Beat it with bookings

 approx 7 minute read

Who would’ve thought booking systems would be part of the battle plan?

First time? You’re not alone. This is our first pandemic too. In fact, trailblazing businesses from Dover to Dundee are embarking on a journey into unchartered waters.

Navigating these seas is a challenge on multiple fronts as we all look to reopen safely.

Social distancing measures are being employed in spades to help stop the spread, but it turns out we’ve another weapon in our arsenal that was rather unexpected.

NHS Test and Trace

Test and Trace is a strategy set up by the Government to keep tabs on Covid19. It works by identifying and isolating people that might have come into contact with the virus, ultimately reducing transmission.

To help support this initiative, some businesses are being asked to collect visitor data. This is already mandatory in Scotland and also now a legal requirement in England. However, it’s in everyone’s best interest to do what they can to protect each other, prevent the spread, and reduce the risk of further lockdown.

What customer data is needed?

Do you have the time?

Obviously the date and time of the visit are important. An added bonus is the departure time. This is easier if booking specific ’slots’. Max table time in a restaurant, dress fittings, go-kart racing. Perhaps tougher in a bar situation though.

A man needs a name.

This can be the name of the lead booker if there’s a group of people.
However, knowing the number of people in the group is helpful.

Can I can I get your number tonight, oh huh?

A contact number helps the test and trace team a lot. Prevents them from having to use sniffer dogs. Again, the phone number of the lead booker will do.

Are we exclusive now?

In a situation where contact is with only one member of staff (one hairstylist, for example), it’s useful to make a note of this. This becomes easier with booking systems that include the name of the person like a salon typically would.

Many of the businesses that operate in these areas may already have some form of booking system in place. And so the transition for those might be just to steer everyone towards an ‘advance bookings only’ access ramp. “Sorry, no walk-ins” kinda thing.

But if not, well, the badger thinks you really should. In fact, he goes as far to say as much. “If you do not already do this, you should do so to help fight the virus.”
Fighting talk.

OK, let’s fight the virus then

Yeah, so, what about the rest of us? What happens if we don’t have snazzy booking systems or a ritzy reservation repertoire? Fear not, friend. The solution doesn’t have to be bafflewhelming. A number of simple and elegant ideas could be just the ticket.

Bookings

Bright businesses have been benefitting from bookings for a while now to help manage their workflow and also encourage conversions online. Even making bookings for free consultations and appointments goes a long way to help move prospects onto the next step.

Booking a room, space, table, slot or appointment? Or just limiting the number of people on the premises at any one time? Your booking system can be a nimble thing. But first, just ask yourself this.

“Do you want it to make a booking? Or request a booking?”

Make a booking

Solutions where the system makes the booking, rely on having pre configured availability plumbed in. In simple terms, you need to tell the system what slots are available to be booked. That way, the system can go ahead and offer those slots to web users.

You can get a booking system that works independently of your website (and your website can them just ‘talk’ to it). Or you can simply get a system that sits right there on your website. If people book in person or over the phone that’s no problem, a good solution will let you easily update and manage this in the back end.

You have full control over the availability and can also decide whether to take full payment, part payment or no payment.

Request a booking

‘Request a booking’ works a little differently. It’s slightly simpler to set up. There is often still a calendar with time slots and all the availability options you’d expect. However, when the user books online, a notification is sent to the business. The business can then check availability and reply by email, message or phone, to confirm the meeting, or maybe suggest another time.

So perhaps this offers more flexibility for the business. An ability to be agile. But the flip side of that coin is that it’s more of an administrative burden of course. No doubt you have enough on your plate, so maybe harness some clever tech to do the heavy lifting.

Whatever solution you prefer, for the benefit of test and trace (and your future marketing self), you can ask whatever details you need during checkout. Don’t go overboard though. Less is more with forms. Get more advice on how to create user-friendly forms.

Speaking of forms, this brings us onto another neat suggestion…

Registration forms

Some venues are putting old-fashioned guestbooks in place.
(Hand sanitiser at the ready and brace yourself for a few drunken attendances from ‘Mickey Mouse’ or similar off-the-cuff avatar.) But there are all manner of practical issues with this medieval solution.

Most businesses will be aiming higher. A digital ‘guest book’ could take the shape of a simple form on a web page that guests use to ‘sign in’.

Visitors could load it on their phone, complete the details and Bob’s your uncle who you met for a coffee. Use a simple url, or you could even have a QR code that dropped them straight on the page. Nicely done.

Does GDPR still count in a pandemic?

BUSINESS: “Ah, I remember you. From before the whole COVID and Brexit thing, right? How have you been?”
GDPR: “Yeah, I’m still here. Lurking in the background, doing my thing.”

So now we’ve got loads more customer data, we can use it for marketing, right?
Erm, no. No, you can’t.

At least, not unless they’ve opted-in to that. If you’re collecting data, there’s no harm in including an email field and adding an opt-in. You just need a tick box, with a little statement asking whether they’d like to be kept up to date with (exciting news, special offers, exclusive announcements – delete as appropriate). And who could resist, right?

Do it all above board, and it could lead to opportunity. But don’t expect big data here.

Test and Trace ask you to keep visitor data for 21 days. You may need to keep essential business data for longer though. You should update the privacy policy on your website to reflect this.

What if they say no, tho?

Your business might reasonably need to collect some data in order to do its thing.

However, customers do have the right to opt-out of the whole Test and Trace operation if they choose. The guidelines say you should encourage them to give their details to support the scheme and help stop the spread. Tell them it’s good to share. Unless it’s germs. Then maybe not.

What about all the other social distancing measures?

Signs, screens, and hand sanitiser all play their part in the prevention of and protection against the spread of the virus. They can also help welcome and reassure your colleagues and customers.

Check out our free guide to essential COVID collateral or get a call back from your local design studio.