Instructors Turning to Lesson-Scheduling Software to Better Manage their Fall Sessions

Hundreds of tutors, driving schools, music and dance instructors and other lesson providers nationwide rely on Appointment-Plus for automating and streamlining their appointment-scheduling procedures. The Web-based scheduling software offers such features as online customer self-scheduling, automated e-mail and text message reminders, robust record-keeping and reporting, and e-marketing capabilities.

Scottsdale, AZ (Vocus) August 17, 2010

The end of summer signals the start of school for children throughout the country. It’s also the time of year when tutors, driving schools, music, dance and karate instructors, and other lesson providers begin planning their fall schedules and sessions. Managing these activities, however, can be a time-consuming and tedious task, especially for instructors who rely on more traditional methods of accepting and managing appointments, such as over the phone or with an electronic calendar. That's why a growing number of instructors nationwide are turning to online appointment-scheduling software from Appointment-Plus for improving, automating and streamlining their scheduling processes.

“Instructors throughout the country provide important services to individuals, families and children,” says Bob La Loggia, president and founder of StormSource Software, the developer of Appointment-Plus. “Our online appointment scheduling solutions help them and their businesses become more efficient and successful by automating the entire scheduling process, which frees up more time to spend with students and for developing lessons plans.”

A leader in online booking software since 2001, Appointment-Plus is the perfect tool to help these individuals and groups automate and streamline their appointment-scheduling procedures. Requiring only an Internet connection to access and manage, the online scheduler offers such functionality as: “point-and-click” screen scheduling; online self-scheduling, whereby students and parents can schedule and manage their appointments and sessions online at their own convenience, 24 hours a day; automated e-mail and text message reminders sent to students and parents prior to their scheduled appointments; online payment options; bundled “packages” of two or more lessons or sessions; e-marketing capabilities; and accurate recordkeeping and report-generating capabilities.

The versatility of Appointment-Plus makes it ideal for most lesson-scheduling needs and allows its users to tailor its design and appearance to best fit their specific needs. Lesson providers that currently utilize the online appointment software include tutors, music and dance instructors, driving schools, karate instructors and church groups.

Avanti Driving School in Boca Raton, Fla., uses Appointment-Plus to schedule and manage approximately 50 weekly lessons. Paula Sylvester, director of instructor training, says the scheduling software saves each of her four instructors two hours of travel time each day and over $650 worth of gas each year.

As a Web-based application, Appointment-Plus doesn’t require costly hardware or program installations. Users simply access their scheduler securely and easily through any Internet connection, a tremendous benefit for instructors who manage their appointments from home, on the road or from other locales outside their office. Additionally, an instructor does not need to own or operate a Web site to use Appointment-Plus. Pricing starts at $39 per month with no long-term contracts, along with free set-up assistance with a dedicated coach.

Instructors that offer Appointment-Plus online student self-scheduling can expect to see a significant drop in the number of phone calls from students and parents looking to book, change or cancel upcoming sessions, as these individuals have the option of scheduling their own appointments at their own convenience, 24 hours a day. Additionally, automated e-mail and text message reminders sent to students and parents prior to scheduled lessons can help reduce the number of “no-shows” by almost 50 percent.

“Online appointment scheduling technology by Appointment-Plus not only improves the way an instructor manages his or her lessons and students, but also gives students the ability to schedule their own sessions with it’s most convenient for them,” La Loggia adds. “It’s a true benefit for all users.”

To learn more about Appointment-Plus and how it can improve your scheduling processes, click here.

About Appointment-Plus: Appointment-Plus supplies almost 4,000 clients throughout the United States, Canada and 10 other countries the tools they need to efficiently and accurately schedule lessons and appointments, book rooms, accept registrations and many other services. The flagship product of Scottsdale, Ariz.-based StormSource Software, the online application has scheduled over 48 million appointments since its launch in 2001. Geared primarily toward small businesses such as tutors, instructors, medical offices, spas, health clubs and massage therapists, users of the service also include Fortune 500 companies, colleges and universities, healthcare agencies and facilities, federal and local government, and freight and delivery services.

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