Off-the-shelf services often go a long way
There are many ready-made booking services, and for many businesses they work well. You pay a monthly fee, set up times and prices, and can take bookings online more or less straight away.
If your bookings follow a common pattern, for example one room per night or one place in a group, a ready-made service is often the wisest first step.
Before you decide, it is a good idea to test the service with a few real bookings. Check how cancellations work, whether customers can book easily on their phones, and whether you can get your own data out, for example as an Excel file, if you want to switch later.
Signs that an off-the-shelf service is not enough
It is time to consider something of your own when you notice that much of the work still happens outside the booking service:
- You have rules the service cannot handle, for example levels, age groups or prerequisites.
- One booking needs several resources at the same time, such as a room, staff and equipment.
- You keep lists in Excel alongside the booking service.
- Bookings and payments have to be moved by hand into the accounting system.
- Customers still call or email, because the booking flow does not suit them.
Reminders, resources and payments
Reminders by email or text message reduce no-shows and save phone calls. What matters is that the reminder goes out automatically and contains the right information, for example time, place and what the customer should bring.
Resource planning is about making sure the same room, lane or teacher is not booked twice. The more resources that depend on each other, the more important it is that the system understands how they connect.
Payment at booking reduces last-minute cancellations. If the payments also produce records for the bookkeeping, you avoid reconciling by hand afterwards.
A middle ground: build around what you have
It does not have to be either-or. Often you can keep a ready-made booking service and add to it, for example with a link to the accounting system or a simple overview of occupancy.
A fully custom booking flow is most worth it when booking is the core of the business and the rules are so specific that no ready-made service fits.
Whichever route you choose, think about who will look after the system afterwards. A booking flow that stops working on a Saturday morning costs both customers and trust.
My experience
I have built patient booking for a medical practice in the USA, where bookings were driven by the doctors' availability and linked to the patient records. I have also worked with real-time notifications, roles and permissions for many users, and payments by card, PayPal and mobile money.
Want to know whether a ready-made service is enough for you, or whether something of your own pays off? Book a free 15-minute meeting. Read more about booking systems.
Services
Frequently asked questions
Can we keep our current booking service?
Yes, often. Many times it is enough to connect it to the accounting system or build what is missing around it.
Can customers get reminders by text message?
Yes. Reminders by email or text message are a common part of a booking system and can be sent automatically.
What does a custom booking system cost?
It depends on the scope, for example the number of resources, rules and integrations. Book a free 15-minute meeting and we will go through your needs.