The official weblog of ClickBook.net. ClickBook streamlines the process of appointment scheduling for small business, schools and other organisations. For technical updates please visit the Technical Blog.

ClickBook delivers new customers straight to your schedule

Mark Demicoli  20 October 2010 03:45:45 PM
It seems the advantages of online booking just keep piling up.  We haven't made a huge noise about it so far, but one of our major goals has always been to streamline the connection between your ClickBook profile and the web, via all the big search engines.  Many who have paid someone to create a website for them may have heard the term "SEO" bandied around.  SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation.  Essentially, what this means is "making your website as attractive as possible to for search engines".  The more search-attractive your site is, the more traffic will be sent your way.  What 'attractive' means in this context is a whole art & science best left for another day, however I will mention one key pillar, and that is, how many 'attractive' websites are linking to your website.

Lets say you're Joe Plumber and Obama decides to put a link on his website to your website (this is called a 'backlink').  Suddenly, when people search for plumber, old Joe will appear at the very top of search listings, since such a prominent and popular website like Obama's is linking to him.

When you become a ClickBook service provider, your listing appears linked from the ClickBook homepage as far as search engines are concerned, which today has a fairly good 'attractiveness' score (4 out of 10).  What this means is that when someone searches for a business like yours, you are far more likely to be in the first page of results (or even on top), than if you simply had your own stand-alone website without anyone linking to it (or with lower ranked pages than the ClickBook.net home page).

To boil it down,

ClickBook = More New Customers


So why am I rattling on about this?  Well it's my job to rattle on about it, but last week we received this fascinating message from one of our more recent customers.  Alas, they have decided that they will not continue their trial of ClickBook, for perhaps the strangest reason we've ever seen.

" Hi, I would like to cancel my account as I have not found online booking to be right for my business. Somehow people are finding me on this site and making bookings which I cant fulfill, so it is not practical for me to keep this account open. Thanks [name suppressed] "


What a problem to have!
Comments

1Dr. Peter Marinakis  24/03/11 1:50:22 PM  time slots per practitioner may be different from each other

We have 12 practitioners with only four using clickbook at this time because several of them maintain different time segments in their respective practice, i.e. once we set 30min and 60min time slots its very difficult for the desk but especially the patient logging in to get 45min or 1hr30min without having a degree in IT. When can we have a change in the ability of each practitioner to be able set up their preferences differently in time segments from each other in on practice?

2booking software  03/02/11 1:40:25 PM  Untitled

This customer is hilarious. I can’t think anyone not wanting more businesses. May be the customer is happy with his own pace of business rather than developing it to a bigger & better business. If it was my business, I would have jumped on this opportunity and made the maximum out of it.

3Margaret Gill  28/10/10 12:33:03 PM  TOO FUNNY!!

I read this sort of thing and laugh hysterically as I bang my head on the desk - why would you cancel something that is bringing an abundance of clients - there are several easy solutions to that problem - put the prices up to scare a few off OR get another practitioner of similar mindset to help you with the overflow OR learn to manage your diary so you block out times for regulars and make the new people wait a little longer to see you, figure out how to work on more than one person at a time, create some group education programs .... the list goes on

I just don’t' get why the commercial reality of our industry is so scary for people when it can be so easy to manage an overloaded practice and be helping more people obtain optimum health and happiness at the same time.

I love ClickBook - it has helped me stream line my business in so many different ways - great job guys!

4Chris Wilson-Ash  22/10/10 7:40:43 AM  Silly!

Thats the whole idea, to find more business, silly person :-) I Have been using clickbook to accept bookings for about 8 months. My clients love it, and it has increased my business by at least 25%. I no longer have missed appointments thanks to the SMS function, which is again loved by clients. My cleaners also never miss a booking, again thanks to the SMS function. Clickbook is a great system, easy to use, and is a valuable, and a cost effective addition to my business. I no longer have to spend hours each day chating to clients on the phone taking bookings, and ending up going home late. Keep up the good work.

5Exie Buehler  21/10/10 8:20:55 AM  Happy Provider, Happy Clients

I've been using ClickBook for about a year and I have to say that it has really helped me streamline my business. My clients love the fact that they can go on the site at any time to see what is available and request an appointment~ No more "phone tag"! The few clients that don't frequently use computers still enjoy the option of calling me to make an appointment request, or they make sure to reschedule their next session before leaving my office.

I can't imagine ever going back to the "old days" before using ClickBook!

Thank you for providing such a wonderful service that is both dependable and affordable!

PS, the customer service is always top-notch too!

6Matthew Shane St Germain Donnelly RN LMT  21/10/10 6:20:55 AM  Funny how some people use the book...

in my office- i'm the only one routinely booking...the other therapists are afraid to lose control in some way. The internet book is scary...it's crazy.

7Virtuous Hands  21/10/10 4:23:22 AM  WoW

I agree, what a problem to have. I really enjoy the use of clickbook. I type everything in and click book does the rest. Love it! would love it even more if I could download an app to my Blackberry. Keep me Flowing Clickbook Team. Great Job!

8Daniela Hofmann  21/10/10 1:12:58 AM  What a problem to have!

That is hilarious! I hope that "problem" happens to me! I have been so happy to not have to call and confirm clients any longer! I LOVE that the site does all that for me. I must have saved at least 2 hours per week. Not to mention, I rarely have to write out an appointment card for a customer, as I now can book them, and they are emailed with it right away....saving me on business cards and time!