Prepare for the reopening with online booking

Sports halls, Multi-sports complexes, Fitness centers, Sports & leisure clubs, here are 10 reasons to equip yourself with an online booking software to anticipate the reopening:

1. An impressive time saver
2. Greater visibility
3. – 30% fewer cancellations on average
4. Accessibility at any time of day or night
5. Mobility
6. Customization of your Website
7. One tool to centralize everything = more efficiency
8. Better management of your schedule
9. Transparency with your clients
10. Deposits and online payment

• Reason 1: an impressive time saver

It is undeniable today that making appointments by phone is time-consuming and energy-draining. Indeed, when you are stuck on the phone with one client, you are not available to assist, process transactions, or help another client.

If you equip yourself with online booking software, the number of calls decreases since you give your clients the opportunity to book independently at any time of the day through various channels. For example, the average online booking rate in the sports leisure sector is 49% if the manager makes the minimum effort to communicate about their online system.

Hervé Vincent, CEO of Mooving Arena, a complex of over 8000m2 of sports and user of the Doinsport solution:

“DOINSPORT allows me to free up the time spent on the phone and focus fully on the clients present in my gym and the training of coaches.”

• Reason 2: greater visibility

By equipping yourself with an online booking solution, you enjoy total control over availability visibility, current and future reservations, the most requested services (ancillary) and the busiest time slots.

In summary, you have greater mastery over your calendar and can organize your activity more efficiently and calmly.

This allows your business to directly benefit from these advantages, and in addition, you have the ability to adjust your services and prices according to demand and the services preferred by your clients.

This translates into an increase in turnover. 

For example: why not suggest a lower price during off-peak hours to attract more clients and broaden your clientele?

In terms of teamwork, the task is also eased. Indeed, your entire team has access to reservations and can quickly respond to various clients' requests.

Moreover, you can adjust the number of people present on site according to the level of demand.

• Reason No. 3: – 30% fewer cancellations on average

The cancellation rate is indeed the nightmare of managers of sports and leisure complexes. In reality, it is true that one can quickly lose money if those who reserve do not show up...

This also represents a true waste of time, as a manager, if you come on-site when it is not necessary.

To continue with the example of DOINSPORT, the software sends a booking confirmation via SMS, email, and/or push notification on the app. Even simpler, the same action is repeated as the deadline approaches, for example, 2 hours prior.

Additionally, the Doinsport software can easily identify reservers who have canceled more than 2 times in a row. You have the option to issue a warning to this person or simply blacklist them if the situation worsens.

Another advantage: flexibility.

In case of unforeseen circumstances, your clients have the option to easily and quickly cancel a reservation online, in just a few seconds. You are notified in real-time via email or notifications and can adapt your activity and accept new reservations.

One last important thing. Doinsport offers an automated partner search system. This system is designed to find practitioners of the same level around you. Therefore, this system allows for finding a player to replace another or creating new matchups between players who do not know each other.

12% of initial cancellations are ultimately honored thanks to this system !

• Reason No. 4: accessibility at any time of day or night

Are you not available by phone? Have you gone on vacation? Or simply closed? This kind of issue is a thing of the past if you equip yourself with online booking software.

Know that a client who cannot reach you by phone is lost.

However, if you give them the option to make a reservation at any time, even outside of your opening hours, you would agree with me that the logic of such a solution is evident.

The ability to make an appointment through a service available 24/7 is the number 1 criterion for 65% of French people.

• Reason No. 5: mobility

Who is not equipped with a smartphone today? More importantly, who doesn’t do everything with their favorite mobile? More and more frequently, Internet users make their bookings via their mobile.

According to a study conducted by Google, the use of mobile for making bookings increased by 38% between January 2017 and June 2020.

In summary, having a service fully available at any time and from any device (mobile, tablet, computer) is key to increasing your booking rate.

• Reason No. 6: customization of your Website

At Doinsport, we integrate your online booking system directly into your website. Indeed, we take care to include your brand colors and graphic charter. This commits us to enhance your image while providing an additional service to your clients.

For example, Doinsport integrates easily with all CMS (WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, etc.) in a very seamless manner.

A real added value that makes a difference.

Take this concrete case: you manage a gym, you track the available coaches based on the days of the week and the hours your fitness center is open.

Thus, your clients can not only book a class at the time that suits them, but they can also see if their usual/preferred coach is available. To sum up, you offer a 100% personalized customer experience before the class has even started.

• Reason No. 7: one tool to centralize everything = more efficiency and better tracking

Traditionally, you have 2 or 3 different software to manage your structure. On one side your cash register, on the other your database but no connection between the two?

At Doinsport, we identified this issue long ago (in 2016 to be precise).

We have centralized all your tools into one efficient software managing all aspects of management for your sports/leisure center. More than 35 tools are centralized into a single solution to streamline your management and know where you stand in your organization.

Request your demonstration of the Doinsport software

• Reason No. 8: better management of your schedule

Yet another notable advantage, if you know in advance the times of day or days of the week that are the least busy, you can anticipate your organization. Indeed, thanks to this information, you now know when to prioritize deliveries or ancillary tasks.

You manage your personal time with more accuracy. What seemed impossible before can now be accessible. Picking up your children from school, picking up your spouse between 2 reservations, advancing on your invoicing. A head start that can free up precious time on weekends, for example.

• Reason No. 9: transparency with your clients

Historically, your clients cannot access your calendar when they call you.

Now, by booking online, they choose the time that suits them from all available options. The prior customization of your agenda still leaves you master of your time: you alone decide on opening hours, exceptional closures, etc.

A logic that allows you to freely block a slot if you are alone that day and need to urgently go grocery shopping, for example.

Transparency is also reflected in your pricing. Indeed, the prices you charge are displayed online. Your clients know what to expect and have no unpleasant surprises.

• Reason No. 10: deposits and online payment

The last advantage that an online booking software offers is the ability for your clients to pay online.

In this regard, Doinsport offers several online payment options. 

• Full payment of the amount

• Deposit corresponding to a percentage of the total amount

• Credit card imprint

This last option is increasingly used by our colleagues in the sports-leisure sector.

The advantages are manifold. The reserver does not advance the costs for everyone. Sometimes, reservations can amount to over €100, which is a barrier to booking.

A net advantage, you can deduct the owed sum if the person ultimately does not show up. In other words, you do not lose money. One last advantage, there are no bank fees because technically, no transaction is carried out.

Moreover, online payments are secure, which reassures both clients and businesses.

• One last detail, TAKE CARE OF YOUR WEBSITE !

It is crucial that your site entices them so that visitors or your regular clients frequently visit your site and repeat the experience.

To do this, here are some tips to easily increase its traffic:

• A responsive website suitable for mobiles

• At least an English version

• A secure website

• Offering online payment

• Providing exclusive promotions to encourage users to book online

If you are looking for an online booking software, leave us your contact details and we will call you back in less than an hour.