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What is Online Booking Systems?
Online Booking Systems are designed to facilitate online reservations and bookings for customers as well as staff and agents. It goes without saying that such important process requires reliability and efficiency which a good online booking software can provide. The primary advantage of using a booking and reservation platform is the accuracy and convenience for customers when availing of your booking services online which can be done in real-time. Show moreCustomers are also afforded updated booking information, a secure payment mechanism, and a host of other features to automate and expedite booking tasks and processes. Start by checking our leader HoneyBook, and other recommended solutions in this category.Show less
How was this ranking made?
To devise this ranking of best Online Booking Systems we have evaluated 207 popular solutions currently present on the market, studying their features, ease-of-use, client support, possible integrations with other systems as well as mobile device support using our exclusive SmartScoreTM rating system. This list has been developed by Jenny Chang, our B2B authority dedicated to the Online Booking Systems category.
List of Top 12 Online Booking Systems
Order by:
Sponsored
- Sponsored
- Score
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1. HoneyBook
Our score: 8.8 User satisfaction: 97%An all-in-one business management solution that helps users organize work activities, connect with clients, and issue payments on time. It also keeps track of all appointments and can be used to communicate and schedule meetings with clients, send proposals, and many more. Collecting pay online is easy as well through its payment processing options.
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2. Acuity Scheduling from Squarespace
Our score: 9.5 User satisfaction: N/AAn easy-to-use online appointment scheduling tool that allows users to organize their schedule, and control their availability while enabling clients to self-book appointments. The platform adapts to any business, especially those that offer classes, private sessions, class backs, and other subscription-based services online.
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3. YouCanBook.me
Our score: 9.5 User satisfaction: 94%An easy-to-use online booking solution that adds customer bookings straight into the calendar to eliminate back and forth email coordination. The platform seamlessly integrates with Google Calendar, allowing you to share your availability and enable clients to self-book appointments. It also offers reminders, notifications, and SMS to reduce no-shows.
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4. Bookeo
Our score: 9.3 User satisfaction: 97%A commission-free online scheduling and reservation system used by thousands of service providers, tour companies, and learning institutions. The platform supports different use cases including tour and activity, classes and courses, and appointment bookings. Businesses that use Bookeo enjoy increased efficiency and customer satisfaction.
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5. SimplyBook.me
Our score: 9.2 User satisfaction: 100%An online booking system accessible from mobile devices or desktop PCs for 24/7 bookings from anywhere. The platform's Class & Membership feature empowers businesses to have complete control over their booking activities. On top of its many innovative tools, SimplyBook.me's POS tool can accept both cash and credit card payments.
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6. Checkfront
Our score: 9.1 User satisfaction: 96%A simple yet powerful booking management software that allows you to manage all bookings and scheduling regimes with a few clicks. Businesses use Checkfront to streamline online bookings and reservations, manage resources/inventory, optimize their channels, and save time managing mission-critical activities.
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7. vcita Online Scheduling
Our score: 9.0 User satisfaction: 94%Award-winning, cloud-hosted scheduling, and calendar management solution. The self-service portal lets you and your clients set schedules anytime, anywhere from the web or mobile app. While, on the other hand, the calendar feature confirms the schedules automatically saving you time on constant back and forth coordination, while reducing double-booking.
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8. YArooms
Our score: 8.8 User satisfaction: 96%Meeting room booking software for organizations looking to manage their spaces and resources such as hospitals, corporate offices, co-working spaces, and universities. More than 1000 clients use YArooms for different booking use cases to optimize shared space planning and cut double bookings.
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9. Skedda
Our score: 8.7 User satisfaction: 95%An online booking software for space-style resources such as meeting rooms, sports facilities, labs, classrooms, and community venues. It streamlines booking management while providing a highly customizable and mobile-friendly platform that allows you to set up the pricing details, booking conditions, and space-sharing rules of any venue you are putting up for rent.
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10. Whatspot
Our score: 8.5 User satisfaction: 99%A corporate booking solution that enables users to create, track, and handle meeting room, car, and parking space reservations on any device.
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11. Shedul
Our score: 8.3 User satisfaction: 87%Free, cloud-based booking and management software for wellness businesses featuring online bookings, scheduled appointments, automatic reminders, and more.
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12. NexTravel
Our score: 8.3 User satisfaction: N/AA corporate travel management platform that helps companies manage and streamline travel. It simplifies businesses travel booking and allows companies to centralize travel. It makes it easy to monitor employee trips and offers automated expenses and smooth reconciliation to help track the company’s spend on travel.
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Table of contents
Industry Report - Online Booking Systems for 2022
CloudRank™ system is a unique algorithm that our research team uses to evaluate Online Booking Systems solutions in a detailed and accurate way. The Spring 2022 edition of the ranking was prepared by Jenny Chang, our leading expert in the field of Online Booking Systems, who has authored 1380+ product reviews in this category. The goal of CloudRank™ is to present an unbiased, multi-layered perspective on Online Booking Systems, considering a wide range of metrics and factors, and educating potential customers about both opportunities and challenges associated with each piece of software.
In order to achieve full objectivity the position in our CloudRank™ is based on:
- Expert Score: which involves extensive analysis by our internal team which carefully examined all key elements of each software and testing it in real-life situations
- User Score: which involves an aggregated opinion of actual users of each product whose identity was properly verified
- Market Position: which involves general recognition of a given vendor on the market and reflects its overall popularity and reach
What do the tiers in CloudRank™ mean?
We’ve calculated a score for each product based on the average experience shared by our users in their product reviews and arranged the list in three tiers. You can see the methodology below on how the calculations were made.
- Leaders: those with a User Score of 8.3 or higher; this tier includes products that are currently leaders on the market and are appreciated by both experts and actual users. They always represent the best of what the Online Booking Systems market has to offer and are all worth trying out if you’re looking for a reliable solution.
- Contenders: those with a User Score between 7.8 and 8.3; this tier includes high-quality products that still have some minor drawbacks that prevent them from becoming leaders on the market. They always represent well-designed tools that, over time, will most likely develop into market leaders as the missing features are added.
- Rising Stars: those with a User Score between 6.5 and 7.8; this tier includes products that have high-potential but still lack some crucial features or services expected from a leading solution. They are products with solid foundations and a vision that makes us eager to see what they will become as their solution improves in the future.
Regardless of their tier, all products included in our CloudRank™ are popular, quality products considered top-performers by our team of experts. Make sure you read a more detailed review of each solution to find one that will work best for your specific needs and budget.
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MARKET POSITION
A score between 1 and 10 based on popularity and market reach of each product.
TOTAL score
A score between 1 and 10 based on the average of our Expert Score and User Score.
How does CloudRank™ work?
Market Position
A score between 1 and 10 based on popularity and market reach of each product.
Total Score
A score between 1 and 10 based on the average of our Expert Score and User Score.
CloudRank™ tier
Based on product's total score.
Rising Star
Contender
Front Runners
24 Most Popular Online Booking Systems
Here is a list of all 24 Online Booking Systems solutions evaluated with our CloudRank™ analysis. We have compared their features, user satisfaction, market presence and other key factors in an in-depth analysis you can find below:
1. Acuity Scheduling from Squarespace
8.64
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Score:8.64
Score:8.64
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Score:8.47
Score:8.47
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3. SimplyBook.me
8.23
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Score:8.23
Score:8.23
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Score:8.12
Score:8.12
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Score:8.10
Score:8.10
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Score:8.06
Score:8.06
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100+
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7. vcita Online Scheduling
8.04
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Score:8.04
Score:8.04
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8. Square Appointments
8.03
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Score:8.03
Score:8.03
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CloudRank™
Score:7.76
Score:7.76
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Score:7.76
Score:7.76
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11. Schedulicity
7.73
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Score:7.73
Score:7.73
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Score:7.68
Score:7.68
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13. HouseCall Pro
7.66
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Score:7.66
Score:7.66
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Score:7.59
Score:7.59
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Score:7.56
Score:7.56
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Score:7.51
Score:7.51
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Score:7.46
Score:7.46
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18. YouCanBook.me
7.38
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Score:7.38
Score:7.38
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Score:7.36
Score:7.36
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CloudRank™
Score:7.28
Score:7.28
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CloudRank™
Score:7.26
Score:7.26
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CloudRank™
Score:6.81
Score:6.81
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100+
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}
CloudRank™
Score:6.70
Score:6.70
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}
CloudRank™
Score:6.44
Score:6.44
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100+
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Our report covered 24 most popular products from the Online Booking Systems category. We’ve analyzed their features, performance, integration, customer support, pricing, and several other key buying factors and combined it with feedback from user reviews to come up with the current list of best solutions:
- 2022 Online Booking Systems Leaders: Acuity Scheduling from Squarespace, Calendly, SimplyBook.me
- 2022 Online Booking Systems Contenders: Setmore, HoneyBook, Doodle, vcita Online Scheduling, Square Appointments, Genbook, Schedulicity
- 2022 Online Booking Systems Rising Stars: FareHarbor, Checkfront, HouseCall Pro, Appointy, Booksy, 10to8, Timely, YouCanBook.me, Bookeo, SuperSaaS, Rezdy, Bokun, YArooms, Engageware
Acuity Scheduling leads our Online Booking Software CloudRank 2022 report. As an all-in-one appointment scheduling platform, it adapts to the needs of different businesses, making it highly rated in various aspects. Aside from its reliable booking and scheduling capabilities, Acuity Scheduling offers a host of other robust features that prove helpful to companies and professionals looking to boost their brand and provide enhanced customer service.
As could be expected from this year’s online booking software category leader, Acuity Scheduling garnered outstanding ratings for its real-time, 24/7 booking capabilities. It allows users to view schedule availability in real-time. This easy-to-use platform also lets customers self-schedule appointments easily and quickly. With real-time scheduling that automatically adjusts to specific time zones, Acuity Scheduling makes appointment cancellation and rescheduling a breeze as well. Any time slots booked or released are instantaneously reflected in its calendar.
A thorough evaluation of customer reviews also reveals that payment processing is another one of Acuity Scheduling’s strongest suits. With the ability to integrate with PayPal, Square, and Stripe, it allows customers to pay for the services, classes, subscriptions, or accommodations that they purchase or reserve right away. When Acuity Scheduling is linked to any of these payment gateways, users can provide their customers with the option to store their credit card information for future transactions. Moreover, Acuity Scheduling also integrates with popular online calendars and social media platforms. This feature is most helpful to users who want to sync their business and personal calendars and share real-time calendars on their social media pages.
All of these capabilities, combined with strong customization features, can be further maximized on the go as Acuity Scheduling comes with iOS and Android apps. These apps help users to manage appointments and reservations anytime, anywhere. All in all, Acuity Scheduling offers the tools and functionalities that most users expect from online booking systems.
Most users of Online Booking Systems solutions confirm that in most cases these tools allow them to reach the following business goals:
- It enables bookings on mobile devices. [ 87.0% of users ]
- It enables us to access data securely stored in a centralized location. [ 86.6% of users ]
- It facilitates 24/7 booking. [ 85.8% of users ]
- It guarantees payment security for our customers. [ 85.5% of users ]
- It helps to enhance the efficiency of our booking process. [ 86.2% of users ]
How did we select products for this Online Booking Systems report?
The Spring 2022 version of the report includes a total of 24 Online Booking Systems products that were compared and analyzed by our team. We selected them based on the following factors:
- Popularity of a given brand in the SaaS market (based on our own market research)
- How popular a given brand is among FinancesOnline users (based on number of mothly readers for each review page)
- Availability of statistical data generated from user reviews of a particular product (we excluded products with not enough data to draw meaningful conclusions)
- The current listing reflects the state of our database and research as of May 2022. An updated version of the report will be released quarterly to keep data fresh and incorporate information about shifts and changing trends in the market.
What are the current Online Booking Systems trends?
Increased Robotic Process Automation
One of today’s widespread business automation techniques is robotic process automation (RPA). With this, a “robot” software is configured to capture data and interpret it to trigger a response. An RPA tool can also be designed to communicate with other digital systems or programs. Since its creation, this emerging technology practice has been utilized to streamline and automate rules-based enterprise operations. In fact, RPA has been proven to improve compliance (92%), quality/accuracy (90%), and productivity (86%).
In the online booking industry, RPA bridges the gap between automated scheduling and personalized customer interaction. With the help of RPA, businesses can provide customers with more customized responses and recommendations. At the same time, RPA can make the entire appointment or reservation booking process faster and more convenient.
Most Popular Services For Online Booking
Most Popular Services For Online Booking
Health and Wellness: 25
Health and Wellness: 25
Health and Wellness
%Most Popular Services For Online Booking
Others : 16
Others : 16
Others
%Most Popular Services For Online Booking
Gym, Sports and Personal Trainers: 13
Gym, Sports and Personal Trainers: 13
Gym, Sports and Personal Trainers
%Most Popular Services For Online Booking
Naprapathy : 11
Naprapathy : 11
Naprapathy
%Most Popular Services For Online Booking
Spas and Beauty Salons: 9
Spas and Beauty Salons: 9
Spas and Beauty Salons
%Most Popular Services For Online Booking
Massage Therapists: 8
Massage Therapists: 8
Massage Therapists
%Most Popular Services For Online Booking
Education and Counselling: 5
Education and Counselling: 5
Education and Counselling
%Most Popular Services For Online Booking
Photographer : 4
Photographer : 4
Photographer
%Most Popular Services For Online Booking
Hair Salons: 3
Hair Salons: 3
Hair Salons
%Most Popular Services For Online Booking
Medical Centers: 3
Medical Centers: 3
Medical Centers
%Most Popular Services For Online Booking
Business Coaches and Consultants: 3
Business Coaches and Consultants: 3
Business Coaches and Consultants
%Source: timecenter.com
Designed byEnhanced Personalization
According to customer service trends reports, personalization is the new service standard. So much so that 8 in 10 customers are more likely to do business with brands that offer personalized experiences. As such, when it comes to online booking and scheduling, modern businesses need to consider how to enhance personalization while also providing a seamless online scheduling experience.
Online booking systems are expected now more than ever to provide stronger personalization features. These include giving customers the option to activate personalized notifications and appointment reminders. Customers may also appreciate service recommendations based on the data and information they provide, as well as a step-by-step guide while they complete a booking.
Source: BookedIn
Cloud-Based Client Data Management
One of the reasons why businesses and professionals utilize online booking software is for them to be able to manage bookings and subscriptions online. This goes without saying that users expect to access customer and service data anytime and anywhere. Ultimately, there will be a shift to cloud-based client data management and this requires powerful integration capabilities and reliable security protocols.
To meet the demand, online booking software features need to go beyond simply facilitating online appointment scheduling and reservations. These tools are bound to become comprehensive platforms that can securely store and process client data, and reliably function with other business systems.
You can be overcome by the sheer number of online booking systems currently available, all of which are claimed by their vendors as the best ones. But what’s best for your business is something only you can determine. It is wise that when you go out looking for an online booking system you are knowledgeable of what would work for you based on your specific requirements. Below, we have prepared a comprehensive array of information to guide you in your decision.
Get to Know Each Product with a Free Trial
The first logical thing you can do in your exploration of the online booking systems landscape is to try out some of the popular platforms. You can do this through the free trial plans or demo commonly offered by online booking systems providers, giving you the chance to test and do a comparison of the claimed features and capabilities. Your first-hand assessment can be complemented by reading the findings of experts who have subjected the products to an in-depth review and scored them based on industry standards and user satisfaction, just like we do here in our site. By considering tools that garner high review ratings, you further narrow down your options. You can try out such products as Checkfront, SimplyBook.me, Bookeo, or Booker as they have received impressive rankings in our online booking systems reviews.
Targeted Businesses
There is a simple determinant if an online booking system will be useful for you: if you have an online presence (company website, social media page) and your business involves taking reservations and bookings, then an online booking system would definitely make things a whole lot easier. Running a business in today’s interconnected world means leveraging current technology to keep processes as straightforward as possible, reduce procedures between customers and their purchases, and hasten the closing of sales. Fewer steps in sales transaction mean more engagement and retention of customers and, of course, a better bottom line. Many business solutions are designed to do just that, and an online booking system is one of them intended for a particular operation.
If your company, organization or business accepts any kind of bookings or reservations, having an online booking system should be a priority. The online booking system is regarded as one of the most beneficial and widely used tools by businesses today. The following sectors and industries are the intended and ideal users of the platform:
- Accommodation Services (hotels, lodging houses)
- Travel Services (airlines, cruise lines)
- Tours Operators (adventure/vacation packages)
- Hospitality and Leisure (restaurant, clubs, resorts, theme parks)
- Rentals (car, boat, yacht)
- Schools, Classes and Training Sessions (language, cooking, dance, art, music, computer)
- Entertainment & Events (movie houses, theaters, operas, concerts)
- Health, Beauty, and Wellness (gyms, yoga, spa, massage, salon)
- Medical Services Providers (labs, clinics, doctors, dentists)
- Local Governments
- Childcare Providers
- Activities Companies
- Real Estate
What are Examples of Online Booking Systems?
- Checkfront: An online booking and customer management solution that comes with many useful features including integration support with popular online services, payment processing, and analytic tools to obtain insights from your data.
- SimplyBook.me: Highly customizable online booking system used by a variety of businesses to streamline and automate their scheduling and booking procedures. It also has a client feedback feature that you can use to improve service and customer experience.
- Bookeo: The Bookeo Class & Courses and Bookeo Tours & Activities are industry-specific online reservation and booking platforms. The former is ideal for art classes, yoga sessions, cooking schools, and similar activities, while the latter is perfect for guided tours, charters, and escape rooms to name a few.
- YouCanBook.me: A booking platform that allows customer bookings straight into the calendar, and integrates seamlessly with Google and iCloud Calendar. It offers a personalized scheduling page, enabling customers to easily book their appointments, and be notified when the time comes.
- Booker: A user-friendly, all-in-one business management solution that makes it easy for your customers to book appointments from your social accounts, website, or mobile app. It can also manage employee, inventory and customer data, and handle payment processing.
- Reservationengine: A complete, cloud-based booking and management system optimized for motorbike, boat, and car rental services as well as travel agents. It allows users to apply solutions for bookings, workflows, invoicing, rental contracts, and inventories.
- Acuity Scheduling. A simple yet powerful online appointment scheduling software built to help users organize schedules and control their availability.
Types of Online Booking Systems
Though there are online booking tools built specifically for certain industries and activities like tour booking, hotel reservation, and property rental, online booking systems can be classified into two general types: first, for small booking operations and, second, for big volume businesses. Of course, you can go for all-in-one online booking systems that can handle any type of business of whatever size. But you may also prefer one that is scaled to suit your business and fit your budget.
- For Small to Medium Enterprises – requires only a small staff to maintain and handle your online booking system. This can be useful for businesses with limited monthly individual or group reservations such as those offering training sessions and classes as well as “by appointment only” services like clinics and medical labs.
- For Large Businesses – this type is designed for businesses that handle hundreds of bookings and reservations per month like large hotels and major airlines which regularly encounter robust activity both on company side (agents, salespeople, counter staff) and their target customers (travelers, vacationers, businessmen).
Key Features of Online Booking Systems
A good online booking system must not make the booking process difficult for you and your clients. It must have intuitive functions that make it easy for clients to get information, updates and support; fillable forms; scheduling bookings; and process payment. Remember, booking and reservation is literally closing a sale and, thus, a revenue generator. In the same manner, for your convenience and peace of mind, your online booking systems should be flawless and reliable. You would not want a client to go to another booking service because your system experienced a glitch. An online booking system must have the following basic features:
- User-friendly – must be understandable and usable to any kind of user. If a user finds it challenging to book with the system on your site, he can easily search for another site.
- Data management – it must have the functionalities you need to collect and analyze data such as daily, weekly and monthly booking volumes. Also, it must be equipped with reporting tools and a centralized repository for customer information and other pertinent data.
- Payment processing – your booking system should never falter on this and be able to accept and process deposits or payment in the most timely, secure and efficient manner.
- Inventory management system – it must be able to sort out and itemize every booking service you offer whether it is rental, accommodation or tour, and adjust or update items in your inventory.
- Calendar and scheduling – synched with your website, integrated with your office apps and connected with your payment system, a calendar keeps track and informs you of booking commitments, schedules and changes.
- Customer and vendor support – must be responsive and have a feedback mechanism so customers can relay their concerns and you can address them quickly. Similarly, you must be able to immediately reach the vendor if issues crop up in the system.
- Automated updates – it is vital that there is real-time and automatic updating of booking information, booking form generation, price rates, invoices and the like, as well as being able to remotely access all information.
- Social media integration – allows you to take and accept bookings directly from customers on social media platforms.
- Mobile device compatibility – for anytime, anywhere access of real-time booking information by agents, staff and other concerned personnel.
- Language and currency settings – Incredible features that come in handy for companies that accept bookings across different countries. Allowing users to book appointments and make payments in their local language and currency is a good way to enhance the customer experience.
Benefits from Online Booking Systems
The basic features alone in the preceding section may have already convinced you of the importance of an online booking systems. Knowing its numerous potential benefits may further prove its indispensability for your booking operations. We’ve itemized a number of them so you don’t miss out with what you can gain from adopting an online booking system:
- Productivity. Lessen man hours for managing booking activities.
- Efficiency. Trim down on your customer service requirements.
- Accessibility. Get data you need from a centralized location wherever you are.
- Payment Security. Enable instant, secured, assured payment.
- Bookings 24/7. Take any time, any day, anywhere bookings.
- Mobility. Manage bookings with your mobile device.
- Simplification. Effortless bookings and procedures for customers.
- Automation. Real-time information, data, emails and communication.
- Integration. Work with third-party platforms, apps, and sites.
Latest Trends
While online booking platforms have the necessary features to carry out their purpose, there are trends in the market brought about by emerging technology that you need to be aware of.
- Mobile booking is king. According to a 2016 study, mobile bookings in travel increased by 1,700% from 2011 to 2015, and 45% of connected travelers used their smartphone to book travel activities. This only means one thing – your OBS should be mobile-friendly, capable and responsive as you’ll likely be expecting more bookings and reservations from clients through their mobile devices.
- New reservation and distribution channels. The use of chatbots and messaging apps for reservations, especially for hotels and accommodation, is on the upswing. You would do well to have an OBS that can ably function with these apps or better yet have a product with built-in messaging, email and chat functions.
- Big data management. Now more than ever, big data is indispensable for business. New data comes in every single day and needs to be sorted, filtered, compiled, analyzed and stored. There are specialized, dedicated platforms to process and handle large volumes of data and your OBS is not meant to do that. However, you OBS should have the facility to manage your most important information, track and update relevant data, look over your inventory, and provide you insights and KPIs.
Potential Issues
It is essential to keep in mind some of the issues that may crop up involving your online booking tools as these may impact your business.
- Internet Access. As with all online processing systems, you have to be connected with the internet. Even in this day and age, there are times you may lose internet access (power outage, hardware/software failure), and you may be in a location where there is no connectivity for your mobile device. There must be a backup system in place for situations like these to avoid interruptions in your service.
- Data Security. Hacks and breaches can happen even to the most secure and fortified systems. Whether you store important data in the cloud or on a central company server, make sure only authorized personnel can access it and that authentication protocols are always followed and updated.
- Tech Support. A most frustrating scenario is when you can’t reach the vendor when you need him most. Even the most perfect systems can break down and they need periodic maintenance. Ensure that your vendor is there to provide prompt technical support in dire situations.
- Integration. Although this is a common feature in most business software, check that your product can work smoothly with the everyday applications you use in your office or business. The more apps your product can integrate with, the faster you can work and the more things you can do without having to shift from one software to another to accomplish different tasks.
Factors to Consider When Buying an Online Booking System
Ideally, you shouldn’t base your decision to buy an online booking system on the cost. However, reality advises us differently. With the complexities of the business arena, you need to give the cost a serious consideration. As you evaluate pricing plans, these are the main factors you should consider to make an informed decision.
- Does the vendor offer basic or premium support at a cost?
- What about the setup and training? Some solutions are too complex to set up on your own. As such, you may require the hand of the vendor to accurately configure the system travel policies to ensure optimal performance. In other cases, the onboarding process can be too steep for you. Check whether the vendor charges a fee for these two vital services or they provide them for free.
- What kind of licensing cost do they offer? Is it a fixed fee or by commission?
- Is the license charged per user?
Travel Policy for Corporate Clients
If you intend to deal with corporate clients, you should give the travel policy setting a serious consideration. Check to ensure that the solution you’re about to pick can help you manage bookings and travel within the parameters of your clients’ specific travel policies. Ideally, a good booking solution should enable you to create multiple profiles to cater to different corporate users, price restrictions, travel restrictions, and types of services allowed.
List of Online Booking Systems Companies
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Things to consider when you invest in a SaaS
The first and most important thing is to make certain the software is appropriate for your organization’s needs. Do not worry about the delivery method and pricing model and focus on getting the appropriate software. Second, you should invest some time to do proper research on the background of the provider and the functionality of the product. Otherwise, you may end up paying a high cost if the software proves to be a bad fit.
Another important point is you should always read the contract and understand the terms and conditions. SaaS contracts are known for clever phrasing, so make sure you know what you are getting into. Do not get sapped into an evergreen contract. Be sure about the renewal terms as well as the notice time required to cancel the renewal.
You will be surprised to learn the gains you can obtain by negotiating smartly. SaaS software is a competitive market and providers will be willing to provide you a discount to earn your business and continue it. Make use of this opportunity to save some money.
Realize that the teaser rate is provided only for a short period. Learn about the total fee you need to pay after the initial discount ends. Also, estimate the long-term cost to know what you are getting into.
Frequently asked questions about Online Booking Systems
What is the best online booking system?
The best online booking system is SimplyBook.me, a simple yet powerful solution that works best for different types of companies. The platform provides robust tools that your business needs to accept bookings from your website, Booking.page, or social media. It also integrates with calendar software so it’s easy to “sell” your availability to potential clients and help them self-book appointments anytime, anywhere.
Every booking doesn’t always result in an honored appointment—sometimes clients fail to show up. Further, some clients arrive late for their appointment forcing you to change your schedule and cancel other important activities. To prevent no-shows from eroding your revenue, SimplyBook.me offers reminders and notifications to help clients show up on time. In addition, when your bookings pipeline runs dry, you can leverage promotions and offer discounts to woo clients.
What are the benefits of online booking systems?
Using online booking systems can deliver a series of benefits, which include:
- Improved productivity. The solutions cut the admin time required to manually collect, schedule, and input booking details into a system. They connect directly with your calendar, allowing clients to view your availability and pick a time slot that suits their schedule. This not only reduces scheduling mistakes but also takes the load off your shoulders, allowing you to focus on delivering quality service.
- Increased bookings. You no longer have to rely on walk-ins or receive bookings only during working hours online. With online booking systems, clients can book an appointment, anytime, anywhere, and on any device. This means, even when you’re not in the office—during holidays and weekends—bookings won’t stop streaming in.
- Reduced no-shows. In addition to effortless booking, this type of platform keeps the appointments ringing in your client’s ear. Features like reminders ensure clients are always aware of an upcoming appointment. This way, they feel obligated to honor the appointment or at least reschedule it at a later date. This way, no-shows and late comings are minimized, thus helping you see more clients.
- Revenue gains. Limited manual work, increased bookings, and reduced no-shows result in increased revenue. When the trend is maintained, one thing happens: the bottom line grows significantly and consistently.
What are the features of online booking sytems?
You can get the benefits mentioned above, and many others, by using a platform with the standard online booking management features. These features include:
- Real-time booking. Booking is the main feature of every online booking system. Initially, email and phone were the predominant tools used to facilitate the booking. Today, however, booking systems have evolved into advanced tools that facilitate real-time bookings. They allow clients to book appointments anytime anywhere, and receive confirmation almost instantaneously.
- Calendar. The visual calendar works hand in hand with the booking feature. It displays your availability, allowing clients to book an appointment for a time that’s convenient for the involved parties.
- Reminder and notifications. Booking an appointment is the start of a long process that ought to culminate in a sale. But in between the day of booking and the day of the appointment, a lot of things can happen and cause the client to forget or want to reschedule an appointment. Reminders ensure that the clients never forget about the appointment, whereas notifications come in handy when either party cancels or reschedules the appointment.
- Payment options. A convenient feature that works in favor of the client and the business. For clients, it gives them an easy option to make payments online without leaving their credit card details. While, on the other hand, businesses benefit from quick payment processing.
- Language and currency settings. Great features for companies that accept bookings worldwide. Making your booking system available in multiple languages and availing multiple currencies, and enhance the customer experience.
What is the easiest online booking system to use?
In addition to offering the aforementioned features, a booking system should be easy to use. Your customers should spend time booking an appointment and not learning the system. The same applies to your employees. Here are some easy-to-use online booking systems you might want to consider:
- Acuity Scheduling. A robust online booking system built to help businesses increase their bookings. With the platform, clients can view your availability in real-time and book an appointment or reschedule with just a few clicks. Moreover, it helps you organize and automate your schedule to maximize your time.
- YouCanBook.me. Another simple online booking system designed to eliminate the time-consuming back-and-forth emails coordination. Every booking is slotted straight into your calendar. As a result, your schedule stacks up automatically with little to no effort required from you.
- NexTravel. If you want a solution to streamline travel booking for your company, invest in NexTravel. The time between the initial setup and travel policy setting to the first travel booking can be as short as a few hours.
What is a good free online booking system?
One of the benefits of using online booking systems is revenue gain. The beauty of it all is that you don’t have to spend a premium to increase your revenue and grow the bottom line. You can do it at no cost using the following free software:
- SimplyBook.me. This platform has one of the most generous free plans you can get. The plan works particularly well for small companies that take less than 50 bookings per month. On top of free bookings, you get a booking widget, booking website, and directory listing features. To top it all off, the free plan also supports 1 custom feature and access to their Android and iOS admin app.
- Setmore. Another good free online booking system for small companies and service-oriented businesses. With the Setmore Basic plan, you can manage your calendar, send automated email notifications, process Square payments, and create a public-facing booking page. A free online booking system doesn’t get any better.
- Acuity Scheduling. The platform also offers a freebie. Although its feature set isn’t as generous as SimplBook.me or Setmore, it still offers a good way to get started with online bookings.
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