5 reasons to use an online booking system that you probably haven't thought of

An online booking system is a modern and efficient way to acquire and manage reservations for your business or service.

1. Building a Customer List

A stable list of loyal customers is the alpha and omega for the sustainable operation of your business. It's important to always have your customers' contact information available and be able to leverage it, for example, through email marketing campaigns and advertising networks, or for reactivation, or even small touches like keeping track of your customer's birthday so you can prepare a birthday discount.

By requiring contact information from customers during online reservations, you automatically build this list. I've written a separate article about how this data can be used to grow your business.

2. Relief from Repetitive Tasks

The most obvious advantage of an online system is that customers can book appointments even when you're working and can't answer the phone, or when you're spending time with your family, or sleeping. I'll mention several other cases where you save time compared to handling reservations only through messages or phone calls.

Are you sick and need a few days off? In the booking system, you can create time off in the calendar and select automatic cancellation of existing appointments with explanations for customers. Customers receive notifications via email or SMS and can choose a new appointment time.

If you use a personal calendar to organize your time - where you might add events like doctor's appointments or your friend's celebrations, you may find yourself constantly checking for scheduling conflicts. With Meety, you can connect your existing Google or Apple calendars, and your customers won't be able to book appointments during those times. Alternatively, you can block your personal matters in Meety - it's entirely up to you.

On the booking page, customers can see what services you offer and how to combine them. This means you don't have to spend time explaining what you offer, how much it costs, and how long it takes.

3. Younger Customers' Reluctance to Make Phone Calls

Generation Z prefers online communication and dislikes making phone calls. If you only accept reservations by phone, it's possible that young people will never call you and will prefer competitors where they can easily select an appointment time and service. An online booking page where customers can choose their appointment time also allows you to collect their contact information.

4. Analytics and Performance

Have you ever wondered which services are the most profitable or popular? A booking system provides you with clear statistics about your business that can help you make strategic decisions.

If you operate a business with multiple employees, you can see if customers prefer certain employees, or compare the number of bookings and employee ratings.

5. Preventing No-Shows

Sometimes a customer simply doesn't show up, leaving a gap in your calendar that costs you lost revenue.

With reservations through a booking system, you minimize this risk because customers receive email or SMS reminders a day or hour before their appointment, or they can add the event to their calendar with one click from the confirmation email or confirmation page after booking.

If the problem persists despite reminders, you can prevent these situations by requiring payment or a deposit online, right at the time of service booking. In Meety, you can set these parameters for individual services, and even disable them for regular customers - if they prefer to pay in cash on site.

If a customer still doesn't show up, and the situation repeats, you can block their email or phone number, and they will never be able to book an appointment with you again.

If you're considering getting a booking system for your business, take a look at the features Meety offers, or schedule a free consultation, where we'll help you with the setup.