The Ultimate Guide to Massage Scheduling Software

The perfect massage scheduling software doesn’t just book appointments; it integrates with your business

You got into the massage business to help people with their aches, improve how they feel in their bodies, and generally use the combined power of your hands and your expertise to make a positive difference in the lives of clients. And yet, if you run your own independent business or have grown enough to manage a team of massage therapists, you’ve probably found yourself spending a disproportionate amount of time just trying to get all those appointments in order.

Fortunately, the array of massage scheduling software available today makes reclaiming much of that wasted logistical time possible, so you can spend more time at the massage table. But how do you know the right massage booking software for your business?

What to look for in massage booking software

The best massage scheduling software for massage therapists is the one that will make both employees and clients say, “wow, that was easy,” instead of “how the heck does any of this work?” While the specific needs of each business will vary, any massage therapist scheduling software that optimizes your experiences across these points is starting on the right foot (or hand, if you massage those too).

Automated scheduling and self-booking

Anyone can create a schedule using a spreadsheet or calendar, but it's usually much harder to balance everyone's needs. For example, clients will always try to book the most convenient hour, which tends to be the same time dozens of other clients need attention. Outside these times, volume can drop dramatically, creating excessive downtime where the business isn't earning revenue.

Modern scheduling solutions can use technology to address both of these problems. Self-booking tools give the client a range of optimal appointment times before granting access to the entire calendar. And if the customer can't find a convenient time, the system can add them to an automatically-updating waitlist that the front desk will review. This approach streamlines the booking process based on availability, minimizes overbooking and downtime, and flexibly adapts to suit client and therapist needs.

Appointment stages

What sets wellness and massage therapy scheduling apart from general appointments? One of the biggest differences is making time for appointment stages. Therapists need transition times between appointments to clean up, sanitize the space, and prepare for the next client. Even the processing times for each session can vary depending on the treatment a client requires.

Instead of adding these elements manually — or worse, rushing through them to keep on schedule — massage booking software automatically projects how much time is required for each stage. That makes it far easier to create an optimal calendar where therapists are fully prepared to meet client needs.

Resource management

Appointment bookings usually require more than a readily-available massage therapist. There's also the room, additional products such as lotions or oils, and any specialized equipment. Your massage scheduling software needs to account for these resources, or there might be situations where the same equipment is required by two therapists midway through their appointments!

Ideally, booking solutions will include categories for on-site resources, much like how it handles a therapist's available hours. But, more importantly, these resources should automatically be added to appointments as part of self-booking tools or can be attached to existing sessions manually.

Integrated client profiles and payment info

Even if a massage therapist can recall every detail about every client, what happens when someone else needs to step in for their regulars? The incoming therapist will need to know about their treatment history, special needs, or even personal notes that don't fit into other categories. Integrating the scheduling software with client profiles allows therapists to access these references by simply clicking on the appointment block. And if these profiles also store payment information, they reduce the likelihood of no-shows and time-consuming complications at checkout.

Customization

Even the most robust massage scheduling solution will not be able to account for every individual thing each business needs, but they can offer the next best thing — customization tools. Managers and owners can use these features to adjust therapist availability, implement personal or business blocks, manage waitlists, and even add decorative features like color-coding each employee in the system. These capabilities make it easier to guarantee the scheduling software serves massage therapists, not the other way around.

Perfect your massage schedule with Boulevard

Of course, the reason we’re so confident about these features is that they’re part of Boulevard’s massage scheduling software. Our massage software is built to offer a high-end and seamless experience at every touchpoint. Self-booking is elegant, customizable, and comprehensive, and is linked directly with Precision Scheduling that intelligently optimizes massage therapists’ calendars and resources to eliminate unwanted downtime. Beyond scheduling, Boulevard offers built-in inventory management, two-way texting for improved communication, and a full suite of software integrations.

Boulevard pricing starts at $175 per month for a foundational set of features that can serve as the digital backbone of small massage businesses, with further plans including $225 per month for premiere features and custom enterprise options. Our satisfied customers point to our continually improving selection of features, hassle-free booking, and excellent customer service as great reasons to work with us (and we have to say, we’re pretty happy about working with them too).

Want to modernize your massage business’ processes by leveraging the best software? Read our guide: Massage Software: The Best Solutions for Scheduling and Billing.