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In that barber example... selling to the barber directly might make the most sense, but better scheduling software would allow people to self-schedule (well, 'b

In that barber example... selling to the barber directly might make the most sense, but better scheduling software would allow people to self-schedule (well, 'better' for end users). I hate trying to coordinate a time with my barber - his schedule is erratic, mine is erratic sometimes, the place doesn't call me back some times, they don't email, etc. What is efficient for them as a business is highly inefficient for me as a consumer, and I may end up taking my business elsewhere because of it. I like the guy and he does a good job, but there are other places to go. If any of them make it easier on me to schedule on my terms, I'll go there. So... yes, it might be easier for the barber to just look at a piece of paper on the wall, does it increase his business? Is he looking for more business, or an easier job?

prawn 13y ago
Same goes with in-demand restaurants. If I get into a city and want to pick a nice restaurant, am I better off calling around and wasting the time of those booked-out, or using something like OpenTable which shows me what's available? Some of the premium places will be booked out three months in advance, but then make mention of potential cancellations on their web site contact page. e.g., "Sometimes we get cancellations. Please call us just in case." Seems to be like that would make for a huge amount of wasted staff time dealing with those sorts of queries.
pbhjpbhj 13y ago
IME people will do things like book online and then call because they don't trust the booking app. And that's the people that will bother to fill out the form rather than just ring up anyway. If you're relying on an online system too it has to be absolutely solid - which means expense. Or at least more expense than a wall-calendar or a paper diary [book]. It's hard to have an over-view of, say, the next couple of months work with an online system - a big wall-calendar makes things easier to visualise. Of course you could have a massive touch-screen computer ... If you're running a salon, with multiple barbers then I can see it being cost-effective to try and have customers self-schedule but it seems for a single barber that they'd have to be very up-market to make it worth while. Would you go to a worse barber so you can schedule online instead of by phone? Would you pay more, how much, to be able to schedule online? Personally if I use a barber's it's a simple drop-in service. [Any suggestions for an appointments booking system to check out?]
- gizzlon 13y ago
  > It's hard to have an over-view of, say, the next couple of months work with an online system - a big wall-calendar makes things easier to visualis I don't doubt that you're right, but it should be much easier with a computer: - It can "think" for itself. For example you could ask it for all available 1 hour slots on a Tuesday or Friday in the next two months, that are also after 3' O clock, and.. and.. - Regarding overview, you should be able to zoom in and out. Think google maps vs. normal maps. Better yet, upload your google calendar an let it suggest a few appropriate time. Click the one you want. Done. Edit: does that last one exist? Would be a cool thing to make.. (but then again, does anyone actually want that? :)
  - pbhjpbhj 13y ago
    WRT overview I was thinking from the proprietor's perspective. The "upload your calendar" might work well but people won't want to give up their data so I'm thinking a client side component could transmute all a person's calendar entries to remove the details then upload and do a match with the store. Glancing across is always going to work better than zooming IMO.

prawn 13y ago

Same goes with in-demand restaurants. If I get into a city and want to pick a nice restaurant, am I better off calling around and wasting the time of those booked-out, or using something like OpenTable which shows me what's available? Some of the premium places will be booked out three months in advance, but then make mention of potential cancellations on their web site contact page. e.g., "Sometimes we get cancellations. Please call us just in case." Seems to be like that would make for a huge amount of wasted staff time dealing with those sorts of queries.

pbhjpbhj 13y ago

IME people will do things like book online and then call because they don't trust the booking app. And that's the people that will bother to fill out the form rather than just ring up anyway. If you're relying on an online system too it has to be absolutely solid - which means expense. Or at least more expense than a wall-calendar or a paper diary [book]. It's hard to have an over-view of, say, the next couple of months work with an online system - a big wall-calendar makes things easier to visualise. Of course you could have a massive touch-screen computer ... If you're running a salon, with multiple barbers then I can see it being cost-effective to try and have customers self-schedule but it seems for a single barber that they'd have to be very up-market to make it worth while. Would you go to a worse barber so you can schedule online instead of by phone? Would you pay more, how much, to be able to schedule online? Personally if I use a barber's it's a simple drop-in service. [Any suggestions for an appointments booking system to check out?]

gizzlon 13y ago
> It's hard to have an over-view of, say, the next couple of months work with an online system - a big wall-calendar makes things easier to visualis I don't doubt that you're right, but it should be much easier with a computer: - It can "think" for itself. For example you could ask it for all available 1 hour slots on a Tuesday or Friday in the next two months, that are also after 3' O clock, and.. and.. - Regarding overview, you should be able to zoom in and out. Think google maps vs. normal maps. Better yet, upload your google calendar an let it suggest a few appropriate time. Click the one you want. Done. Edit: does that last one exist? Would be a cool thing to make.. (but then again, does anyone actually want that? :)
- pbhjpbhj 13y ago
  WRT overview I was thinking from the proprietor's perspective. The "upload your calendar" might work well but people won't want to give up their data so I'm thinking a client side component could transmute all a person's calendar entries to remove the details then upload and do a match with the store. Glancing across is always going to work better than zooming IMO.