Time is of the essence, especially for business owners whose service relies on booking appointments with new and prospective clients. Health and wellness providers know this all too well. The more time they spend on scheduling, the less time they have to provide their services. It’s a vicious cycle.

Now there is a simple solution: an online booking system for WordPress-based websites. There are many options when it comes to using scheduling plugins for WordPress, but they are not all created equally. Health and wellness business owners — yoga teachers, yoga studio owners, health coaches, nutritionists — can provide top-notch customer service to their clients with a booking plugin geared toward their industry.

Why Clients Love Online Booking

Life is busy for all of us. Requiring customers to speak to a real, live person during set business hours to schedule an appointment complicates matters.

More than half of consumers (56.4 per cent) expressed frustration with being on hold to schedule appointments by phone. Nearly 70 per cent said their preferred booking method is online because it affords them the ability to schedule at a time most convenient to them.

There are other reasons clients prefer online booking: 

• It gives them a sense of control over their buying experience. Consumers dislike feeling pressured about their purchases, and this includes scheduling appointments with salons, spas, and yoga instructors. They want the freedom to choose the service they want on the day and time that is most convenient for them.
• It allows them to access additional information before booking. Making online booking available on your business website not only provides customers with the convenience of when they book but also puts other information readily at their fingertips. Customers may purchase additional services if they have easy access to all that a health and wellness provider offers before scheduling with them.

Why Business Owners Love Online Booking

Removing the bottleneck associated with phone booking systems is one of the top reasons health and wellness providers love online booking. It frees them up to do what they enjoy most: working with their clients.

There are other advantages for business owners as well. 

1. It shortens the sign-up and sales process

Customers can share important documents and other pertinent information when booking online through a booking plugin. Business owners can easily control essential details about their events and services with customers to streamline the entire process, such as start and end times for group sessions and available openings.

2. It reduces embarrassing mistakes

Booking plugins record information about your customers that they have directly uploaded themselves, reducing the risk of spelling a name wrong or recording an important date incorrectly.

3. It collects payments up front

No-shows hurt everyone. They hurt the business owner for sure, but they also affect other customers who may have benefited from the time slot someone else scheduled and then failed to use without notice. Booking plugins can collect payment in advance to encourage clients to keep their appointments.

The advantages of an online booking plugin are numerous for both clients and business owners. It is truly a win-win situation. As a website designer and a Yogini, I understand the importance of a booking plugin that works seamlessly with health and wellness-based websites. Contact me today to learn how a booking plugin can help your business.

TL;DR

Using a booking plugin for WordPress-based websites is a win-win situation for health and wellness providers and their clients. The right plugin can make online booking a breeze, freeing up business owners to do what they enjoy most: working with their clients.