Scottsdale, AZ (PRWEB) Oct. 11, 2011. Appointment-Plus online scheduling software provides massage therapists and their staff with unique features that help them run their businesses more efficiently and successful, such as repeat customer reminders, room scheduling and gift certificates that customers can purchase.

This added functionality makes Appointment-Plus an ideal choice for massage therapists looking to improve their appointment-booking procedures this winter season, a busy time of year for many massage professionals, as they provide needed services for those seeking relief during the stressful November and December holidays.

Among the features that lets Appointment-Plus online appointment software stand out from the crowd are:

  • Gift certificates. Especially popular during the holiday season, customers purchase these for friends, family, co-workers and other individuals, who can redeem them when booking their appointment through Appointment-Plus.
  • Add-on services. In addition to standard services offered by a massage therapist or facility, Appointment-Plus lets its massage clients add additional services that their customers can book at the same time, such as hot stone treatments, body wraps and polarity therapy.
  • Point-of-sale module. Besides booking appointments, Appointment-Plus allows massage operations to sell and process items through their scheduler.
  • Room scheduling. This feature allows massage therapists to schedule individual therapy rooms by time and session duration.
  • Repeat customer reminders. Everyone appreciates a reminder. This feature will automatically send an e-mail reminder to a customer after a specified length of time between appointments has passed.
  • As the leading provider of online scheduling solutions to massage therapists and practices for over 10 years, Appointment-Plus understands the unique booking needs these individuals and facilities have, regardless of the type of services offered. In addition to standard massage options, Appointment-Plus massage clients also provide shiatsu, reflexology, physiotherapy and Thai massage to their clientele.

Appointment-Plus’ commitment to developing cutting-edge and valuable features and functionality makes it the preferred online scheduling software system for practitioners looking to automate, streamline and improve the way they book their clients’ appointments and manage their information.

Appointment-Plus is designed to simplify the scheduling process, so that massage therapists and their staff spend less time on the phone and more time with their clients,” says Bob La Loggia, CEO of Appointment-Plus. “We’ve provided scheduling solutions to massage therapists and facilities since our founding, and their feedback and insight through the years has enabled us to develop functionality and features unmatched in the online scheduling industry.

When it comes to efficiency, tried-and-true standard functionality is a must in any online scheduling software application. Appointment-Plus rises to the occasion—and surpasses the competition—with proven features to automate the scheduling process from start to finish.

These include:

  • Online self-scheduling, whereby massage clients can schedule their own appointments when it’s most convenient for them, not just during normal business hours. This feature can also dramatically reduce the number of phone calls, e-mails and voice messages, which then frees up therapists and staff for more pressing needs.
  • Automated e-mail and text message reminders sent to clients prior to their schedule massage appointments. These can also help reduce the “no-show” rate by more than 50 percent.
  • Robust record-keeping and reporting capabilities, which makes it easy to manage appointment and client data.

Additionally, massage therapists and practices that choose Appointment-Plus online scheduling software have instant access to a growing array of plug-ins, modules and other extras in the scheduling industry’s best small-business toolbox. This includes syncs with QuickBooks and e-marketing service providers Constant Contact, iContact, MailChimp and Vertical Response, as well as online payment-processing through MerchantWarehouse. Upcoming releases include syncs with Google and Microsoft Outlook calendars, as well as an enhanced mobile Web app.

Appointment-Plus understands that many massage practitioners and their staff rely on other software applications to conduct their daily tasks, which is why it’s commitment to developing plug-ins and integrations to connect them with Appointment-Plus, hence its motto, “We Work With What You Work With.”

Unlike traditional and oftentimes expensive software programs of the past, the Appointment-Plus online scheduling system is an affordable option that fits into almost any operation budget. Pricing starts at just $39 per month, with no long-term contracts. Massage practitioners can even try out the software for free for 15 days. During the free trial period, all signups receive a complementary training session with a professional set-up coach.

Because it’s Web-based, the online appointment scheduling software requires only an Internet connection to use, with no installations, downloads or additional hardware required. This characteristic also makes it the perfect scheduler for massage therapists and staff that need to access their appointment calendar when away from the home or office.

“Scheduling appointments is not rocket science, but it can be a tedious and time-consuming process for those massage practices still using an outdated booking process,” La Loggia continues. “Let Appointment-Plus be the solution you and your clients are looking for.”

To learn more about Appointment-Plus online scheduling software, click here.

About Appointment-Plus

Appointment-Plus is the leading online appointment-scheduling system, serving organizations in 11 countries ranging from one-person businesses to Fortune 500 companies. With more than 15 million end users across 100 industries, Appointment-Plus is the preferred scheduler for massage therapists, spas, salons, shipping docks, colleges and universities, personal fitness trainers, government agencies, health care providers, financial institutions, tour operators, and many other types of organizations. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, more than 70 million appointments have been booked through Appointment-Plus since its launch in 2001.