Technology Tip
Dave Pelland has extensive experience covering the business use of technology, networking and communications tools by companies of all sizes. Dave's editorial and corporate experience includes more than 10 years editing an electronic technology and communications industry newsletter for a global professional services firm.

Small Business Appointment Management Tools

Small Business Appointment Management Tools

If your service-based business depends on customer appointments, online scheduling tools can help you save time and increase efficiency by allowing customers to create their own bookings.

A variety of services and apps can streamline the appointment booking process. Instead of relying on phone calls or emails to schedule appointments, you create slots for appointments and allow customers to book their own sessions online or via an app, at a time that’s most convenient for them.

Shifting your appointment scheduling online offers a number of benefits for you and your customers:

  • Increased convenience: Instead of having to answer the phone, and potentially interrupting your service to another customer, you allow customers to schedule their own appointments.
  • Around the clock service: A customer who is interested in scheduling an appointment doesn’t have to wait for your business to open so they can call.
  • Reduced communications: Online bookings eliminate emails or conversations in which both parties check their respective calendars to find open time slots. Everyone can see when you are available and can make the best choice for their needs.
  • No double-bookings: If you’re relying on a paper-based appointment book, it’s easy to write down an appointment in the wrong slot and accidentally double-book someone or to leave an appointment slot open. Scheduling software eliminates both problems.
  • No time-zone confusion: If you serve customers in a different time zone, the software accounts for that difference automatically. Neither party has to worry about which time zone they’re scheduling a meeting in.
  • Easier rescheduling: if a customer needs to cancel or reschedule a meeting or appointment, they can do so without contacting you.
  • Current information: You automatically see the most recent version of your schedule as it’s updated in real time.

In addition, most services integrate with your existing online calendar to streamline your overall scheduling, and allow you and your team members to see each other’s calendars at a glance. This can help you schedule your staff more efficiently and ensure you have coverage for peak times.

Some services also offer automatic client reminders, such as sending appointment confirmations (as meetings are booked) and text messages the night before. These features can help reduce potential confusion as well as the risk of a customer no-show.

If you depend on a local customer base, you should choose an appointment scheduling service that integrates with your Google local business profile. This will offer prospects and customers the option to find an open slot and book directly from search engine results or your company’s Google Maps listing.

Making Your Choice

With a growing number of services to choose from, making the best selection for your company may seem daunting. Fortunately, most offer trial periods so you and your team members can experiment.

Probably the most important criteria for your choice is how easy a service is to use. Pretend you’re a customer and try making a sample appointment to get a sense of how intuitive the process is, and if you get the appropriate confirmation and reminder.

You should also consider if you want to integrate your scheduling system with other tools you are using, such as your point-of-service device or customer database.

By considering your needs and testing various platforms, you can choose the best appointment management platform for your company and your customers.


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