I've been using SimplyBook.me for 6 months — the good, the bad and the ugly
Millie OBrien
🏪 VIP Seller
🥇 Gold Seller
Salon / Hair Studio · Halifax · 5mo ago
Can we talk about the actual cost of running a holistic therapy practice without a proper booking system? Because I think a lot of people are making the calculation wrong.
They see the monthly fee — let's say £5 per month — and think that's an expense. But they don't add up what they're already spending:
- Time doing manual admin (at least four hours a week for most people I speak to)
- Money lost to no-shows with no deposit protection
- Clients you miss because they couldn't get through on the phone
- Late-night WhatsApp messages you answer because you feel you have to
When I sat down and actually counted this up for my holistic therapy practice in Edinburgh, I was losing the equivalent of £5 a week to inefficiency. The booking system paid for itself in the first fortnight.
I've been using Acuity Scheduling now for 18 months and the ROI is obvious. My diary is fuller, my admin time is down to about four hours a week from what used to be a lot more, and I haven't had a no-show in over a month because the deposit system filters out the chancers before they waste my time.
They see the monthly fee — let's say £5 per month — and think that's an expense. But they don't add up what they're already spending:
- Time doing manual admin (at least four hours a week for most people I speak to)
- Money lost to no-shows with no deposit protection
- Clients you miss because they couldn't get through on the phone
- Late-night WhatsApp messages you answer because you feel you have to
When I sat down and actually counted this up for my holistic therapy practice in Edinburgh, I was losing the equivalent of £5 a week to inefficiency. The booking system paid for itself in the first fortnight.
I've been using Acuity Scheduling now for 18 months and the ROI is obvious. My diary is fuller, my admin time is down to about four hours a week from what used to be a lot more, and I haven't had a no-show in over a month because the deposit system filters out the chancers before they waste my time.
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The bit about re-engaging lapsed clients is something I hadn't thought of using Setmore 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.
#1
The bit about re-engaging lapsed clients is something I hadn't thought of using Treatwell 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.
#2
The point about analytics is underrated. I had no idea which of my services was actually the most profitable until Appointy showed me the data. It completely changed how I structured my pricing and my service menu.
#3
The bit about re-engaging lapsed clients is something I hadn't thought of using Setmore 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.
#4
The point about filtering your client base with deposits is something I wish someone had told me when I started. It sounds harsh but your business actually runs better with fewer, more committed clients than with a packed diary full of flaky ones.
#5