The ability to schedule appointments on a website has been around for years but skyrocketed in popularity during the pandemic. Several years later, that trend has continued and appears to be here to stay. No matter the type of business. here are three of the many benefits of having appointment scheduling on a business’ website.
1- Customer Convenience
Perhaps the most important benefit of online scheduling is that customers love it. According to Zippia, 66% of customers prefer to book online, and 40% of appointments are booked outside of traditional business hours.
Allowing customers to book appointments online prevents them from getting trapped in an endless cycle of forgetting to call, remembering five minutes after the business closes, saying to themselves that they’ll remember tomorrow, and then forgetting, restarting the cycle.
Additionally, allowing customers to choose their own times from a list will make them more likely to remember the date, because they chose it themselves, instead of having to remember what time the receptionist said over the phone.
2- Frees Up Employee Time
In addition to helping customers, the business also benefits because employees no longer have to spend time on the phone offering customers five or six different dates and times before settling on one that fits both schedules.
It may only be a few minutes per call, but over a month, it can add up to multiple hours of wasted employee time, during which other important tasks could be completed. This will help boost morale and improve productivity by removing these time-consuming tasks.
This, of course, will only apply to some of the appointments made by the company’s customers. According to the Zippia study cited earlier, 34% of customers will still prefer to book appointments over the phone and roughly 50% of appointments are scheduled this way. As time goes on, of course, that number is likely to decrease.
3- Money Saved and Increased Revenue
In addition to benefiting both employees and customers, online appointment scheduling results in more money for the business. First, potential customers or clients who prefer to book online may choose to go to one of your competitors if they can’t schedule an appointment on your website.
Secondly, the reduced phone call wait times mentioned above save the company money because they allow more work to be done in less time. Employees are less likely to need overtime or simply not finish tasks due to a lack of time.
Finally, customers who book online and can use a web portal to change or cancel appointment times are less likely to no-show those appointments. Studies have shown that missed appointments cost the medical industry alone over $150 billion every year. With appointments in other industries added in, the number is even higher.
These are just three of the many benefits of allowing customers to schedule their appointments online. It is easy and convenient for customers and businesses, as well as saving time and money for both parties. Without online scheduling, some customers will be hesitant to use a business and may turn to a competitor instead.
