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Four free Booking engines you might consider adding to your website.
The most frequently searched questions of the Covid-19 pandemic are not what you might expect. They are not related to the threat of apost-apocalyptic future. They are not related to the doom and gloom stories of the present. They are not even a rose-tinted look how things were when we were all normal people. No, the most searched queries of Google Ireland concern the predicted opening times of gyms, dentists, barbers, beauty shops and hair salons. There may be a post-apocalyptic future, but we want to look ‘on fleek’ if we have to face it.
The countdown to those phased opening times are bringing a flurry of activity to the websites of health spas, beauty salons, barbers, tanning salons and nail technicians. One hair salon has taken over €20,000 in booking deposits and another beauty site has over 400 people on a waiting list for hair extensions. The public is getting their priorities in order and website owners should be doing the same.
If you can not take orders on line, now is the time to change that.
If your website does not have the capability to take bookings, pre-orders and scheduled appointments, then you may get left behind in the race for waxing and dental fillings. It is not as difficult to do as you may think and there are a variety of free options. Having a booking engine on your site would take the worry out of those panicked days when the phones will hop with pleads for consultations and the queue will be lined up around the block. Physically distanced of course!
A scheduling system can transform your website not only by allowing you to take bookings in advance, but it will also allow you to make better planning arrangements for staff and stock while freeing up the manpower required to take and arrange bookings.
Here are four Free Scheduling tools that you can add to your website to make life easier.
Download a free version and start online reservation scheduling by creating your own booking system. It’s a good one to start with as the booking system is simple enough, but you can add payment options later. It will connect with six of your other calendars (Google etc) which will help in organising the appointments.
There is a free version, an online trial and a paid version of Calendly. Described as a scheduling tool Try it out before you buy and the likelihood is that the free version may do all you need. Calendly works with Google, Office 365 and Outlook calendars and apps like Salesforce, Stripe, GoToMeeting and Zapier so it is fairly flexible. Embed the app in your website so that clients may make bookings directly.
This scheduling system looks cool and easy to use. They give a free service for up to 50 customers, so it’s directed to start-ups and the smaller business, property rentals and therapists. Its plain English website is a boon to anyone wanting step by step instructions on installation and functionality.
Online booking with a chic look and good functionality. This scheduling system doesn’t just organise the bookings. If you want, it will assist in coordinating staff with busy times. It will display and analyse the no-shows. It can also collate data on the most popular services, staff and times of appointments. 10to8 is free to small business and then priced on a sliding scale.
Adding a scheduling/booking system to your website is a necessity in these uncertain times. There will be the positive effect of seeing those virtual queues as you plan your return to a post Covid-19 workplace. The new cleaning regimes and the adjustment of a long people filled workday will be enough to deal with. Choose a booking engine for your website and let the appointment scheduling be one less worry.
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