Being online is not only a trend but also a reality. Society liked that they had the whole world at their fingertips – news, weather, travels, series, friends, work. No wonder they can also use multitasking calendars.
Currently, we have thousands, if not millions, of applications to choose from. Some allow customers to book an appointment, for example, at a hairdresser, without calling. This makes the booking system much more accessible and is already such a popular option that customers prefer to book appointments in this way.
Thus, in this article, we will introduce you to what makes the best appointment calendar apps, what they are so popular and what features such apps need to have.
Why are appointment calendar apps so popular?
Almost everywhere we go, we carry a smartphone. Intuitive, easy to use, and affordable, these devices are now a part of us. Moreover, they provide us with many opportunities and make it easier to deal with important issues. It also concerns the elderly, as they use them more and more frequently.
As appointment calendars apps became more popular, a lot of people started using them. Their benefits are numerous. In the first place, they allow us to manage our time from anywhere in the world.
However, they also allow us to:
- make an appointment or cancel it quickly,
- make a payment,
- notify the client about the meeting,
- manage the team’s time,
- delegate tasks to employees,
- track clients’ history from anywhere on earth.
The system is easy to use and it’s also attractive for users. The application shows only such dates when the employee doesn’t have any appointments – due to synchronizing with the owner’s calendar. Those, who wish to schedule an appointment can easily choose a time and a convenient date.
Such apps are very intuitive. For example, a created appointment is automatically added to the owner’s calendar so that no one else can make an appointment on the same date. And all of this is done without ever having to go out and queue up.
Additionally, the appointment calendar app’s capabilities are extended by various integrations. By using them, customers can receive an invoice or connect to Messenger with just a few clicks, and owners can obtain the reports necessary to improve the customer experience.
Thus, appointment calendar apps significantly impact how tasks are performed. Having these options readily available on your smartphone is very convenient.
What features need to have the best appointment calendar app?
Is it possible to organize your working day so that it’s as efficient as possible and there is time for family, passion, and rest in the evening too?
Fortunately, each of us has access to applications and programs that we can install on our smartphones or laptops. And the best appointment calendar apps should include the following:
Software available 24/7
There’re certain hours that salons are open. And it’s rare for the boss to hire someone to stay on the phone all night. In fact, has anyone ever done that?
Manually registering customers has its own disadvantages, such as the possibility of making a mistake when typing in the calendar or forgetting to enter a customer in your paper calendar. This can make reservations difficult for some of us and cause stress. However! As we have applications for making appointments, this problem will fade into obscurity.
Customers can access appointment calendar apps from anywhere at any time – an excellent advantage for those who can’t remember to make appointments during salon opening hours or are otherwise busy during the day. Booking meetings 24/7, 365 days a year on a platform will always be better than answering calls and queuing them. You’ll also be less likely to make a mistake when you book on a platform. As a result, your clients can schedule an appointment with you at any time. Regardless of whether it’s a holiday, Christmas, or the middle of a night.
Calendar syncing
It’s possible to make it easier for clients to view their’s meetings through the multitasking calendar! For example, if your external calendar is connected to the appointment calendar app, the software can add the appointment and date of the visit itself.
It’s almost always possible to sync appointment calendar apps with your own calendar. It’s even required in some cases. Therefore, you can see when your meeting will be interfering with holidays or renovations alongside your scheduled appointments. In addition, the app can cross-reference your availability with the events on your primary calendar.
Employees also benefit from calendar synchronization – they can see their entire schedule at a glance. They don’t have to look at an app, just one calendar using this method. Furthermore, if the client cancels the visit, the time slot will be reopened for someone else to use. This flexibility helps build a better employee experience, as it demonstrates the value of every moment of their work.
Synchronizing your calendar and appointment app is easy and stress-free. Furthermore, synchronizing the appointment calendar with employees’ schedules makes it easier and faster for users to fill in shifts. In addition, such automatic additions to customer calendars help to prevent forgotten appointments.
Booking page
Providing online self-service is clearly necessary. However, when things begin to get strict with manually booking, it may be best to use a proper calendar tool. This is the case with booking calendar apps.
People who run businesses that rely on customer scheduling know how difficult it’s to manage appointments over the phone. Many companies are looking for new solutions because of these inconveniences. And the process of booking, canceling, and rescheduling is much easier with an automated system and booking page.
Scheduling appointments manually can be extremely stressful, and automating the process eliminates almost all of that frustration. But, you don’t have to deal with the time and frustration of customers hanging up or leaving a message when they call your business.
Instead, give them a booking page that can show the availability of meetings immediately and just let clients make an appointment.
Payment system
Online payment is also available in the best appointment calendar apps. Using cards, mobile phones, or the Internet, enable the payment of goods and services without cash. Online payments have the advantages of cost and time savings, increased sales, and reduced transaction costs.
All payments for goods and services can be made this way without paying in cash at the showroom. As more people use online banking, shopping and making appointments in this way, online payment systems have become more popular. Hence, many people prefer to make a purchase like this, rather than worry about funds in their wallets.
Merchants are satisfied by accepting online payments. Even strict regulations make online payments safer and more reliable. In general, sellers are satisfied with this exit since they can receive their money immediately and have a kind of confirmation of the visit. In addition, there are no problems with cashback, which is also conducted online.
Customer database
As interest in appointment calendar apps grows, getting the most out of your customer data will be critical to growing your business. For this reason, the best applications of this type have the function of collecting data about customers and creating databases.
Focusing on building a customer database will provide you with valuable information about your customers (which you can use to make sales decisions.) Due to this, consider software that already makes it possible for you.
Using database insight will help you increase your sales, promote your products, and improve your business. Building relationships with your customers is another benefit of using database insight.
And by informing them about product updates and new services, you can keep them engaged.
Notifications
It’s also essential to give users the ability to customize the application to their needs. For example, the ability to personalize all e-mail, SMS and push notifications.
Calendar apps for appointments should provide features that allow you to save time – for example, notifications. Clients should receive messages about appointments. In this way, the percentage of delayed or canceled meetings will be reduced significantly.
Maybe the salon will be closed over the weekend due to an emergency? Instead of calling each client at this time, it’s enough to inform them via e-mail, SMS, application.
Notifications are also an excellent solution for the company, as customers confirm their visits and employees see it in their calendar. In addition, they help companies keep track of whether an employee has approved their shift, ensuring that the boss knows what the next working day will look like in advance.
These apps with notifications not only remind customers about appointments but are also a great means of promotion and keep them updated on salon news.
Integrations
Great appointment calendar apps also have a set of integrations that make the application one of a kind. As we’re experiencing the era of digital transformation, data, and near-endless technology solutions, we need apps that can manage a lot. Therefore, the appointment calendar itself is excellent, but it will be even better with the help of third-party apps.
No matter the size of your company, integrations can serve many purposes. You can use them to meet customer needs quickly and efficiently. But, they also allow you to access all of the contact information in your database.
Such integrations combine your software with third-party applications so they can exchange information. Besides increasing productivity, integrations help streamline your systems and centralize the data your business needs to make informed and calculated business decisions.
In conjunction with third-party applications, calendars extend your current system’s functionality and allow you to automate and perform a wide range of tasks, as well as streamline business processes.
So, you have an app with many features rather than a regular calendar in the end.
Connection to your internet site
When looking for the appropriate calendar appointment apps, check if they allow you to connect the calendar to your website. Including the calendar on your own site will allow those customers who visit your site frequently to book an appointment quickly.
Some software offers various possibilities of displaying the calendar on the website. This include:
- as a permanent element,
- in the form of a pop-up window,
- in the form of a button,
- as a subpage,
- as a link.
Contact your customers in the way they prefer. Okay, some people prefer the app, but others are still attached to the website. They should be able to book an appointment there, too. Moreover, you can choose to display the calendar with all services or with selected services only. It will allow you to direct customers directly to the service they decided on your website.
Also, make sure your website and app calendars are in sync, so you’ll have all your appointments in one place.
The possibility of creating multiple calendars
One calendar may not be enough for your business. How about the possibility of creating an unlimited number of calendars with unique web addresses? Well, having many calendars will allow the company to manage information and better split time better. Therefore, choose software that is not limited to just offering one calendar.
It’s essential that you can freely configure each created calendar for yourself, your services, or your employees. You can direct your customers to a specific service or group of services. Additional personalizations aren’t necessary, but they make the calendars more appealing.
What is the best booking app for your business?
There are indeed a lot of appointment calendar apps available. However, choosing one can be challenging. That’s why Calendesk is here to help.
If you’re fed up with searching for the best appointment calendar app, choose Calendesk. It is an online booking system and a mobile application for booking visits. It’s a simple tool that puts you in control of your work, not the other way around.
Calendesk has all of the features mentioned above. But it can be more than that. You will find everything you need here, from the website creator and mobile app to the online booking system and virtual marketing assistant.
This application comprehensively supports every business. Among other things, the payment system improves communication with customers, as does the simple method of arranging meetings. In addition, it’s integrated with the Stripe platform and allows you to accept payments, create invoices and refund your funds. In this way, you will not have to wait for the client to show up to receive compensation. Instead, you will be paid right away and your company’s cash flow will improve.
Push notifications also work fine. The platform has a built-in system for sending the newsletter and push notifications. Thanks to this, you can easily collect e-mail addresses of current and potential customers and build a base of loyal users. And she, in turn, will allow you to build relationships with visitors to your office or salon.
It’s also worth mentioning that Calendesk allows you to test the application for free for 14 days. So this is the perfect time to find out what this application can do and why you should use it.
How does Calendesk work?
Until recently, customers had to call you to book a free date. That’s no longer the case. The online appointment booking calendar allows them to do it faster but online!
So, let’s start your journey to online booking. Start by adding employees to your appointment calendar. Then, set the hours of availability, the services that your team is to perform, and specify their price. Right after that, decide if you want to accept online payments. You can require a prepayment or choose it as an additional option.
If you have done the steps above, share the schedule on the website and in the mobile application. If you don’t have your own website and want one, use a simple Calendesk wizard to build it.
When everything is ready, it’s time for the client to book an appointment. All they need to do is select the preferred service, choose the date, time and specialist. Next, they must click “book” to sign up for an appointment.
When a customer makes an appointment, a text message, email, or push notification will confirm the appointment. Your panel will also receive similar information, so you will know which reservations have been paid, and you can manage them and plan your team’s work accordingly.
Pick up the best appointment calendar app
Whether your business is local or global, automating the appointment process eliminates all of the frustration of manually scheduling meetings.
The best calendar apps are the ones that best suit your unique needs. Thanks to them, the user experience can remain consistent throughout the process. Both you and your customers will experience a change in communication when you start using them.
Such apps are about more than just providing your customers with a list of available periods they can come to an appointment. They also allow your clientele to decide on their own time. In addition, they definitely make it easier for business owners and managers to do their job.
If you still don’t use the appointment calendar apps, try Calendesk and you won’t need a paper calendar anymore. You will also stop straining your customers’ patience and focus more on your work. Can you imagine that your organization system could finally change?
