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In the massage industry, the name of the game is customer satisfaction. Your customers deserve your best, but you deserve a way to stay organized and on top of each appointment with your valued clientele.
Even the most attentive and skilled massage therapist can’t possibly offer their clients a high-quality service when they’re bogged down by disorganization and inefficiency. And even if your massage therapy business runs well-oiled as-is, there are always improvements to be made that could be saving you time and money.
Allowing for online bookings, for example, is an excellent way to boost your business and attract new clients in the process, with minimal effort on your part!
Countless massage therapists worldwide trust software like therapy appointment software or medical spa software to manage their bookings and streamline their business lives. And with countless other benefits like reduced no-shows, improved organization, and automatic appointment reminders, there are many reasons as to why!
While there are many online RMT schedulers you could choose, not all are created equally. Here are some of the features you should look out for in order to ensure your business is running at its best.
Online Bookings Made Easy
Right out of the gate, this is one of the most important features of any scheduling software. Yet, you’d be surprised how many schedulers don’t get it quite right!
It’s well-understood that potential clients will abandon an online booking in-progress if the site is too difficult to use. Not only that, but they often end up taking their business elsewhere – yikes!
That’s right. Offering online booking is one thing, but doing it right is a whole different story.
The best massage scheduler should make online booking effortless with an easy-to-use interface. Look for software that offers integration options for your website as well as social networks like Facebook.
In layman’s terms, what this usually means is the ability to add a simple “book now” button to either your website or Facebook page. Even if you’re not a huge fan of social media, it’s best to have all of your bases covered!
Clever Design, Expert Functionality
There’s no point to using software for your business if it’s awkward and clunky to use!
To get the most out of your massage scheduler, look for one that supports organization features like color-coding and is easy-to-use.
At the same time, don’t be coerced into trying software that is so simple that it’s borderline useless! Once your online scheduler starts filling up, the last thing you’d want is to discover that you find it underdeveloped and unfit for running a massage business.
The best scheduling software not only works smoothly out of the box but also supports advanced features like staff calendars and recurring appointments. Remember, you want software that has been skilfully designed with your business in mind.
Automatic Appointment Reminders
One of the biggest pitfalls of any massage business lies in time spent confirming, cancelling, and rescheduling appointments – all via the phone.
Even if you have a receptionist to take care of managing your upcoming appointments, things can be made a lot easier by using a RMT/LMT scheduler.
Either by text message or email, the best software can keep both you and your customers up-to-date with any new bookings made or changed. The best part is, you and your staff won’t have to do a thing – all notifications are created and sent automatically 24/7.
Not only does this feature take the pressure of off you and your staff, but it also makes your clients more likely to remember their appointments. That means less time spent dreading the implications of pesky no-shows.
In fact, text-message appointment reminders have been found to decrease no-shows by 14.6%. Imagine the difference that could mean for you and your staff!
Mobile App Support For Added Convenience
Having access to your online schedule from your desktop or laptop is convenient, sure. You’d be able to check-in with future clients, view the appointments of each staff member, and generally get a good idea of the week ahead of you.
With mobile app support, you’d be able to do all of that – whenever and wherever you are.
The best massage schedulers don’t just make managing your appointments easier – they allow you to run your business right from the palm of your hand.
Typically, all this requires is an iOS or Android-compatible smartphone. You’d simply download an app, and you’d be able to see what’s up with your schedule or employees from miles away.
Pretty cool, right? We definitely think so.
Manage Appointments, Clients Too
If an online scheduler can manage your bookings, it might as well be able to keep tabs on your clients, too! After all, it can be hard to remember who’s who amongst your clients – let alone their particular needs or schedule.
Most RMT schedulers will also allow you to create fully customized client profiles. From here, you’ll be able to view their past appointments, payment history, and any personalized addons like massage therapy SOAP notes added by you or your staff.
This is a great way to stay on top of your client base and even surprise them with your intimate knowledge of them and their preferences. Once they’re due to arrive, quickly check their profile and catch up on any relevant info you may have otherwise forgotten.
It shouldn’t take a super-human memory to connect and bond with your cherished clients – scheduling software can do the job. Don’t worry – your customers won’t suspect a thing!
Try Before You Buy
Okay, okay, so a lot of the features on this list might sound amazing. But what’s the point if you’re going to have to put money on the line just to even try them out?
After all, you and your business are unique – and it takes a special kind of software to suit the needs of you and your staff.
Before you plop down potentially hundreds of dollars on seemingly life-changing software, make sure the company offers a generous refund policy at the very least.
Better yet, Yocale offers massage schedulers that have a free option, so that you and your employees have adequate time to try things out and get familiarized.
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We hope that this article has helped demonstrate the value of using a scheduler for your massage therapy business! We think scheduling software can go a long way towards de-stressing the lives of you and your valuable clients – just like your best massage.
For more on business and internet strategy, keep up with us five days a week here at Yocale.
