So, after being overdue in taking part in the inevitable change of offering the option of online booking to your clients, you took the plunge but it didn’t go as you expected. You were sold on the benefits of spending less time on the phone and more with the customers in front of you, but you then were faced with additional headaches and when the new system adoption didn’t happen as promised.
Here are 5 reasons why you didn’t get the benefits you expected and what you can do.
1. The system was too complicated for your clients.
If there are too many steps to book, too many questions, password requirements, confusing screens or a general poor user experience during the booking process – your customers will give up, avoid and complain about the new system and then proceed to never use it again. Now you’re not only dealing with an unhappy customer but you’re going to probably have to do a little extra to make sure your customer re-books and stays loyal. Before selecting a system, it’s really important to make sure the software is extremely user-friendly and easy; this will make customer adoption a whole lot easier and you won’t need to add “technical support” to your job title. With more and more customers using smartphones for all their internet activity, a booking tool that also has a mobile app makes booking and re-booking with you much easier (less searching required).
2. The system is full of detailed features that you’ll never use or are not needed for your business.
Knowing exactly what your company needs to use is extremely important. Selecting a system with all the bells and whistles that look pretty on the advertising, but you know you’ll never need or use them in your current business, can actually make your daily tasks a lot more complicated because you’ll be wading through all the extra links, tabs, menu items and data fields to get to what you really need. It will also make reporting a lot less clear and you’ll usually be over-paying because you’re paying for what the system has, not what you’re using. Before purchasing software, clearly define what your business needs (and wants!) in an online booking software and then seek a product that matches your requirements.
3. Your staff adaption isn’t 100%.
Some times, when administration automating software is introduced, the receptionist or other admin staff may fear their job security, and they will avoid adapting the new system (even fight against it) by continuing to use “the old” methods for booking (pen & paper, etc). It’s important that they are on board with your company vision on why you’re bringing in the new system. Assure them it’s to increase customer service and provide better customer service, and allow them to provide better care for the clients in the office, spend less time on the phone and be used for more valuable business activities instead of the time-consuming task of scheduling. Their adaption to the new system is most important, they are your “front lines!”
Gone are the old days of each channel of communication providing a different customer experience. Everything needs to be coherent regardless of channel of communication (online by phone, walk-in, etc).
4. There’s no plan or person in place to keep the calendar updates and schedules fresh.
There’s no point in having online booking if you’re not updating the central calendar properly. If vacations, breaks, service time limits etc. are not marked properly, people may book when you’re unavailable or already busy and they’ll definitely be disappointed to arrive to their appointment and not be served. Having one central calendar where all phone call, in-office and online bookings have access will ensure that you can provide a streamlined and efficient scheduling (and staffing) experience for everyone.
5. Your customers don’t seem to be adapting to self service.
If your customers are not given clear changeover communication and trained on how to use the new system, they won’t (period). Make sure you and your front desk staff take the initial effort to show each customer how to use the new system. This little extra attention will pay off greatly! Remind your clients often with lots of additional supporting material, like having stickers and signs around your office pointing to your online booking site, change your voice mails and auto text replies to let clients know you offer the convenience of online booking, ensure all the messages you send have the same link in the signature line, and of course, make the links on your website and Facebook page easy to find and use – these are all very important in the customer adaption process. The new system is meant to make life easier for your business AND your clients, so make it a win-win by over-preparing and helping your customers in the initial phases of adaption, it will pay off over and over again.
If you start using an online booking system but it seems like nobody is adapting, or going to adapt to it, consider it like a gym membership. The benefits of automating your booking process comes with the daily practice of using your system and integrating it into the habits of your staff and customers.
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