Free online appointment service

Having an online appointment book is an incredible benefit for a small salon.  If, like us, you don’t have someone to answer the phone, this will cut down on how many people call.  Our clients love being able to make their own appointment. It is an inexpensive solution that makes us look bigger and better organized than we would be without it.

I just discovered a FREE (yes, you heard me right.  I said “free.”) online appointment service.

I set up a dummy salon for you to test.  Click on the link immediately to the right of this post (Book Now) to see the interface from the client’s perspective.

GenBook has video demos of the client view and the business view and also offers a more full-featured product for $39.95 a month, which seems pretty darn reasonable for an unlimited number of service providers.

To test the business end, log on using this email: test@azarra.com and this password: smallsalons

Feel free to make any appointments you like and move things around as much as you wish.

Let me know if you decide this is the service for you!

*Update 4/1/08*

I just got a phone call from GenBook and they wanted to let us know that the “Book Now” button could be placed on any online advertising you do (CitySearch, CraigsList, etc.)  The company seems to be helpful and interested in getting your business (even the free version!)  They also told me that there was a major update due in the next few weeks which would give even more functionality to both the free and the paid versions.  Give it a try!

Here is the email that goes to clients when they book their appointment:

Dear Aura Mae,

This email confirms your appointment with Advice For Small Salons as follows:

APPOINTMENT DETAILS

What:	Color Retouch & Cut – $125.00 with Margaret
When:	Thu Apr 10 at 12:00 PM
Address:	1944 Pacific Ave Suite 210, Tacoma, WA 98402
Phone:	2532000066

YOUR DETAILS

Contact:	Aura Mae
Mobile:	xxx-xxx-xxxx
Email:	auramae@sampleemail.com
Confirmation number:	4ECCH62IEX
Special requests:	Testing the system. can I please have a brow wax, also?

CHANGES AND CANCELLATIONS
In the event you wish to make any changes to your appointment, please call Advice For Small Salons
on (253)-200-0066 during business hours.

From the Support Team at Genbook.

Here is the email it sends to the staff when an appointment is booked:

Dear Advice For Small Salons,

New Online Appointment

You have received a new Online Appointment;

You should immediately login to your online appointment system to review the customer details for this appointment. Your link to the online appointment is; http://www.genbook.com/manager/inbox.action

From the Support Team at Genbook.

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