When is the last time you picked up the phone and made a call to schedule an appointment? We’ll wait… You can’t even remember, right? That’s because more and more often, people are turning to scheduling apps to help organize their days. That’s why adding scheduling features to your mobile app is good business.
A full 54% of salon bookings that happen during working hours are made on the go, according to Phorest. Meanwhile, 82% of clients use mobile devices to book appointments — just 16% and 2% are made from desktops and tablets, respectively, says BookedIn. Those numbers accelerated through the COVID-19 pandemic and the appointment scheduling market is expected to hit $546.31 million by 2026.
From doctors’ offices to salons to gyms, the ability to schedule appointments digitally is an increasingly important part of many businesses — even some you may not expect. Let’s explore how three very different businesses are using in-app scheduling functions to grow while also providing convenient features for customers — and the best practices for scheduling apps.
Best practices for appointment scheduling apps
The basic functionality is simple, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t questions to ask and functionality to consider before choosing the right software to add scheduling features to your app.
- Remember this is more than a meeting. Most people are familiar with meeting scheduling functions that allow you to find a mutually convenient time and schedule a meeting. Booking an appointment isn’t much different, but there are a few key differences to keep in mind when you’re choosing a scheduling app. For instance, a scheduling app should help you maximize the number of clients you are able to see, and book clients for different types of services.
- Provide the ability to pay. A good appointment scheduling app can help make the entire customer interaction seamless, and one of the easiest ways to do that is by enabling payment.
- Calendar syncing. What’s an appointment worth if your would-be customer forgets? Your app needs to sync with your customers’ calendars so they can receive reminders and alerts. Whether it’s iCal or a Google calendar, make sure your scheduling software automatically syncs.
- Push notifications are your friend. On a similar note, using push notifications to remind your app users of their appointments can help make sure no one forgets.
Three use cases for appointment scheduling in mobile apps
Practice Makes Perfect with CAGER Sports Mobile App
Want to hit the batting cages with some buddies? Need to book some practice time for the kids? CAGER Sports Mobile App makes it easy to find open slots and book time at a batting cage facility near you. CAGER was born when Chris McMahon, a frustrated consumer, decided to take matters into his own hands and create a mobile app that could aggregate information from participating batting cages — and make it possible to book your time online.
Turning to enCappture’s team to realize his vision, McMahon originally used a third-party scheduling service to enable bookings. Though this worked fine, McMahon quickly realized that it was an expensive option because many scheduling services charge per calendar. So CAGER is switching over to enCappture’s native scheduling solution which, for just $25 a month, gives clients an unlimited number of calendars.
Book time with EMPKT PR
If you provide services as part of your business, you know how important it is to make it easy for potential customers to get in touch with you. EMPKT PR decided a mobile app could help facilitate client meetings — allowing people to book general informational calls as well as hour-long brainstorming sessions that require a fee. Using enCappture’s scheduling solution, EMPKT is able to create appointments.
Providing amenities at 10 Grand Central
In their own words, “10 Grand Central, an airy, light-filled architecturally significant c.1931 property is being reimagined to meet the needs and desires of the modern workplace.” Competition for tenants is fierce in the luxury office building market, and 10 Grand Central knows this. So providing the amenities top-tier tenants expect is key. In this case, that means allowing tenants to book a one-way car service — for free — through the building’s mobile app. Users can view their reservations and even connect with the driver through the mobile app.
Make scheduling an appointment or service easier
Online appointment scheduling is part of doing business in our increasingly digital world — and a mobile app is a perfect place to offer this ability. If you are interested in exploring other ways a turnkey mobile app from enCappture can help your organization provide value and stay connected with your members or clients, schedule your free product demo today.
