How to use a waitlist to fill cancelled appointments

An appointment waitlist lets customers leave their name and contact details when the day they want is full, and tells them when a time on that day opens up. When someone cancels, people on the list are told and can book the free time. To make it work, switch the waitlist on, let customers cancel online so times free up early, and tell the list as soon as a time opens.

Why do cancelled appointments stay empty?

Often because nobody knows the time is free. A customer cancels on Tuesday evening for Thursday morning, the slot goes back on your booking page, and the people who wanted Thursday checked on Monday, saw it was full and stopped looking.

You can fix that by hand: keep a list, and when someone cancels, message the people on it. That works for a few regulars, but it takes time you often don't have, and by the time you've sent the messages the day may be over.

How should you offer a freed-up time?

There are two common ways, and each has a cost:

• Tell several people at once; first to book gets it. It's fast, and the time is most likely to be filled. Some people will find it already gone when they try, so say clearly in the message that it's first come, first served.
• Offer it to one person at a time. It feels fairer, because the person who asked first gets the first chance. It's also slow: if they don't answer, the time sits empty while you wait, and it may pass before you reach the next person.

For short-notice cancellations, speed usually matters more. For a long or expensive appointment booked weeks ahead, offering it in order can make sense.

What should a waitlist ask for?

Keep it short: name, email or phone, and the date they want. Every extra field is one more reason not to bother. If you work with regulars, it can also help to know whether they're flexible on time or only want mornings, but that's something you can ask when you speak to them.

How do you make the waitlist actually fill gaps?

• Let customers cancel and reschedule online until a cutoff, for example 24 hours before. When cancelling takes a few seconds, there's less reason to put it off, and an early cancellation gives you time to refill the slot.
• Set the cutoff with care. If it closes too early, last-minute cancellations come to you by phone instead and never reach the waitlist. If it closes too late, there's no time to refill.
• Ask people to cancel in their reminder. A reminder that says "can't make it? Reschedule or cancel here" can free times that would otherwise be no-shows.
• Mention the waitlist on your website or in your bio: "Fully booked? Join the waitlist and you could hear from us if a time opens up."
• Don't promise what you can't give. Joining a waitlist doesn't guarantee a time, and the message should say so.

What if one day always has a long waitlist?

That's a sign of demand. If the same day of the week fills up and people keep joining the waitlist, think about opening extra hours on that day, moving a quieter day's hours to it, or charging more for the busiest times. Check the waitlist now and then to see which upcoming days people are waiting for.

What should the message say?

Short and clear, with a link straight to booking:

Hi Sam, a time just opened up on Friday 6 November at [business name]. It's first come, first served, so if you'd like it, book here: [link]. If someone gets there first, just reply and we'll let you know about other times.

How the waitlist works in Okayset

When a day is full on your booking page, customers can tap Join the waitlist and leave their name, email and the date they want.

If a booking on that date is cancelled or moved and the service has a free time again, the first three people waiting get one email saying a time opened up, with a link to your booking page. Whoever books first gets it. Okayset doesn't reserve the time for anyone, so the waitlist never blocks other customers, and each person is emailed at most once per date.

You see who's waiting under Customers › Waitlist and can remove entries there. The waitlist is on every plan; to turn it off, untick Offer a waitlist under Settings › Booking rules. See waitlist for the details.

Your online cancellation and rescheduling cutoffs are in the same place (see booking rules and cancellation policy), and every reminder email asks customers who can't make it to reschedule or cancel, which frees the time for someone else (fewer no-shows). The features page lists what else is included.