Online booking system: what are the benefits, and how do you choose the best one?

Imagine a potential customer finds your business website late at night and decides to book an appointment with you. Unfortunately, your phone is off, and they don’t want to send an email. Instead, they book with your competitor, who has something you don’t – an online booking system. 
 
An online booking system ensures your customers can book your services 24/7, whether you run a hair salon, work as a personal trainer or therapist, or operate another small business. 
 
Let’s take a closer look at how an online booking system works, its benefits, and how to choose the best system for your business. 

How does an online booking system work? 

An online booking system is a digital scheduling tool that allows customers to book appointments directly on your website. This means fewer phone calls and emails, as customers can easily make a booking themselves without contacting you. 

Here’s how it typically works: 

1. The customer wants to book your service: They visit your booking page and select a service.  
2. They choose a date and time: Your available slots are displayed in a calendar.  
3. The customer completes their booking: The system sends a confirmation via email to the customer, and the booking appears in the overview on your end.  

Which businesses need a booking system? 

If your business offers services that require customers to book an appointment, a booking system will make your workdays significantly easier and improve your chances of attracting and retaining customers.  

Here are some examples of businesses that could benefit from an efficient booking system: 

• Hairdressers and barbers 
• Beauty specialists 
• Personal trainers 
• Consultants and coaches 
• Therapists 
• Cleaning service providers and other types of home services. 

Why use an online booking system? 

If you run a small business, such as a sole proprietorship, you’re likely well aware of the many things you need to juggle at once. A good booking system can lighten your workload by automating many of the tasks you’d otherwise do manually.  

Easier workdays aren’t the only advantage: 

• More bookings: Your customers can book 24/7 directly on your website. This increases the chances that more customers will choose you. 

• Fewer no-shows: The best booking systems send confirmations and reminders to your customers. This reduces no-shows and misunderstandings. 

• Time savings: No more endless phone calls, a cluttered inbox, or manual scheduling of appointments. 

• Appears more professional: Many customers expect to be able to book appointments and services online and perceive this as more professional and trustworthy. 

• Improves the customer experience: It’s simply much easier to book with a few clicks rather than calling or sending an email

How to choose the best booking system

There are many booking systems on the market, which can make it a bit overwhelming to choose the one that best matches your needs and offers the features you truly require. Here are 4 questions to ask yourself before deciding which system suits your business best. 

What are your needs? 

Do you need a large, comprehensive system with many features, such as staff management, invoicing, and marketing? This may be the case if you run a large restaurant or veterinary clinic with many employees. 
 
On the other hand, if you’re a personal trainer, psychologist, or run a sole proprietorship offering cleaning services, a simple booking system with basic booking features that works perfectly for both you and your customers will typically suffice. There’s no need to spend a lot on an extensive system if a simpler one will do. 

If you don’t already have a website, it’s smart to look for a provider that makes it easy to create a complete booking page. With one.com’s Website Builder, you can create your booking page in minutes using AI and drag-and-drop, so you can quickly start accepting bookings 

Do you want to sell products, digital items, or gift cards on your website? By choosing the Bookings + E-commerce plan, you can set up a website with both a booking system and an online shop with an unlimited number of products. 

Can the system be customised to your business? 

Some booking systems can be difficult to customise for your business. This might mean the provider’s logo is always visible instead of yours when a customer books, or it’s tricky to adjust the booking calendar to match your available times, holidays, and closed days. Go for a system that’s easy to customise to your needs. 

The booking system from one.com can easily be customised to your business. Everything from booking forms to language, availability, and booking rules – such as how far in advance a customer can book or cancel – can be adjusted by you. This gives you the freedom to highlight your brand and manage your scheduling easily and efficiently.  

Additionally, our booking plans include the option to create an email address on your domain, so you can communicate with customers and partners in a professional and trustworthy way. 

Does the booking system send confirmations and reminders? 

No-shows and late cancellations are costly and a waste of time for any business relying on customer bookings. The best booking systems automatically send a confirmation to the customer once the booking is completed on your website. Customers should also receive a reminder well before their appointment, so they don’t forget and have time to cancel if necessary. 
 
It might sound like a minor detail, but in a busy daily schedule, it’s easy to forget a Wednesday appointment at 2:15 pm with the hairdresser. Automated confirmations and reminders significantly reduce the risk of no-shows, saving you time and money.  

How secure is it? 

Cybersecurity is always a critical factor when running a business with an online presence. Security is even more important when handling customers’ personal data. Choose a reliable provider that offers a secure booking system and ensures compliance with data protection laws.  

When you create your booking page with one.com, you always get a free SSL certificate, which shows visitors that your site is secure and encrypts sensitive data to prevent third-party access. We also regularly scan your site for malware to protect you from cyberattacks. 

Turn clicks into customers with an online booking system 

A booking system is more than just a scheduling tool to make your workdays easier. It enhances your ability to attract and retain more customers. By choosing the best system, it becomes simpler for your customers to book and a breeze for you to run your business exactly as you want.