Simple web-forms that let customers request appointments are becoming a thing of the past. By contrast, retailers are set to enjoy the benefits of a sophisticated Online Booking System long into the future.
Why retailers need Appointment Software
Ecommerce has shaped a retail landscape defined by excessive consumer choice. If the modern customer isn’t impressed by one retailer, there’s a hundred and one others they can go to online.
As such, retailers need to do everything in their power to engage and retain their customers. This is largely why retailers need to deploy robust omnichannel initiatives to perfectly choreograph the customer experience, achieve lasting brand relevance and drive profitability.
In a survey of 2000 US consumers, Qudini found that an overwhelming 77% of Millennial and GenZ customers feel positively impacted when a retailer uses Retail Choreography technologies like Appointment Software to manage the online and physical store customer journey.
Moreover, Google Trends data shows that more customers are searching for “Store Appointment” than ever before. Given that there’s clear demand for digitally innovative tools like Booking Software, retailers who rely on simple web forms for bookings risk losing brand relevance and customer loyalty.
What services do customers want to book appointments for?
Customers want to book appointments for a whole host of reasons across retail. Some of the most common things customers want to schedule appointments for include:
- In-store services
- Virtual services
- Sales advice
- Gift advice
- Personal shopping or style advice
- Repairs
- Personalization services
- Accessibility services (i.e., assisted shopping, wheelchair access, quiet store hours)
- Click and collect/buy online pick up in store (BOPIS) services
- Home visits (for services and repairs e.g., electronic equipment)
- Field consultants
- In-store amenities and dwell spaces
“Qudini makes my daily life much easier, because the appointments that I get in for the day I know are going to go ahead. Customers have much more time to prepare and they’ve had notifications the whole way through the process. They’ve also had the ability to reschedule. For me there’s less admin time that I’m having to complete, giving me more time to get on with my day job.”
HQ, NatWest Bank
How the web form booking journey works
Booking an appointment via a web form is a tricky and time-consuming process. Many consumers naturally assume that once they’ve submitted an appointment request, they’ve made a formal booking. However, they’re in for an unpleasant surprise when they visit the store only to realize that, in fact, the appointment time they selected isn’t available.
We’ve outlined the typical web form appointment booking journey:
Elton wants to schedule an appointment in a retail store for a specific time on Saturday afternoon. When he visits the retailer’s online booking page, he realizes he can’t actually select a time. He can only state his preferences and enter some basic information.
As Elton waits for a response, he’s feeling anxious about whether he’ll be able to get a slot on Saturday or not. He eventually receives a reply from a store associate the next day, only to find out that none of the times he’s requested are available. Elton now has a long-winded back-and-forth with the store team before confirming an appointment for Sunday.
Unfortunately, it slipped Elton’s mind to write down his appointment time. By Saturday evening, he’s all but forgotten that his appointment is for the next day and he never shows up.
To make another appointment, he knows he’ll have to restart the entire process. Instead, he decides to google similar retailers with an online booking system and decides to switch brands.
Why is the Online Booking System customer journey better?
When it comes to scheduling an appointment, the Online Booking System customer journey is much better.
Customers like Elton don’t need to spend days to-ing and fro-ing with your store teams over email to book appointments using Qudini’s software, which also dramatically cuts down your store associates’ admin work. Instead, they can easily view all your available appointments in one view.
Customers can pick from a range of time slots on Qudini’s appointment scheduling booking interface.
Once Elton’s selected a service and timeslot, he’ll instantly receive a calendar invite. Thereafter, he’ll receive regular automated email and SMS reminders leading up to their appointment with an option to easily reschedule or cancel if their booking should they need to. Both of these features ensure customers don’t forge their appointments, thereby reducing the number of no shows.
Which features make Qudini’s Online Appointment App better than a web form?
Web form booking solutions have a limited number of features. However, Qudini’s Scheduling App was designed specifically for enterprise retailers so it has a number of valuable key features.
Customer features
- Schedule appointments online, select a service and see intelligent time slot suggestions based on capacity
- Choose an advisor as part of their experience (if you’ve enabled this setting)
- Reschedule, cancel or confirm their appointment at the click of a button
Store, call center and HQ team features:
- Tailor customer questions based on their selected service with question type capabilities for free text, drop down, image selection, digital signature and much more
- Send customers surveys after the customer’s visit by email or text
- Easily create and manage appointments on any desktop, tablet or smartphone, with the ability for multiple team members to use the system at once
- Download and print a list of appointments
- Call center teams can create and manage appointments on behalf of customers
- Use our appointment software across multiple stores and timezones
- HQ teams also receive analytics reports to learn about appointment capacity utilization and get a deep insight into they customers make appointments
What are the proven benefits of Qudini’s Booking Software?
Sine deploying Qudini’s Appointment Scheduling Software, our enterprise clients have:
- Increased appointment uptake: Retailers significantly boost appointment foot traffic, drive sales and get the most out of staff using Qudini.
- Reduced admin time: Qudini does the admin for your store associates so they don’t need to waste time organizing appointments.
- Acquired more new customers: Our clients frequently find that around 60% of appointment customers are visiting the brand for the first time thanks to our engaging software.
- Increased sales: Customers are 48% more likely to make a purchase when they schedule an appointment through our Online Booking System.
- Increased staff efficiency: Our appointment app automates the booking process, making store associates 25% more productive than they previously were.
- Reduced no shows: Our email and SMS booking reminders have helped to reduce the typical enterprise retailers no show rate by 70%.
- Deeper data insights: Qudini’s extensive Business Intelligence capabilities can help you to close the data gap, understand footfall patterns and better plan resources and stock management.
“Appointment booking has allowed us to better forecast, not only in terms of staffing and resources, but also parts as well when it comes to ‘break fix’.”
HQ, Samsung
Learn more about Qudini – market-leading Retail Choreography provider
Qudini has the only Retail Appointment Scheduling Software in the world that’s designed especially for enterprise retailers.
Check out our Samsung and NatWest case study video to learn more about how Qudini is revolutionizing retail. Originally, they used web form and call-up booking systems before turning to our award-winning software.
Read more about our clients to discover which leading brands like Meijer Pharmacy are using our appointment software.
