’s no surprise that consumers will happily make appointments via the internet. People like convenience and they like access 24/7, whether that’s booking a hotel room or scheduling an oil change.

Setting up an online appointment management system is straightforward and won't break the bank. Here are six business benefits of investing in one.

Customers can schedule after hours

Customers don't make decisions just during the working day. They might remember they need to schedule their vehicle for a service or tire alignment after dinner and want to lock it in then and there. If you offer online scheduling, your customers can make an appointment that suits them, at a time that suits them.

You'll get more appointments

Customers who book their own reservations are more likely to show up, so you'll have fewer “no-shows” to deal with. If your customer does need to cancel, they do it online and that space automatically opens up to another potential customer. You’ll also be more likely to fill those “last-minute” spots that might otherwise stay empty. By seeing the appointments available and taking their time to choose the best time for them, customers are more likely to lock it in then and there.

It frees up your staff

Instead of phone calls where your staff member and customer spend time deliberating over appointments and discussing how long the appointment will take and what it will involve, all this information is readily available to the customer online, and your staff can get on with other work. More self-service means fewer customer inquiries.

People expect it these days

Most consumers do their research online, especially before buying tires or scheduling with an auto technician. Once a customer is on your website, by offering them the opportunity to schedule with you then and there — especially if they are on mobile — rather than having to write down the phone number and call you, you’re more likely to get their business. And, if a customer calls to make an appointment and can’t get through to someone, or are directed to voicemail, they might choose to call your competitor rather than wait and call back.

You can easily manage your calendar

Online booking systems allow you to check your scheduled appointments, wherever you are. It can also show you when your most requested appointment times are, so you can consider putting on extra staff, and what type of appointments are most popular.

Gather information for your business

Online scheduling systems are more than just calendars; they enable detailed reports to be made, showing you the number of “no-shows” in any given period, the number of appointments done by individual staff members, how many appointments were booked as a result of a marketing promotion and full customer appointment histories. You’re also capturing more customer data at the time of scheduling, so it becomes easier to contact (that is, market to) customers in the hope they’ll give you more business in the future.

Tireweb Marketing's Ezytire and Bay Manager software features appointment management, allowing customers to seamlessly create appointments and receive SMS and email reminders. Store owners can manage service bays, appointment times, set rules for online appointments, and much more. Contact Ezytire for more information on (212) 634-4846 or visit www.ezytire.com.

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6 benefits of online appointment management