Started offering online booking and lost half my walk-in traffic - worth it or not?

I turned on online booking through a free app about 2 months ago. Figured it would save me time on the phone. But my walk-in regulars dropped off a lot. They told me they just show up now and I'm booked solid. Had to turn away 5 guys last Saturday who been coming for years. On the flip side, I got 3 new clients who found me through the app. Is the trade off worth it for you guys who use booking systems?

2 comments

2 Comments

nathan_kim5d ago

Did you read that study about small businesses and online booking? It said most owners lose about 30% of their walk-ins at first but gain them back over time if they tweak their schedule. Maybe try blocking off a couple slots each hour just for drop ins and see if that helps balance things out.

caseywalker5d ago

Well isn't that a pickle you got yourself into. But I gotta say, you're framing this like it's the app's fault when really it sounds like you just didn't plan ahead for your regulars. Seems like you could set aside a few time slots just for walk-ins, you know, keep some space open for the guys who been coming for years. That way you get the best of both worlds - new clients from the app but still have room for your loyal customers. Otherwise you're just swapping one group for another and isn't that kinda missing the point?