We are living in an increasingly mobile era. Practically any kind of transaction may be conducted via a mobile device. With the increase of this technology, many LMT's are seeing the advantages of online massage scheduling.
One common scheduling limitation which therapists encounter is answering the telephone during a massage. Where it is common for other service providers to break for a few seconds to answer the phone, it's not professional for a LMT to take their attention away from their client during a session. Online booking makes it possible for clients and LMT's to escape missed calls and voicemails by making it possible to schedule a massage 24/7. According to Schedulicty.com, 41% of sessions scheduled via their services take place during non-business hours. Close to half of all appointments scheduled, that would have needed added time and energy by both the client and practitioner to schedule an appointment.
Many booking providers have the flexibility to accommodate both therapists who do outcalls, as well as practitioners who work in an establishment. LMT's may block off periods between sessions for travel or preparing the office for their next appointment. An appointment schedule can be customized completely to fit the therapist's needs.
Online appointment scheduling also can reduce no-shows. Almost all appointment scheduling services incorporate text reminders to the client to confirm the time and date of the scheduled appointment. Schedulicity claims their service reduces no-shows by as much as 70%.
A lot of online scheduling services, such as BookFresh or Clickbook, have appointment booking icons which can be inserted into a massage therapist's internet site. Genbook and Schedulicity provide facebook integration for scheduling. These companies have a button that can be placed on a therapist’s fan or business page, enabling sessions to be scheduled straight from facebook. All services provide step by step instructions, or instructional videos, to make installing these features very simple.
Maybe the most appealing thing about online appointment scheduling is that it is affordable. Most services charge $19 - $30 per month, a cost which can easily be recouped in one half hour massage session. In addition, the increased efficiency made possible by reducing phone tag allows time for more appointments, which more than recovers the fee for using a scheduling service.
A key element of marketing is getting noticed by prospects. Incorporating online services to a current offline business improves exposure to a massage therapist's target audience. This will attract more customers, and allows current clients to rebook effortlessly, both of which lead to increased revenue.
