TimeCenter – Schedule & Confirm Appointments Online

One of the most time consuming parts of running a small business is scheduling and confirming client appointments. Some offices deal with this by hiring a full time scheduler, while others expect their receptionists and assistants to do double duty and book client appointments while also fetching coffee and working the front desk. Smart offices, meanwhile, are beginning to turn to online scheduling systems like TimeCenter instead.

If you run a yoga studio or a hair salon, then you know how difficult it can be to catch every phone call and appointment request that comes in. Give your receptionist a break and see what TimeCenter can do. A company can get set up on TimeCenter in as little as 60 seconds, and you don’t even need a business webpage for the scheduling system to work. When the clients at your salon hear that they can start scheduling appointments online, they’ll head to your business website, or the custom site you’ve set up on TimeCenter’s webpage, to book their next appointments. After selecting a service and a stylist, the client will be directed to a business calendar that shows all the dates and times that are available in the coming weeks. To schedule the appointment, all the client has to do is click the desired time and fill in her name, phone number, and email address to confirm. Because the pricing for all services is listed clearly on the TimeCenter booking page, you’ll never have to deal with confusion from a client when a particular services ends up being more costly than she expected.

TimeCenter makes life easier on business owners, of course, but it also makes life easier on clients as well. Online scheduling systems let clients book appointments during non-working hours without having to wait on hold while a receptionist answers other calls. Clients will also appreciate being able to reschedule appointments on their own time, as well as the SMS and email reminders that TimeCenter sends out before each appointment.

Practical Uses:

• Easily manage the new clients booking services after running a group coupon deal
• Let clients schedule, and then reschedule, their own nail appointments
• Send an email notifications before a client’s upcoming massage
• Use SMS notices to send promotional information when you’re running a special

Insider Tips:

• Businesses without their own websites can set up a page on the TimeCenter site
• Companies can sync Google Calendar with their TimeCenter calendar
• Users can add logos on their scheduling pages for branding purposes
• Salons can block out certain times to make their schedule appear fuller than it is

What we liked:

• TimeCenter is an application that appeals both to businesses and customers
• Businesses can save money by not hiring as many people to answer the phones
• Clients will appreciate not having to wait on hold when they call the salon
• Studios that send out reminder texts or emails are less likely to get no-show clients

What we didn’t like:

• Users have to pay extra to send text messages to their clients

Alternatives:

• Jiffle – http://www.jifflenow.com
• Genbook – http://www.genbook.com
• YourAM – http://www.getyouram.com

Company Info:

• Launched: January 2009 (US)
• Privately Held
• Headquarters: Sweden
• Founded by: Niclas Marie and Daniel Ellenson
• Web site: http://www.timecenter.com

Costs:

• One plan is $29/month
• Pro plan is $49/month
• Premium plan is $99/month