Almost everything in modern society is virtual. From payment processing to online bookings and virtual reality, integrating with technology is almost unavoidable
In order to combat the shift to the digital era, let’s discuss a few ways in which technology—including online bookings—can increase your revenues long–term.
Whether it is a salon, restaurant, car shop, or technology store, online bookings can effectively enhance your business practice.
Scheduling Optimization
In busy businesses like salons where clients are booking appointments, walking in, and inquiring about prices and services, online bookings can truly streamline operations.
Instead of backing up your phone lines, putting customers on hold, and ignoring those in the store to take a call, booking online can streamline your business.
If a salon offers online bookings via their website, customers can easily book an appointment with their favorite stylist. No wait times, no hassle, and no comparing schedules over the phone. The ability to pick and choose your appointment time, while viewing the current schedule of the selected stylist can minimize hassle and miscommunications.
Your ability to have online booking processes can be a competitive advantage against other competitors who have hassling scheduling processes.
This small but effective adjustment to your operations can increase revenues long-term because your booking processes will be easier than ever.
Easy, streamlined appointments will result in more clients per month knowing your salon processing is easier than ever.
Additionally, customers can pay down payments, use a tokenized card on file, or pay for their session in advance—which decreases the chances of last-minute cancellations. All of these things also increase your likelihood of positive customer reviews.
Loyalty Points
In addition to online booking optimization, scheduling your bookings and appointments online will help your customers earn more loyalty points and drive customer obsession.
For every dollar spent within your store, your customers can track and record their loyalty points which will eventually lead to an incentive such as a discount or a free product.
The ability to track your customer’s spending will make your loyalty processes easier than ever. So, no more tracking loyalty points on paper with punch cards or through a third party.
Say hello to automatic loyalty points that transparently display a customer’s points for them to enjoy.
The ability to offer, track, and implement discounts through loyalty points is a huge competitive advantage that all businesses should strive to achieve.
Not only do customers love discounts from your store, but utilizing these sorts of programs increases consumer loyalty to your brand as buyers are striving to gain loyalty points and discounts.
The ability to track loyalty points for your company will increase your revenues long-term.
Subscriptions
Subscriptions create fixed reoccurring revenues for businesses. Any type of subscription drives loyalty and long-term customer satisfaction. This is due to the popularity of many subscriptions available such as Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming services.
What if you were the first in your city to offer subscriptions on products and services?
For example:
You are a successful salon. Most women come in every two months for a bleach/tone. Instead of pricing them per session, what if you charged them a bundle price as three services for six months? This bundle could be given at a discounted price, along with an upsell on other products and services. Instead of maybe seeing that customer again, you could assure their business for the next six months.
Here’s another example:
You are the manager at a grocery store. Instead of hoping customers will come in to spend $150 every two weeks, you could offer them a month’s supply of groceries of their choosing at a reasonable rate for your margins. This discounted subscription would keep fixed revenues going into your pockets, along with offering prices and products your customers just can’t beat.
Whatever business or service you sell, there is a way to integrate subscriptions into your business practices. This simple but effective method will increase revenues, and keep your customers loyal to you.
Conclusion
You have the ability to strategically keep your customers loyal to your brand through online bookings, automated loyalty points, and subscriptions.
With so many options for products and services, your customer’s business is more accessible than ever.
Try out the following in your business:
- Improve your brand’s reputation by streamlining your booking options.
- Make your customer’s loyalty point processing easier than ever.
- Be as innovative as you can by offering subscriptions for your customers.
