Managing Bookings Guide

Master Your Booking Workflow

Learn how to efficiently manage your calendar, handle cancellations, and automate your booking process to save time and improve customer satisfaction.

Sync your calendar

Keep your availability up-to-date by syncing with your existing calendar system.

  • Connect your Google Calendar, Outlook, or iCloud calendar
  • Set your default working hours and availability windows
  • Block out personal time that should not be available for bookings
  • Enable automatic sync to prevent double-bookings
  • Set buffer times between appointments if needed
  • Review and approve sync settings to ensure accuracy

Handle cancellations gracefully

Learn best practices for managing cancellations while maintaining customer relationships.

  • Set clear cancellation policies in your service terms
  • Respond promptly to cancellation requests (within 24 hours)
  • Offer alternative dates or times when possible
  • Process refunds according to your cancellation policy
  • Communicate cancellation reasons clearly and professionally
  • Use cancellation as an opportunity to reschedule rather than lose the customer
  • Update your calendar immediately after processing cancellations
  • Review cancellation patterns to identify potential issues

Automate status updates

Streamline your workflow with automated booking status management.

  • Enable automatic confirmation emails when bookings are accepted
  • Set up reminder notifications 24 hours before appointments
  • Configure status changes to trigger customer notifications
  • Use templates for common status update messages
  • Automate follow-up messages after service completion
  • Set up automatic review request emails after service delivery
  • Configure calendar sync to update booking statuses automatically
  • Review and customize automation settings regularly

Best Practices

Follow these proven strategies to optimize your booking management

Response Time

Aim to respond to booking requests within 2 hours during business hours. Quick responses increase booking acceptance rates by 40%.

Notification Settings

Enable push notifications and email alerts for new bookings, cancellations, and messages to stay on top of your schedule.

Communication

Send a confirmation message after accepting a booking, and follow up 24 hours before the appointment to reduce no-shows.

Calendar Management

Review and update your calendar weekly. Keep buffer times between appointments to account for travel and service completion.

Common Scenarios & Solutions

How to handle frequently encountered booking situations

Customer requests a time slot that's already booked

Politely inform the customer and offer your next 3 available time slots. Use the messaging system to coordinate.

Last-minute cancellation request

Review your cancellation policy, process the refund if applicable, and offer to reschedule. Maintain a professional tone.

Double-booking due to calendar sync issue

Immediately contact both customers, apologize, and offer alternative times. Consider offering a discount for the inconvenience.

Customer doesn't show up

Wait 15 minutes, then contact the customer. If no response, mark as no-show and follow your no-show policy. Document the incident.

Related Guides

Continue learning with our other comprehensive guides.

Need More Help?

Our support team is available 24/7 to assist with any booking management questions.