Why I switched from Appointy to Square Appointments and what I think now
Fiona Bailey
🏪 VIP Seller
🥇 Gold Seller
Local Business Owner · Milton Keynes · 4mo ago
Six months ago I had ten no-shows in a single week. Six months ago I was running my mobile therapist in Bristol 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 Acuity Scheduling. I take £20 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 Acuity Scheduling 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 £20 and the policy clear: non-refundable within 48 hours. Done.
Today I run on Acuity Scheduling. I take £20 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 Acuity Scheduling 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 £20 and the policy clear: non-refundable within 48 hours. Done.
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The deposit psychology point is spot on. I've said this for years — a £10 deposit doesn't stop genuine clients, it stops time-wasters. Anyone who values the appointment enough to actually show up doesn't think twice about a deposit.
#1
I use Shedul 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 deposit psychology point is spot on. I've said this for years — a £20 deposit doesn't stop genuine clients, it stops time-wasters. Anyone who values the appointment enough to actually show up doesn't think twice about a deposit.
#3