I tried going back to manual bookings for a week — never again
Evie Bennett
🏪 VIP Seller
🥇 Gold Seller
Aesthetic Clinic · Bath · 3mo ago
Six months ago I had ten no-shows in a single week. Six months ago I was running my lash studio in Liverpool with a WhatsApp number, a paper diary, and a growing sense of dread every Monday morning when I'd open my messages.
Today I run on Shedul. I take £15 deposits on every booking. I have automated reminders going out 48 hours and 2 hours before every appointment. My no-show rate is down to almost zero.
Here's what changed and how I did it.
Step one was accepting that my old system wasn't sentimental — it was just inefficient. The 'personal touch' of WhatsApp bookings is lovely in theory but in practice it means being available 24 hours a day and having no real protection when someone lets you down.
Step two was choosing Shedul after a week of free trial. The setup took me an afternoon. I imported my services, set my working hours, connected my payment account and turned on SMS reminders. That's genuinely it.
Step three was telling my clients. I sent a group message saying I'd moved to a professional booking system and included the link. I framed it as a service improvement — which it genuinely is — rather than a policy change. No one complained. Several people said they preferred it.
Step four was adding deposits. I did this a month after the switch, once clients were used to the new system. I kept the amount reasonable at £15 and the policy clear: non-refundable within 48 hours. Done.
Today I run on Shedul. I take £15 deposits on every booking. I have automated reminders going out 48 hours and 2 hours before every appointment. My no-show rate is down to almost zero.
Here's what changed and how I did it.
Step one was accepting that my old system wasn't sentimental — it was just inefficient. The 'personal touch' of WhatsApp bookings is lovely in theory but in practice it means being available 24 hours a day and having no real protection when someone lets you down.
Step two was choosing Shedul after a week of free trial. The setup took me an afternoon. I imported my services, set my working hours, connected my payment account and turned on SMS reminders. That's genuinely it.
Step three was telling my clients. I sent a group message saying I'd moved to a professional booking system and included the link. I framed it as a service improvement — which it genuinely is — rather than a policy change. No one complained. Several people said they preferred it.
Step four was adding deposits. I did this a month after the switch, once clients were used to the new system. I kept the amount reasonable at £15 and the policy clear: non-refundable within 48 hours. Done.
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Just want to add for anyone reading this who's worried about the tech side — I am not a tech person at all. I set up Treatwell by myself in one afternoon by just following their setup guide. If I can do it, genuinely anyone can.
#1
I use SimplyBook.me alongside Xero and the integration is really smooth. Invoices sync automatically, payments are recorded, and my accountant has stopped asking me for spreadsheets every quarter. If you're trying to run a proper business rather than a hobby this kind of integration matters.
#2
The bit about re-engaging lapsed clients is something I hadn't thought of using BookPin for. Going to set that up today. I've got loads of clients I assumed had just moved on who might just need a gentle nudge.
#3
The point about analytics is underrated. I had no idea which of my services was actually the most profitable until Treatwell showed me the data. It completely changed how I structured my pricing and my service menu.
#4
Completely agree about the Sunday evening admin. I never quantified it until I read a post like this and actually counted. I was spending 6+ hours a week on booking admin. Six hours I could have been doing literally anything else. The system pays for itself in week one if you value your time properly.
#5