Disadvantages of an Online Booking System: The Customer’s Perspective
November 19, 2021
Disadvantages of an Online Booking System: The Customer’s Perspective
This may not be the angle you’d expect coming from a company that builds online booking systems, but hear me out.
Your business is nothing without it’s people – this includes your employees and your customers. Now, there’s no doubt in my mind that an admin-busting, calendar-managing, appointment booking system will improve your employees working day tenfold, but what about your customers? It’s been reported that millennials will avoid phone calls at all costs, and via a quick Google search, will opt for the company that requires the least amount of effort (and that “effort” could be as little as jumping off a webpage or sending an email!) but a huge number of your customers may still require or simply prefer a human touch when booking your services.
1. Consider your audience
2. Remove the stress
3. Money matters
4. Life happens
In this article, we’ll cover a number of reasons why your customers might not warm to your shiny new online booking system, or even why potential new customers might take one look at your website and leave. We’ll also explain how to get around these obstacles and provide your customers with a level of customer service to keep them coming back to you time and time again.
Read more about how your customers will benefit from an online booking system.
1. Consider Your Audience
It’s important to consider your audience here; the older generation may not have access to the internet or be confident with a computer, or maybe would just feel more confident knowing their booking has successfully landed with you and been processed correctly.
Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face here, make sure anyone and everyone is able to access your services!
2. Remove The Stress
Along a similar vein, customers may need to make you aware of specific requirements, e.g. disabled parking, dietary requirements or wheelchair access. Although there is the option to add these requirements during the BookingLive 5 step booking process, you may be hosting a special activity or experience and the party attending will want to make sure the day goes perfectly to plan. Ease their concerns by confirming these requirements in an efficient manner in text so there’s absolutely no confusion.
3. Money Matters
Customers may not trust online payments are safe and secure, and with all of the horror stories splashed across the news of data breaches, hackers and fraud… who can blame them? Although we know all reputable booking systems will integrate with industry-leading secure payment gateways, these people want to protect their well earned cash and that must be considered and respected. I know this isn’t always possible or good for business but if you can, allow your customer to pay on the day or make it very clear on your website that they can call up and make a payment over the phone if they’d prefer.
4. Life Happens…
…and with that comes server crashes, network repairs and poor signal – resulting in potential glitches that may lead the customers to believe they’ve booked incorrectly, accidentally purchased twice, or their booking hasn’t pulled through to your system at all. Although few and far between (especially in this day and age), it’s always good to make sure there’s an alternative option for customers to contact you if they need to. Leave your company’s contact details on your website so you can be contactable during these times to resolve any issues and to ensure these unavoidable hiccups won’t discourage your customers from booking with you again in the future.
Weighing up your options when it comes to booking software? Check out this blog on what to look for in an online booking system.
Never Underestimate the Power of the Human Touch
Although an online booking system has countless benefits; it’ll keep your business open 24/7, minimise admin massively and keep customer data safe and secure, let’s not lose sight of those in the world that still prefer a human touch.
Make sure there is someone there to support your valued customers when they need you. A cheerful voice on the end of the phone or a prompt and informative email will do wonders for your brand reputation, increase customer loyalty and keep those bookings rolling in! Don’t forget, you can always use your booking system to book on your customer’s behalf, so all of the information will be stored efficiently without doubling your workload.
At BookingLive, we offer free training and have a chatbot support team available with any queries you may have regarding the system, so you know your system inside out and can provide the best possible service to anyone booking your product or services.
BookingLive: Get Started With FREE Online Scheduling & Booking Automation
We are supporting thousands of business owners across 74+ countries with PAYG online booking automation systems. With your free account, you can set up your products and services in under 5 mins and have your bookable items live and ready for customers to purchase 24/7 on any device from anywhere. If you want to take payments through your online booking & scheduling system it is charged PAYG meaning that a small percentage is charged per sale made.
This flexible risk-free solution provides small business owners with an industry-leading customer experience, automation of administration tasks, automated payment handling and it doesn’t cost anything until you make a sale.