One of the best things you can do to get your time back in your business is to create a seamless online booking experience. 

There are several ways to automate an online booking experience, but the best way depends on the specific requirements and constraints of your business. Here are some general tips that may help:

1. Use a Salon-Based Booking Management Software 

There are many booking management software solutions available that can automate the booking process. These software solutions can help you manage your inventory, availability, and bookings from a central location. However, for the health of your salon – PLEASE use a salon-based booking software. Trust me when I tell you, this will save you from more headaches in the long run. The CRM systems and reporting are much better for our specific line of work.  Do yourself a favor and steer clear of programs like Square appointments, Acuity, etc. if you ever plan on running a full salon or managing employees.

2. Provide a User-Friendly Interface 

Your online booking system should be easy to use and navigate. Customers should be able to easily find what they’re looking for and complete the booking process with minimal effort. Make sure the booking form is well-designed and includes all of the necessary information fields. This is one of my biggest gripes with online booking softwares (like Vagaro). It can be so hard to choose the right appointment(s) with the right person… It ends up becoming a little frustrating for me. This is another reason why I love the system that I use (Phorest)… Check out our website from a consumer’s point of view to see how easy it is! (www.labelle-artistry.com/book-now)

3. Offer Multiple Payment Options

If you can, make sure your online booking system supports multiple payment options, including credit cards, PayPal, and other popular payment methods. This can make the booking process more convenient for customers and increase your conversion rates.

4. Automate Confirmation and Reminders 

Once a booking is made, it’s important to send confirmation emails to the customer to let them know that their reservation has been received. You can also send automated reminders to customers leading up to the booking date to ensure they don’t forget about their reservation.

5. Integrate With Your Calendar 

It’s important to ensure that your booking system integrates with your calendar to avoid double bookings and scheduling conflicts. This can help you manage your availability more efficiently and prevent overbooking.

(This isn’t a deal breaker for me. But unfortunately this is the ONE thing I wish Phorest did. However, I’m hearing now they’re switching to being cloud-based software, so it’s set to change soon! Woop!)

Overall, the best way to automate an online booking experience is to use a reliable booking management software that offers a user-friendly interface, supports multiple payment options, automates confirmation and reminders, and integrates with your calendar.

PHOREST QR CODE

In my opinion, Phorest is the best salon management software out there.

Full disclosure: I have a BIG opinion on why they’re the best, because unfortunately I tried FOUR different softwares over my course of business… 0/10 do not recommend doing that.

But the good thing with trying out these four other systems is learning (and now knowing) exactly what I was looking for and finding it in Phorest! My previous software experience is what has made me that much more happy to use them. In fact, I believe in Phorest so much that I hunted them down, and asked them to make me a business partner! LOL. It truly is the best salon management software, and I’m excited to share my partnership code with you.

Simply scan the QR code below and because you’re coming from an official partner, they’ll be sure to roll the red carpet out for you (and I may or may not get some brownie points, too 😉). If you have any questions, reach out to my preferred partner contact: [email protected]

Lastly, if you want to learn ALL about the systems I use, be sure to check out my Systems to Scale mini-course where I go into all of the backend systems I use for my business in great depth. The Asana portion 🤯 will CHANGE YOUR LIFE! I even included 8 “already done for you” templates to make your life that much easier. Trust me when I say there isn’t a program like it anywhere… I’m so proud of it! Here’s the link to check it out https://tiffanimitchell.com/shop

xx – Tiffani