Trying to please every single customer who walks through your doors is next to impossible. There will always be some difficult person to deal with who has expectations that even the largest of corporations can’t fulfill. That said, trying to cater to as many customers as possible allows you to bring in more business.
One way to go about this is not by looking at what customers like, but by analyzing their most sincere complaints. Doing highlight the flaws of your business so that you can make meaningful changes to your operations. Add targeted changes to a solid business foundation, and your customer complaints will be few and far between.
The following is a list of four customer complaints that you might hear specifically regarding scheduling software. To thrive, appointment-based businesses will need to navigate them appropriately.
1. Limited Payment Options
The world of fintech has been evolving rapidly. Along with it has come a variety of new payment options that customers have fallen in love with. Consequently, you might hear the occasional customer complaint about limited payment options at your business.
For example, enabling digital payments through apps such as PayPal and Venmo will help numerous customers who don’t rely on debit cards as often. This will especially come in handy for mobile payments where customers might find entering their credit card information a cumbersome process. Even accepting different varieties of credit cards will expand your desktop payment options and avoid excluding certain consumers.
Cryptocurrency is starting to explode, and many people are looking at DeFi networks to make their daily transactions. Including a couple of the major cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, isn’t a bad idea. It might even demonstrate that your business is on the cutting edge. However, don’t worry about accepting payments for the week’s hot new coin. The hype will be impossible to keep up with.
2. Questionable Security
One complaint you never want to hear regards your scheduling software’s security. Data privacy/security is a hot topic nowadays, with customers feeling a stronger desire to protect their data on the internet. Taking care of your customer’s information is absolutely vital for any modern-day business.
Start by ensuring that all your transactions are secured through SSL encryption. Once you’ve got that protection in place, you can add a note to your scheduling software pages that notify customers of the security steps you’re taking. This will help them feel more comfortable booking appointments and paying for them online.
The next step is making certain that all other customer data is locked up tight. Names, addresses, and any other personal information you might record should only be accessed by those with a need for that information. Additionally, your stored data should be safeguarded by firewalls, password protection, and any other cyber protections you might need to keep it out of dubious hands.
3. No Rewards or Benefits
If your business were an ice cream sundae, a rewards program would be the cherry on top. Some customers really like cherries, though, and they may get disgruntled if there’s not one in sight. While a rewards program isn’t essential to managing a good appointment-based business, it certainly makes the experience all the more delicious.
Dig in a little deeper, and you’ll see just how much value you can get out of an incentives program. Customers who book multiple appointments will be rewarded, which will increase your retention rates and help you to fill more appointment slots. Customers who receive benefits from rewards programs will also feel more valued and appreciated, another step in the right direction toward customer retention.
The easiest way to implement a loyalty program is to reward customers who book multiple appointments. For example, a customer might get their tenth appointment for free after their first nine visits. Or, they might receive a free add-on service when they reach that threshold. Other small benefits will become hits as well, such as offering a discount to first-time visitors or customers who refer you to their friends.
4. Restricted Platform Availability
Making scheduling software available on your customers’ desktops is a good start, but it won’t be a long-term solution. In fact, most consumers these days are making purchases and booking appointments on their phones. If your scheduling software cannot be accessed via mobile phone, you’re bound to hear several complaints.
You don’t need to develop an app to make this possible. You just need to ensure your web pages are as optimized for mobile as they are for the desktop. Specifically those pertaining to appointment setting. A few changes need to occur, but the extra effort will mean your customers can book appointments just as easily on their smartphone as they would on another device.
Any appointment scheduling software worth the hype should be able to address these concerns and many more. When you treat consumer complaints as an opportunity to improve, your business can provide a better appointment experience to every customer.
