When you’re searching for software for appointments – there are two critical questions you must ask:

Am I looking for appointment scheduling software for my clients’ websites?

or

Am I looking for appointment scheduling software for my business’ website?

It makes a HUGE difference which of the questions above you answer yes to.  If you answered yes to the first question and you’re a web developer – then you’re probably searching for an easy to implement white label reseller online appointment scheduling software.

Of course, it’s possible you’re wanting to re-invent the wheel and invent your own online appointment scheduling software. If that’s the case – then interview customers of the popular online appointment scheduling services and find out where those software solutions are “falling short” and then “build a better mousetrap”.

A word of warning though:  if you’re thinking of developing software for online appointments – I think you’ll find that there are some exceptional online appointment scheduling resources out there – the biggest issue is getting business owners “on board” to try the services.

Which brings us to the second question we asked in the opening paragraph.  If you’re a business owner – and you’re searching for software to make appointment online – CONGRATULATIONS!!!  You’re in the right place!!!

If you’re like most business owners who give online appointment scheduling a try – you’ll probably discover what other businesses have discovered – that offering online appointment scheduling can increase your business.  In a few cases – adding online appointment scheduling has increased appointment EXPONENTIALLY for business owners who implement an easy to use, intuitive online appointment scheduling service.

So what do you need to do to begin using online appointment scheduling software for your business?

Begin by signing up with one of the many online appointment scheduling services that offers a free 30 day trial.

In most cases – you’ll be able to complete your business profile and set up your online appointment scheduling in a matter of minutes.  Then it’s simply a matter of adding a link to your website with an explanation that they should “click the link below” to schedule an appointment with your business online.

The 30 day free trial offers are so that business owners can see how truly effective online appointment scheduling is and how it can really increase client bookings.

The world we live in is becoming more centered on the internet everyday.  As more and more people spend more time online – they are starting to EXPECT to be able to schedule appointments online with your business.

If you haven’t already – sign up with one of the many online appointment scheduling sites to begin offering this essential tool to your business.

If appointments are the lifeblood of your business – then your website should be taking appointments online. 

Another reason to take appointments online: Smart phone usage is skyrocketing

Smart phones are those amazing cell phones which allow users to access the web wherever and whenever they want.  One of the most popular smart phones on the market is the iPhone – but there are literally dozens of others which continue to saturate the market.  Smart phones are one of the fastest growing segments in consumer electronics.  A recent Neilson report shows that in the US – smartphones now make up the majority of cell phone purchases.

This increase in smart phone ownership and usage means more and more consumers are using the web in place of the old fashioned yellow page directories to find information about businesses.  That means that

Taking appointments online is more important now than ever before

Now – more than ever – consumers are using the web to find information about your business. When they find your website – what will they find?  Hopefully they’ll find lots of reasons why they should schedule an appointment with your business IMMEDIATELY.

When you website provides compelling reasons why the best thing visitors can do is to get an appointment to see you ASAP – it just makes sense to make it quick and easy for them to make an appointment right from your website.

Now – if you’re thinking that it takes some kind of technical genius to use online appointment scheduling software – think again.  The latest versions of popular online appointment scheduling software are so easy – even your grandmother could do it.  I could have said “Even a child could do it” – but today’s tech savvy kids have taken the “punch” out of that statement!

One of the easiest and most intuitive online appointment scheduling systems is Genbook. They even have prepared templates for various types of businesses.  For example, if you’re a chiropractor in need of online appointment scheduling you’ll find ready made template which make creating your online appointment scheduling system incredibly easy.  It’s as easy as filling in the blanks with your own practice hours and information.  You can even select different blocks of time for different procedures.

If you take appointments – the time is now to add online appointment scheduling to your website.  Not only is adding online appointment scheduling easy it’s also incredibly affordable.  So there’s no excuse for NOT adding online appointment scheduling to your website.

Attention chiropractors – if you don’t offer online appointment scheduling for your patients – you are missing out on not only attracting new patients to your practice – but you’re also missing out on repeat appointments by current patients.

Here’s a quick real life example of how adding online appointment scheduling can help chiropractors grow their practice.

During her junior year, my daughter was involved in a very serious car crash. She was returning to campus across the state when an oncoming driver tried to pass a truck as she was approaching.  Fortunately – she jerked the wheel and was able to avoid a head on collision – but the damage to the vehicle was severe. It was so severe, that the impact tore a HOLE in the door behind the driver’s seat.  Needless to say – my daughter suffered serious neck injuries from the crash and despite her youth – will now be a chiropractic patient for life.

After the accident – blinding headaches and nerve pain force her to drop out of school to recover from her injuries.  She saw her local chiropractor 3 times a week for 8 weeks.  Eventually she began seeing her chiropractor two times a week – and then once a week – and finally she was released to “as needed” appointments.

Thanks to her chiropractor’s skillful manipulations -she was able to return to school full time the following semester.  She returned to busy and active life of campus – but was occasionally plagued by recurring headaches.

Here’s where online appointment scheduling enters the picture – and how her current chiropractors LACK of online appointment scheduling is costing her repeat visits from a very grateful patients.

I had been hearing my daughter complain about the return of her headaches for a few days when I asked her why she didn’t schedule an appointment with her chiropractor.  Her response:

“I only have the headaches at the end of the day.  My chiropractor’s office isn’t open then – so I keep meaning to call in the morning.   But then, I’m usually running late for class and don’t think about scheduling the appointment until that evening – when the headache returns.”

If her current chiropractor offered online appointment scheduling – she would have seen my daughter every week for the past 4 weeks.  If another chiropractor offered online appointment scheduling – he/she could “steal” my daughter as a patient away from her current chiropractor – because after 4 weeks of evening headaches – my daughter would be a SUCKER for anyone who would allow her to schedule an appointment – online – conveniently from her iPhone.

Are you a chiropractor?  Do you offer online appointment scheduling?  Just one patient scheduling one extra appointment can easily pay for the service… imagine how busy you could be if 20 patients scheduled one extra appointment a month!

If you’re a consultant – time is money.  Your time is valuable – too valuable to be spending all day playing email tag (or worse yet – phone tag) trying to nail down an appointment time that works for both you and your client.  Online appointment scheduling allows your clients to quickly and easily book time with you – without spending hours playing email or phone tag.

In addition to eliminating the unproductive practice of playing phone or email tag – offering online appointment scheduling can reduce appointment no shows.   A few weeks ago – I called a client of mine about 5 minutes before our scheduled appointment time.  As she answered the phone, I could hear the tension in her voice.  When she realized I wasn’t calling  to cancel our appointment – she shared with me that every other time someone has called shortly before the scheduled appointment time – they were calling to cancel their appointment.  Those are the worst – because with such short notice – there’s no WAY to fill the appointment time.

So it’s obvious how online appointment booking can end the unproductive game of “phone tag”.  Clients simply log on – book their appointment and in some cases – such as Genbook – pay for the time in advance.   However, one of the BEST things about appointments booked using online appointment scheduling services is that email reminders are sent to the client to remind them of the appointment.

Life gets as hectic for clients as it does for consultants and it’s nice to know that email appointment reminders sent automatically by virtually every online appointment scheduling system.  Many systems allow consultants to require a specified amount of time – say  24 hour notice -  to reschedule appointments made online.

The end of phone tag is just one of the many benefits of online appointment scheduling for your consulting practice. Many consultants find that current clients book more frequently when online appointment scheduling is offered.   So what are you waiting for?  If you can’t decide which online appointment scheduling service to use – try Genbook.  With a 30 day free trial – its a great way to see all the benefits of online appointment scheduling.

Time is money – and when clients don’t show up for their appointments – you lose both!

It’s the bane of your existence – you book an appointment with a client who then fails to show up.  Not only are you out the revenue from that client – but often you lost the opportunity to serve ANOTHER client as well.

One way to reduce no-shows is to charge a fee – however it’s hard to collect a fee from a customer who never returns – and charging a fee for no-shows is a GREAT way to make sure a client who misses their appointment won’t be back.

You really don’t want a missed appointment to ruin your relationship with a client – but it would also be nice if you could discreetly and easily collect the no-show fee from clients who book time with you and then leave you hanging.

Genbook

offers true 24X7 online appointment scheduling plus timely appointment reminders for your clients – so they won’t miss the appointments they’ve booked with you.

In our highly connected world – where consumers are rarely more than a few feet from their cell phone – the ability to send timely appointment reminders can literally be more than enough to justify using Genbook’s online appintment scheduling service.

However, there’s another nifty feature in which Genbook can capture your client’s Credit Card information.  This helps protect you against no-shows by requiring customer credit card numbers, which are stored safely and securely.

You can turn the feature on or off as you desire, and choose to charge fees according to your cancellation policy.

Some businesses have reported that adding online appo0intment scheduling have helped boost their client base by 400%!

No shows cost you time and money.  Genbook helps you reduce no-shows two ways – by sending timely appointment reminders to clients and by offering you the ability to charge for no shows.

Genbook offers a 30 day free trial and packages start at just $19.95 per month.  At that price point – how many new customers would it take to cover that expense?

In my practice – I work with small business owners who are beginning to build a successful business.  When I work with these clients – I am positively fanatical about focusing upon the CONSUMER – because the consumer is the ultimate “boss”.

It’s not exactly a well kept secret that pleasing the consumer is a critical element in the success of your business.

So – when I got a comment from Ron on this blog over at my free appointment scheduling page - I was horrified to read that – in his opinion – online appo0intment scheduling software is all about making HIS life easier.

I sincerely hope Ron isn’t a business owner – because with that attitude – he’s not going to be in business for very long.

Your business should offer online appointment booking – simply because it makes life EASIER on your CUSTOMERS.

Now, I’m not saying that adding online appointment booking is going to be a great burden for you as a business owner – it’s not.  I’ve found amongst my clients that transferring your appointment book to the web is a wonderfully freeing experience.

However, change is difficult for most of us- there’s no question about that.  As a business owner, you’ll surely want to take some time to compare the various online appointment software options available and see which one works best for your business.  Different online appointment book software programs offer different features.

For example, Genbook offers real time 24X7 scheduling – and unlimited appointments for as little as $19.95 per month.

If you’re a solo practitioner who needs precision scheduling, mobile access and makes most of your contacts via Facebook – then Genbook is ideal for your practice.

However, if you want your appointment book software to act like a marketing tool as well -you might want to check out Appointments Plus - which offers additional modules which help you to leverage your online appointment booking software and make it really earn it’s keep creating more business for your business.

For example, Appointments Plus offer an invaluable feature which allows you to make sure your repeat customers remain repeat customers.A software module can be added which automatically send e-mails to customers who have not made an appointment in a specified time frame. You can set the time frame and can customize the text in the e-mail. Appointments Plus also offers a module which will allow your customers to purchase gift certificates through your site.  This module automatically e-mails the gift certificate to the sender or the recipient.

If your business relies on repeat business – or if your business or salson sells gift certificates -  you’ll definitely want to check out Appointments Plus.

There is no “one size fits all” option when it comes to online appointment scheduling – but one thing is for sure – consumers LIKE the ability to book online.  When businesses big and small begin offering online appointment scheduling – there is frequently a significant upward trend in bookings and profits.

Consumers are accessing the web using smart phones to find information about local businesses – and adding the ability to book appointments quickly and easily online just makes good business sense.

There are a lot of perks to being a solo-entrepreneur, but acting as your own receptionist is NOT one of them!!!

If you’re an independent service provider, no one has to tell you that appointments are the lifeblood of your business.  However, your job is NOT scheduling appointments – it’s delivering your expertise to your clients.  You need a quick, easy and efficient way of getting those appointments scheduled efficiently, effectively.

Online appointment scheduling scheduling is an ideal way to book appointments, whether you’re a small business or an independent service professional.  When you use online appointment scheduling, you or your staff spends less time on the phone booking appointments.

By offering the option to book appointments online, you can allow customers to see the times you have available and choose the appointment time that is best for them.  You’ll also be able to avoid over booking.

Online appointment scheduling is ideal for the professional who travels as well.  Many online appointment scheduling services offer email updates and the ability to view your calendar from any web enabled device.

However, the absolute BEST part about online appointment scheduling is how EASY it is to use and how FLEXIBLE it is.

• Both  your staff and customers can book appointments online, 24/7
• Spend less time on the phone scheduling customer appointments
• You can accept secure credit card payments from your customers online
• You’ll have peace of mind that you’ll never miss an appointment.
• You’ll get  instant notifications on all new appointments by e-mail
• View your appointment calendar from office, home, on the road
• Send automatic appointment reminders to your customers
• Prevent over-booking, missed and late appointments
• Maintain easy to access online database of your customers
• Effectively manage your time, resources

Genbook not only offers all of this – you can try Genbook for FREE.

This is a fully functional free version for you to use for 30 days so you can see if online appointment scheduling is right for your business.  How can they offer free online appointment scheduling?

Well, Genbook is confident that once you’ve seen how easy it is for you AND your customers – and when you see how online appointment scheduling builds your business – they’re sure you’ll want to access all the features Genbook has to offer.  Try it for free today!

The number one BURNING question for anyone who is considering online appointment booking for their business is the fear that they have to choose one or the other.  Does using online appointment booking to schedule appointments mean that clients can’t call to schedule appointments?

The answer is a resounding “You can have your online appointment scheduling CAKE and allow clients to schedule appointments traditionally!”

Many businesses that offer online appointment scheduling are able to accept appointment bookings over the phone as well.

You are still able to accept bookings by any means you do currently. Such bookings must be entered into your online appointment scheduling system.

By using most online appointment scheduling systems, you or your receptionist merely enters the appointment into the online system – much in the same manner as you used to do with your traditional paper based appointment system.  However, by using the online appointment scheduling, clients can be sent email reminders of upcoming appointments.  Some systems even allow you to collect your fees for the services at the time of scheduling the appointment.

Think of online appointment booking as a VALUE ADDED service instead of a competitor for your traditional paper based appointment booking system.  By shifting online appointment scheduling online, you offer the ability for your clients to schedule their own time AND most online appointment scheduling services increase the client compliance by sending follow up emails, reminding them of your scheduled appointment.

You’ve heard the hype – that people LOVE the freedom and convenience of booking their appointment online.  However, you’re not sure if online scheduling services are for you.  So, instead of diving head first into the online appointment booking waters, you decide to test the waters with one of the many FREE online scheduling services.

Here are some free online scheduling services

• Create Appointments
  Createappointments.com provides free internet scheduling solutions without the hassle of downloading or installing software.  It’s so easy to use that you can create an online appointment book in minutes.
• Click Book
  With a Simple and Easy online scheduling interface, Clickbooks means that you and your clients will enjoy making appointments without any hassles, 24/7. While ClickBook is a free service, there is a fee for the  SMS messaging to mobile devices for the purpose of confirmation and reminder notifications, fees for which are incurred by the Service Provider.
• Bravenet.com
  Using the Bravenet Online Calendar’s Month, Week, and Day-at-a-glance views you’ll be able to prioritize your appointments quickly and easily. You’ll also be prepared – stay on top of meetings, appointments, and special occasions.  Best of all, there’s nothing to download. Just register the service, copy the code onto your webpage, and begin using your service.
• GenBook
  Genbook is the best choice when it comes to free online scheduling services.  The reason why Genbook is the absolute BEST choice when it comes to a free online appointment scheduling service is that you can start with the FREE version and when your online appointment scheduling needs grow, Genbook can grow right along with your business.

  It’s entirely possible that your clients/customers/patients are going to LOVE the convenience online appointment scheduling provides them and if that’s the case, you definitely want the option of UPGRADING your online appointment booking software to a more “robust” solution.

  No other free online scheduling service can promise to be there when you need more from your online appointment book.

Only Genbook allows you the opportunity to move from free online scheduling to a more robust professional service as your business grows which is why it’s the free service we recommend to our clients.

Online appointment scheduling software can save you time and improve your efficiency, but only if you’re able to get it set up and running. If you’re tentative about setting up an online appointment scheduling system, then Appointment Plus has the appointment scheduling system for you!

You know that online appointment booking is less expensive than hiring a receptionist.

You know that online appointment booking can make a little business look more professional.

You know that your customers/clients/patients enjoy the convenience of booking their appointments online, as well as the email reminders sent by the system!

But what good is an online appointment scheduling service you can’t get to work!

Appointment Plus has the answer. They are the only online appointment scheduling online software to assign a free, dedicated setup coach to each account.

From the Appointments Plus website:

Any appointment scheduling software system will take some time to set up and learn. We know that you are not an IT director. So, we have developed a unique program in which all of our clients are assigned coaches. These individuals are your partner in helping you to get your scheduler set up and scheduling appointments as soon as possible.

Appointments Plus offers online appointment booking for all kinds of businesses, from massage therapists to personal trainers to tennis courts to shipping docks to tour companies, and everything in between.

Another benefit of online appointment scheduling service is if you’ve got multiple locations, your clients can search ALL locations for the time AND place convenient to them!

Online appointment scheduling doesn’t HAVE to be complicated. It can be easy and hassle free!

Visit Appointment Plus for this value added online appointment scheduling service!