What to look for in an online booking system

Now that certain at-home restrictions have been lifted in municipalities, counties, states, and countries across the world, small businesses are looking to reopening their doors safely and cleanly to the public.

If you’re a small business owner operating a fitness business—such as a martial arts school, a yoga studio, or a gym of any sort—you’ve likely been exploring digital ways to engage and reach your customers. In the modern age, it has never been easier to use technology in streamlining business operations, and that couldn’t be truer with online booking platforms.

What are online booking platforms?

Online booking platforms are do-it-yourself systems that allow your members or students to book themselves in for classes, appointments, or any other service applicable to your business.

Online booking systems show clients a calendar, and available real-time openings for booking. All this, without the need for human intervention.

Why do businesses choose online booking platforms?

There are three main reasons an online booking platform could help you out—especially when it comes to reopening.

1. They save time. Because they handle all the booking tasks for you, using an online booking system means that you don’t have to occupy your team’s precious time with small booking tasks.
2. They operate 24/7. While scheduling phone calls may only take a few minutes, those minutes add up into hours each week that could be spent interacting with your members and building powerful bonds.
3. They save the important tasks for your team. You have a smart, powerful team working with you—don’t you want to put all of their strengths and skills to good use? Online booking systems allow just that; no more need for the efforts of your best team members to be wasted on answering phone calls or emails. 

Features of the best online booking systems

Now that you know you want an online booking system–what should you look for? Here is our starter list of things the best online booking system for your small business should have.

Class and Activity Management

Online booking systems do more than you may think! It’s easy to make enrollments and withdrawals simple and painless for staff and customers with software tailored for your specific business needs.

With this feature, you can:

1. Sell add-ons during booking
2. Level and rank qualifications
3. Sell event groups
4. Announce holidays and closure dates
5. Manage staff and room resourcing
6. Provide seasonal rollover options
7. Avoid booking conflicts
8. Send out voice broadcast and SMS notifications

Attendance Tracking

Using state-of-the-art software, increase retention rates with attendance-tracking software that proactively monitors cancellation indicators. Using self-check-in, your clients can check themselves in on your computer, tablet, or smartphone.

With this feature, you can:

1. Allow clients to book and pay later
2. Allow drop-ins with capacity tracking
3. Manage your roster
4. Rate attendance rating
5. Automate a waitlist
6. Send out RSVPs and reminders
7. Provide mobile and check-in options
8. Process withdrawals, cancellations, and refunds
9. Manage multiple stations

Flexible Registration

Empower your customers to sign up for the sessions they want without having to commit to the schedule and price of an entire course.

With this feature, you can:

1. AM/PM or custom sessions
2. Easily modify future sessions
3. Random date booking
4. Sell add-ons during booking
5. Use for day camps, childcare, and more
6. Dynamic fee calculation
7. Set discounts for multiple sessions

Services

Create quick templates for events and facility bookings to save time when creating new classes, courses, programs, events, and facility reservations.

1. List multiple fees
2. Show prerequisites and Ranks
3. Offer conditional fees
4. Show availability restrictions
5. Design with quick event templating
6. Provide rollover fees
7. Offer duration pricing
8. Create payment Plans
9. Set up custom trial lessons
10. Limit online booking

Xplor Recreation’s online booking system

It comes as no surprise that Xplor Recreation’s system has all these features—and more! Our online booking software allows your customers to easily discover and register for activities, private and group classes. Thousands of the world’s most innovative recreation centers and fitness clubs are scaling faster and more efficiently by building their businesses on Xplor Recreation.