We are continuing our series on how technology can benefit your small business. We talked at length about our small business inventory system (it's FREE remember). Today, we are focusing on online appointment scheduling software. When your customers need to make an appointment they don’t want to wait. Thanks to online scheduling software, they don’t have to. They can schedule appointments anytime, from anywhere. Online scheduling software offers a variety of benefits for your small business. You set your availability, the software ensures that you don’t get overbooked. Most software will also send reminders to your customers so that they don’t miss their appointments. Automating that tedious task can free you up to focus on other aspects of your business.
There are a number of choices for online scheduling software but a few to consider include: Front Desk, EZnet Scheduler, Acuity Scheduler, Appointy and Reservio. Most provide a free trial so that you can try them before you commit. We know that it can be nerve wracking to relinquish control of your schedule, especially when you’re entrusting a software program to handle the job for you, so we’re providing a brief review of the offerings above to help you narrow down your choices.
Front Desk touts itself as perfect for companies that provide kids’ activities, martial arts, fitness, yoga and pilates, dance, and personal services. Their solution allows clients to create a profile and enroll in classes online. Their partner DocuSign even allows you to complete waivers and other important forms online. You can process payments, track schedules, generate reminders and more through Front Desk. Pricing is based on your monthly revenue. For more info visit Front Desk.
Another option is EZnet Scheduler. EZnet serves a variety of industries including counseling, tutors, medical, salons, pet services, property management and other services. EZnet is customizable and allows you to schedule reminders, generate reports, and colorcode activities to help you keep track of things - much like our small business inventory system. A fifteen day free trial is available, after that pricing is a flat monthly fee that varies based on your number of users and the amount of customization that you require. Learn more by clicking here.
Acuity Scheduler is e-commerce ready and offers online scheduling, and advanced customization and integration. After the fourteen day free trial, you can continue using Acuity for free or upgrade to either the premium or professional level for a flat rate. Upgrading allows you to accept payments, customize, sync with Google,send reminders, accept coupons, and create recurring appointments. The premium level is designed for those with multiple locations and also adds texting capability. Click here to find out more about Acuity.
Appealing to any business that takes appointments over the phone, Appointy provides a powerful online scheduling tool. Appointy is also available in a free version, but adds additional features with three additional levels; Plus, Pro and Business. Each is priced at a flat monthly fee with a discount for paying the full amount annually. Available features include text reminders, recurring appointment scheduling, reports, calendar linking, customization and more. To explore all the options available with Appointy visit their website.
Another option available for free is Reservio. In its simplest iteration, Reservio allows you to schedule 40 bookings per month, 100 clients and maintain a three month client history. Upgrading to the Starter, Standard or Pro levels incurs a flat monthly fee but provides increased functionality including more users, longer client history, calendar synchronization, customization and more. To check out Reservio click here.
We hope this roundup of online scheduling software has given you some ideas about how online scheduling could positively impact your business. While our list is by no means comprehensive, it should provide you with a good idea of what types of options are available and how you could put them to good use.
Have you tried our small business inventory system yet? Really. It's easy.
We created Stockpile, a free option for your small business inventory system, to help you improve the way that you manage your inventory and we are committed to providing you with the tools and information that will make a positive impact on your small business. We hope that you are already enjoying the benefits of Stockpile (did we mention our small business inventory system is free), but if you haven’t given us a try yet, here’s your chance.
