Online Appointment Scheduling

[Helpfull?]

Greetings!I was wondering of there are any therapists who are currently using an online appointment scheduler (such as Time Trade) that allows clients to log on and schedule apts online?  I would love to hear how it has worked for you.Heather

 

[summerlove32]

Hi,Our office uses My Receptionist.  For $29.95 a month you get your own online appointment book, however your clients can't log on and schedule.  It's great for inter-office communication because all therapists have access to it from their home computers, and we can talk to each other through the system without sending separate emails.  For an additional 7 cents a minute you can have your calls forwarded to them and they will schedule appointments for you.  It used to work really well, then we started getting complaints from clients and many appointment errors.  So now we let the answering machine pick up the phone in house and leave our toll free number to the answering service for anyone who needs more immediate assistance.  That way our regular clients can get our personal attention and potential new clients have the opportunity to schedule right away.I checked into Time Trade.  Their basic system runs about $120 per month without the answering service.  For our office, I decided that it wasn't worth it because we only have a few clients (proportionally) who would actually use it to schedule.Hope this helps.  And if anyone knows of another company who does answering and scheduling for massage therapists please let me know?Cassandra

 

[Big PAPA]

Thanks Cassandra for your input!I too used My Receptionist for a couple of years and it seemed like when the business was bought about a year ago, the service suffered.  I have since switched services to another answering service but feel as if I have gone from bad to worse!  I agree with the pro's you listed above, new clients calling in don't get the machine and are greeted by a live person, and the other therapists on staff have access to their apt book online - but I too have had complaints about rude operators and inaccurate messages.How did the transition go once you stopped forwarding calls and now rely on the answering machine?  I think it's a great idea to have the 800# available 24/7.I too would love to hear from any therapist(s) who have an answering service that the love!Thanks,Heather

 

[Mundane]

Heather,Thanks for your insight into what may have happened with My Receptionist.  I started with them about 18 months ago and in the beginning they were great.  I suspected that there was a change in leadership, but now you have confirmed it...whew it's not just my imagination.I had another thought about answering service options.  I suppose if you could find the right person, or the right answering service business and train them in your specific needs, they could actually use the My Receptionist online scheduler to schedule your appointments.  You would simply call forward to their number rather than the toll free number given to you by My Receptionist.  My Receptionists' online platform really is excellent.  It's just the operators who are inconsistent.  Just a thought.  I would also like to hear from some others who have answering services that they love.Cassandra

 

[Doug]

Online Appointment Scheduling

Are they also able to change your appointments. Or, do they just notfy you of a cancellationor change?

 

[Pompal 09.]

Online Appointment Scheduling

For those of you who are members of ABMP you can share you online calendar with clients. It is very basic, but may work for some.

 

[susudio]

Online Appointment Scheduling

Just trying to give some options.It just depends how your business is set up.

 

[choudhary_ajay1980]

Hi.  I have been intrigued by on-line scheduling, but have a clientele and office that is relatively flexible.  What is the turn around time for this system? Meaning, if I re-book an appointment with someone after their massage in my office, will there be a potential for double booking, in the event another individual looked at the online schedule while I was "in session" and already booked that time as well?  (What I am asking is, how quick does the on-line booking appear and have you had problems with conflicting appointments?  I would hate to tell one client in the office, sure we'll see you tomorrow at 2:00 pm and another client on-line thinks they have that appointment already.)  Once you begin on-line scheduling, do you have to really watch your appointment book every single hour for changes, and if so, how much extra time does this take out of an already busy day to navigate such a system?Also,  what if I have computer malfunctions?  Is there a secondary way to collect these appointments or do I have to call and have the service "down" until my computers are fixed?  As well, what if the service has a malfunction, how does that affect my office?Lots of questions and I hope they all make sense. Please let me know.  

 

[pasanun s]

I just today saw http://www.appointmentquest.com and wondered the same thing.  Anybody using that one?  --Jenna

 

[aightman]

Texas-gal

If you want to see if the system is right for you Texas-gal then all you have to do is get a membership. Those are free it will let you preview the system.This forum isn't the proper place to go into system details. It has all been explained at the website. If you care to have a look you are welcome to check it out. Start Here

 

[Judas Priest]

Online Appointment Scheduling

You are talking about an "appointment request" form SDBliss, and that is not the same thing as an on-line appointment system. You are comparing a Model T with a Jaguar.I am writing a running commentary about on-line appointment systems at SpaWire, and their predecessor, the obsolete appointment request form.An appointment request form creates more work for the business because the client places the onus for confirming the appointment onto the shoulders of the business. An on-line appointment system lets the client confirm their own appointment without the need for action by the business.Have you ever purchased an airline ticket online? Once the process is complete you are not left wondering if you have a seat on the plane. It's a done deal. And that's exactly how it is with our on-line appointment system. The appointment is booked.

 

[spinster wife]

Online Appointment Scheduling

Magic, be careful how you post things here. You might get eaten alive because they might think you are "spamming", so be careful how you word things.

 

[carrie_adams19]

Online Appointment Scheduling

Seems to me that inapproriate emails, and the time you would have to spend sorting your legitimate appointment requests from the bogus ones, would be inefficient.And then you would have to track down the legitimate one's to confirm their appointment, because they wouldn't know if their requested time slot is open or not.Old basic web forms are not good. They waste your energy and your most valuable resource: time.

 

[Tsunami]

Online Appointment System

The detailed Q&A section has been expanded at the BBU Help Desk for those investigating the use of online appointment systems and accepting appointment confirmations from their clients.Cheers.

 

[WilliamAspeplyHili]

Online Appointments

Healing Thru Bodyworkolores Gozzi at Healing Thru Bodywork in Fort Myers Florida has now connected into the online appointment system from her own website scentsandoils.com.

Everyone is welcome to see how she has done it by visiting her booking page. She has used a frameset to maintain her branding at the top of all of the online appointment booking pages.

http://www.scentsandoils.com/onlinebooking.php

Anyone who is considering this type of online accessory is invited to contact Beauty By Us for details and assistance.

 

[Darlene]

Online Appointment Scheduling

Hi,

Although I am still not sure how I can make the online appointment scheduling work for my own office, I did run across a web-site to add to the mix:

Book24-7.com
http://www.bookingcalendar.com/index.html

 

[Pompal 09.]

Online Requests vs. Online scheduling

I would advise against any kind of online scheduling system where clients can see your calendar. If they see you have few bookings, they might try to cut a deal or decide they can just walk in because it is unlikely you will be busy. You give up the aura of being busy and in demand by opening your book to the public. Restaurants are abandoning "Open Table" for the same reason.

Online requests give you the flexibility to respond when and how you choose. Just make sure to offer 1st and 2nd choices.

 

[Deedee]

Here's another company with online scheduling. Nope... I still have not decided to use one...

http://www.schedulingdirect.com/

 

[Kellinda]

Me and my husband use Bookappo. Worth trying!

 

[online scheduling]

Online Appointmetn Scheduling

You guys should check out timepicks.com for online scheduling, it's free to get started and very fast to setup