Juggling schedules for multiple team members while fielding appointment requests can get messy fast. You need every employee to know exactly when they have a booking and where it is, but you also want to make it easy for your clients to schedule an appointment
That’s why small service businesses need robust meeting scheduling apps that are designed for appointment management for multiple users. Many solutions offer a free trial so that you can try it out before you commit, or a free plan with basic features and a premium plan with more advanced capabilities.
Read on to discover what good appointment scheduling software could bring to your business.
Appointment scheduling software allows multiple users to manage bookings
When you have a team managing appointments, you need appointment scheduling software for small teams. These tools allow multiple users to access the same calendar. This means your front desk staff, assistants, and practitioners can all find a time, book appointments, and manage the schedule from any device.
Easy scheduling for all
With the right software, scheduling appointments is simple for you and your clients. Team members can block off time for days off or other work commitments. Clients can check availability and book 24/7 through your booking page or calendar widget on your website, so no one double books.
Manage all appointments in one place
Rather than juggling multiple meeting scheduling apps, your whole team can use the same scheduling software. Custom booking pages give each employee their own booking link to share. Notifications alert you to new bookings so you never miss a request. And with two-way syncing to tools like Google Calendar, your whole schedule is always up to date.
Scalable and affordable
While some free scheduling apps only handle a few users, scheduling management for multiple users is built for teams. Most offer a free trial so you can try all the features. Then you only pay for the number of users you need, with affordable monthly plans. Additional perks like custom booking fields, reporting, and appointment reminders mean that the right software is an all-in-one solution to manage your growing business.
Key features of scheduling software for multiple team members
As a small business owner, finding a scheduling tool that works for your whole team can be tricky. The good news is there are options out there that offer a free plan for multiple users and have the features you need to keep everyone on the same page. Here are the features to look for in a good scheduling software solution:
Multiple calendar management
Look for a scheduling software that lets each team member have their own calendar, but synchronizes all the calendars into a single central dashboard. That way you can all keep track of your own appointments while still being able to see each other’s availability. Tools like vcita have calendar synchronization and management for multiple users.
Payments support
If you charge for appointments or meetings, you’ll want an option that lets clients pay when they book. Scheduling software with a built-in payment system means clients can pay via credit card or other methods right on your booking page. vcita, for example, allows you to set up packages, memberships and custom bookings to accept payments through their system.
Customization options
As a business owner, you want clients to see a calendar that reflects your brand. Look for a scheduler that lets you customize things like your booking page, email templates and appointment reminders. You should be able to add your logo, colors and message so clients instantly recognize your business. Some options like vcita offer white label solutions so you can completely customize the interface to match your website.
Integrations
The best scheduling software integrates with other tools you use like your website, payment processor, email marketing service and accounting software. Options that integrate with Google Calendar or Office 365 are also helpful so you can manage all your appointments in one place. Software like vcita offers Zapier integration to connect with over 1,000 other business apps.
Choosing the right online booking system for your business needs
When looking for an online appointment scheduling software to manage multiple clients and team members, there are a few factors to consider.
An app with a free trial
Many free scheduling apps limit the number of clients or features, so look for a paid scheduling tool that offers a free trial so you can test it out before committing. Appointment scheduling software like Acuity, Calendly and Doodle offer free trials for their premium plans, so you can determine if the extra features are worth the investment. The free trial period usually ranges from 14 to 30 days which is enough time to set up your booking page, connect your Google Calendar and have clients book a few appointments.
Meetings and payments
Consider how you want to manage meeting scheduling for your team. Some free scheduling apps only handle individual bookings, while many paid tools allow you to create a team calendar to coordinate multiple schedules.
Custom Booking Experience
For a professional experience, choose an appointment scheduler that allows you to create a customized booking page. Some offer templates while others give you full control over design and branding.
Payments and appointment prep
The more information you gather upfront, the more efficient the actual meeting will be, so look for a tool that lets you collect details from clients to prepare for their appointment. It also saves time and friction to accept payment when clients make a booking, so choose a platform that integrates with payment gateways, so clients can pay for services during the booking process.
Appointment reminders
Don’t forget about the importance of appointment reminders for both you and your clients. The best scheduling software automatically sends reminder emails and text messages to clients ahead of their scheduled meeting, so reduce no-shows and help ensure you never miss or forget a booking. Some systems even allow clients to confirm or reschedule right from the reminder message.
Setting up your appointment scheduling software
Once you invest in appointment scheduling software, you want to make the most of it, so it’s important to set it up efficiently. If you use vcita, for example, the first step is to create your booking page. This is where your clients will schedule meetings with you and your team. Choose a template to get started or build your own from scratch, and add your business logo, colors, and images to match your business’s branding.
Next, connect your Google Calendar so all appointments booked through vcita automatically sync to your personal calendar. This ensures you never double book or miss an appointment. You can also sync the calendars of your team members so everyone stays on the same page.
Decide if you want to accept payments for your appointments. If so, connect a payment gateway like PayPal or Stripe to charge clients right when they schedule. You can charge one-time or recurring fees for appointments. vcita handles all the billing and payment processing for you.
With vcita, you can turn on useful features like appointment reminders to automatically email and text clients before their meetings. You can also enable custom booking questions to collect any details from clients when they schedule, like service or treatment requests.
Once your account is set up, share your booking page link on your website and social media so clients can easily book appointments with you.
Tips for using your new scheduling tool effectively
Keep these tips in mind to get the most out of your appointment scheduling tool. With regular use, it can save you time, reduce confusion and improve your customer experience.
Choose between a free or premium plan
Most appointment scheduling software will offer a free basic plan to get you started, with options to upgrade to a premium plan for advanced features when you’re ready. The free plan should work great when you’re first getting set up, allowing you to become familiar with the platform. When your business grows, the premium plan will give you more features and support more employees as users.
Decide on your booking page appearance
Your booking page is what your customers will see when they want to book appointments with you. Make it visually appealing and easy to use. Include details about your services, pricing, available appointment times and a calendar for customers to select their preferred date and time. Allow them to book, reschedule or cancel appointments from this page.
Connect your calendars
Link your appointment scheduling tool to your Google Calendar and other calendar apps. This synchronizes your available appointment times in real time, so customers can see up-to-date availability and book instantly online. It also ensures you have a record of all bookings in your main calendar. Some free scheduling apps like vcita let you connect unlimited calendars for free.
Set up appointment reminders
Most scheduling software lets you customize reminder emails and/or text messages, to be sent ahead of each booking. You can specify how far in advance reminders are sent, add the appointment details to the email, and personalize the message. Reminders are a great way to reduce no-shows and keep your schedule running smoothly.
Train your team
If you have employees or contractors helping with appointments, make sure to train them on using your scheduling tool. Walk them through booking, canceling and rescheduling appointments, and show them how to check availability in connected calendars. Provide written instructions or tutorials they can refer to, especially when they’re first getting started.
Appointment scheduling software will simplify your booking processes
An appointment scheduler built for teams keeps all your bookings, clients, and schedules in one place. When multiple people need to access the calendar, scalable software with a simple interface is essential. The key is finding a scheduling tool that helps your entire team efficiently book and manage client meetings while integrating with the other software you rely on. With the many options available, take advantage of free trials to find an appointment scheduling tool with the right mix of features and pricing for your business needs. Appointment schedulers that allow clients to find a time and book appointments 24/7 can be a game changer for your business.
