Don’t leave customers in your basket: increase booking conversions with these 4 steps

We get it.

You’ve hired a great team of treatment therapists and your venue is stunning, emanating that recognisable fragrance of warmth and relaxation. You offer a variety of services, catering to different clientele. And perhaps your hours of operation and facilities access are versatile.

However, you’re not seeing the foot traffic you’re expecting, nor the conversions you’ve been hoping for.

We’ve spent countless hours talking to our customers to understand their booking needs, so we can be a helping hand in increasing conversions to take as much weight off your shoulders as possible - the same way you do for your clients.

At the end of the day, your staff time should devote their time to enhancing customer experience, not sweating over your bottom line.

Leave the sweating up to your guests enjoying the sauna!

So, here are our top 4 suggestions to maximise conversions for this upcoming scorcher of a summer season!

1. The 24/7 availability of an online booking system is your first step.

If you don’t already have one and still rely on only taking phone bookings, an online system to power more revenue is the way to go.

We live in an era of technology, where potential customers want to avoid picking up the phone and make a booking in a leisurely way that suits their needs.

And if your staff are spending most of their time performing arduous tasks involved with bookings like taking personal details, treatment requests, and payment methods, that is not the best use of their time.

According to our data, 47% of bookings occur outside of normal working hours.

The reason for this?

Picture this: Someone has had a long day of work and is sitting at home in the evening with a glass of wine by themselves - or perhaps with a partner - and decides they are in desperate need of a massage!

(Aren’t we all!)

But if you're reliant on staff picking up the phone during working hours to take these bookings, you’re likely losing out on half of the revenue that you didn’t know you were even missing.

In fact, Shrigley Hall went from taking all bookings directly to 63% occurring online within 12 months, alongside doubling their spa bookings and revenue within the same timeframe.

2. Ensure your booking flow offers a single fluid journey.

So you now have an online booking system (or perhaps already had one) - great!

Now it’s time to think about the actual journey your customer takes from landing on your bookings site to confirming the payment method in their shopping basket.

Consumers have become smarter and expert more from their booking experiences - regardless of which device they are using to do so.

Our data has identified that 80% of bookings are taken from mobile devices, so ensuring your user interface is optimised for mobile conversions is something to keep top of mind!

Trybe removes the friction even more by supporting Apple Pay and Google Pay - the methods your guests tend to use most.

3. Deliver the full package experience.

You’ve got your online booking system up and running.

You’ve also massaged out the kinks in your customers’ booking journey flows.

Now it’s time to optimise even more! Customers tend to book package bookings, so they can enjoy a more personalised experience and get the most bang for their buck.

We’ve found that 92% of bookings powered by Trybe are package bookings. No longer are the days of just a one-off massage, where guests are in and out of the door within 90 minutes.

Customers want that champagne arrival, an inclusive lunch and perhaps even a fitness class or sourdough bread making course.

Combining a fluid user journey that provides the options to create tailored packages that make your customers feel special tends to be what moves the needle in booking conversions.

4. Remember the importance of reminders

Confirmations are likely on your docket, but don’t forget about reminders. We’re all human and whilst bookings may be made, they are often cancelled.

Reminders reduce no shows. Send them to ensure your guests’ bookings are top of mind and excited for their future treatment.

And to increase conversions even more? Last minute deals a few days before their scheduled treatments will not only increase the likelihood of their attendance but also provide upsell opportunities.

Sometimes guests don’t know what they want until they are closer to the time of treatment, so offer some suggestions to benefit them and your team.

Trybe simplifies bookings for your staff and your guests, to make bookings feel like a spa treatment. Our intuitive, cloud-based software powers efficiency, conversions and revenue.

If you’re looking for a replacement for your existing online booking solution, or a new system altogether, we would love to have a friendly chat! We’re here to make life easy.