Why customers prefer online booking
It's 10pm. A potential customer just finished work and wants to book a haircut, physio appointment, or consultation. Do they:
- Call during business hours tomorrow (and probably forget)
- Send an email and wait for a response (maybe get one in 24-48 hours)
- Book instantly on your website and get immediate confirmation
Modern customers—especially younger Kiwis—expect option three. If you don't offer it, they'll book with someone who does.
Customer expectations in 2025
- • 24/7 availability (book at midnight if they want)
- • See available times without calling
- • Instant confirmation (email or SMS)
- • Easy rescheduling or cancellation
- • Reminders so they don't forget
- • Mobile-friendly interface (not clunky forms)
Benefits to your business
More bookings
Availability 24/7 means you don't miss bookings that happen outside business hours. A Wellington salon added online booking and saw appointments increase 40% in the first month—most booked between 7pm-11pm.
Removing friction removes excuses. People book immediately when impulse strikes, rather than adding "call salon" to their mental to-do list.
Fewer no-shows
Automated reminders (email and SMS) reduce no-shows by 40-60%. Customers get a reminder 24 hours before, with easy rescheduling if needed.
Some systems let you require deposits when booking. If someone has $20 on the line, they show up. For high-value services (therapists, consultants), this protects your time.
Less admin
Stop playing phone tag. No more "checking your calendar and getting back to them". No double-bookings because you forgot to update your schedule. The system handles it.
For service businesses, this saves 5-10 hours per week. That's time you can spend actually delivering services or growing your business.
Tool options and integrations
Several booking tools work well for NZ businesses. Here's what we typically recommend:
Calendly
Best for: Consultants, coaches, professional services (meeting-based)
Simple, clean interface. Free tier available. Easy to embed in your website. Perfect for 15-60 minute appointments where you're just blocking time.
Cost: Free (basic), $10-15 USD/month (pro features)
Acuity Scheduling / Squarespace Scheduling
Best for: Health services, salons, personal trainers (appointment-based businesses)
More features than Calendly: client intake forms, payment collection, package sales, detailed client records. Great for businesses where each client has multiple visits.
Cost: $16-50 USD/month depending on features
Cal.com (what we use)
Best for: Businesses wanting control, customisation, no vendor lock-in
Open-source Calendly alternative. Can be self-hosted (free) or use their managed service. Extremely flexible, integrates with everything, you own your data.
Cost: Free (self-hosted) or $12-30 USD/month (managed)
Best practices for smooth booking UX
Keep it visible
Put "Book Now" buttons above the fold on your homepage and at the end of every service description. Mobile visitors should see it within 2 seconds of landing on your site.
Show availability upfront
Let people see available slots before they fill out forms. Nothing's more frustrating than completing a booking form only to discover no times work.
Minimise required fields
Name, email, phone—that's usually enough for a first booking. You can gather detailed information after they've committed to the appointment.
Send confirmation immediately
Instant email confirmation with calendar invite (ICS file). Customers should be able to add it to their phone calendar in one tap.
Enable easy rescheduling
Include a reschedule link in every confirmation and reminder. People's plans change—make it trivial for them to move their booking rather than no-showing.
Test on mobile first
Most bookings happen on phones. If the booking widget is clunky or requires zooming, people abandon. Test on your own phone before launching.
Implementation with Knowd
Our Booking Tool Integration service ($299) gets you set up properly in 3-5 days:
- ✓ Tool selection (we recommend based on your needs)
- ✓ Account setup and configuration
- ✓ Calendar sync (Google Calendar, Outlook)
- ✓ Embed in your website (seamlessly branded)
- ✓ Email/SMS reminder setup
- ✓ Payment integration (if needed)
- ✓ Testing and training
If you don't have a website yet, combine it with Fast One-Pager ($699 + $449 = $1,148 total). Get a professional website with integrated booking in one week.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sync with Google Calendar or Outlook?
Yes. All major booking tools sync with Google Calendar, Outlook, and iCloud. When someone books, it appears in your calendar automatically. Block personal time and it shows as unavailable. Two-way sync keeps everything accurate.
Can I take deposits when people book?
Yes, with most paid booking tools. You can require full payment, partial deposit, or just capture card details. Particularly useful for high-value services (therapists, consultants, premium experiences) to reduce no-shows.
Will customers receive reminders?
Automatic email and SMS reminders are standard. Typical setup: confirmation immediately, reminder 24 hours before, final reminder 2 hours before. You customise timing and messaging. This alone cuts no-shows by 50%.
What about cancellations?
You set cancellation policies: free cancellation up to 24 hours, charged for late cancellations, whatever suits your business. Customers can cancel or reschedule through the same booking link—no phone calls required.