As your business grows, you're going to need to make sure your schedule is incredibly organized. You'll need to juggle appointments with clients, your own family and home life, and other obligations without double booking yourself or forgetting to show up somewhere.
Unfortunately, this isn't always easy for some therapists, and advances in technology actually make it difficult to track who wants to have an appointment and when. If you're constantly sorting through voicemails, texts, and emails, someone will eventually be looked over. That's just not good for business. Here are some tips for keeping your schedule straight.
Buy an Appointment Book
One of the simplest options is to buy a basic appointment book. You can pick one up at your local office supply store or you can order books printed specifically for massage therapists, like Massage Minder. What you choose will depend on the type of schedule you need to track and whether or not you're tracking more than one therapist at the same time. Old school books made of paper may seem outdated, but some people need to have an appointment book in their hands in order to remember to look at it and use it. Just remember to write in pencil so that you can make any necessary changes.
Massage Scheduling Software
There are several great massage scheduling software programs on the market. Most are designed to be used in conjunction with your website. You can highlight what days and times are available and make sure your clients know to use the site when they want to schedule. They'll be able to block their appointments online with no chance of double booking. Make sure whatever you choose includes good desk support software in case you need help with installation or use later on.
Set Clear Scheduling Policies
One of the trickiest tasks, as you grow, is to make sure people aren't overwhelming you with scheduling requests from too many angles. Make it clear that scheduling requests should be done online and/or through one phone number only - your office, your home, your cell - whatever works. Do you want to make appointments by text? It's up to you. If you don't, you need to make sure your clients know. This can be tricky if you love using your cell phone all day. If you have an email address, make sure you have a response message that states that those who want to schedule an appointment should call or visit your website. The more places you have to check for messages, the higher the odds you'll miss a request, accidentally double book someone, and waste a ton of time.
Be firm in your scheduling policy and make sure you choose a method that works perfectly for you. The more organized you are, the more successful you'll become.
