Ovatu

Avantages

Easy to use booking facility.
Automated reminders reduce number of missed appointments.
Integration with website and Facebook page.
Ability to send group emails to different customers depending on demographic or tags.

Inconvénients

Bit tricky to set up (although their support is very good if you get stuck).
Must be well maintained and kept up to date or can get a bit messy.
Card payment system integration could be improved.

Avantages

Ovatu has been a huge gamechanger for our business. We no longer have to spend time out of hours managing our diaries via pen and paper. The system puts booking appointments into the hands of the client. Its an absolute joy to see the alerts pop up on my phone or tablet showing a new booking. I even get clients booking in the early hours.

Inconvénients

The only thing i can see missing from the system is the ability to request a deposit on the overall amount not just individual treatments. For example, if we have set a required deposit amount of £30 for high value treatments, a clients can book multiple lesser value treatments that total more than £30 but the system doesnt request a deposit. We have to then ask the client to bank transfer a deposit which sometimes for new clients can be awkward.

Alternatives envisagées 

Pourquoi passer à Ovatu

Avantages

Customer service excellent [sensitive content hidden] helped me add further payment options

Inconvénients

Nothing i dislike i initally found it hard to navigate but have no issues currently

Avantages

Every feature you have screws up something else when it's implemented; if it doesn't work all together, it's USELESS! It makes no sense that adding resources , having multiple locations, adding an employee, or disabling a location disables the calendar from showing availability from the schedule, yet ALL of these things has screwed up my booking several times. It takes way too long to do ANYTHING on here, and after al the time spent, you have to go back and undo everything because it messed up something else. When creating a voucher simply clicking on all services or undoing the check on all services should be optional, but it is NOT, and that is ridiculous.
Don't even get me started on your "support" staff, they are RUDE and disrespectful; not ONE time in the MANY times I've had to reach out, has anyone ever accepted responsibility for the way this software works (or should I say does NOT work), they instead blame me for not doing something right like I work for this damn company and know the intricacies of your system. NOTHING is as simple as the instructions. I have NEVER had to contact service on a software system, and I can't even count how many times I have to contact Ovatu support, and I hate it. You have what seems to be awesome features, but if they don't work what's the point?

Inconvénients

It's unstable, inconsistent, and not user friendly...and support staff is terrible.

Avantages

I have recommended this to every single person I know in the industry. I have helped to set it up for 14 other beauticians just because I am such an advocate for the app! Not to be dramatic but it really is life-changing!
The online booking makes it so much easier for both clients and myself; no going back and forth with messages. The reminders and online payments help to massively reduce no-shows, and the online card capture means that even when someone does no-show I can charge their card! I love that I can have all of my policies written in black and white and the client has to tick to agree. The forms are also a lifesaver; I have set the app to automatically email clients a form so that I have all info and it is stored securely. The reports are amazing as I can see exactly how much I'm earning, whether it was paid card or cash, I can see my most popular treatments and how much I earn from them. I could go on and on all day, I don't think there's anything that the app doesn't do.

Inconvénients

The only minor things are that you cant do service add ons, eg if someone books their nails it would be helpful to have an option to add on nail art without ut being a whole separate treatment. Also the mobile app rota isnt very aesthetically pleasing in my opinion.

Alternatives envisagées 

Pourquoi passer à Ovatu

Avantages

The simplicity of the set-up, online booking and ease of access for my clientele is fab!!
Customer Service is second to none. Team are friendly and very patient especially when someone like myself calls in - tech shy and unsure.
HELP GUIDE - WOW! now this is a great addition to the Ovatu Manager and set up, its easy to understand and the step by step instructions make it less of a task to take on yourself. The Help Guide will be useful throughout my time with Ovatu.
My clients are now taking control of their own booking rather than me doing everything for them.
Ovatu has given me time back with my family that I wasnt getting befere alongside time that was unpaid too. I just wish I done this sooner!!

Inconvénients

I wouldnt say improve to be honest, i'd maybe say consider including:
*Stock / Product spenditure : this way my invoice costs are recorded to tell me if im running at a loss or profit.

Alternatives envisagées 

Pourquoi passer à Ovatu

Avantages

I love the fact that no sooner do I think I wish I could ..... that I get an update saying the exact thing I was thinking about is now available! Ovatu is very client aware, it is looking for the solution just as you have identified the issue - and on the rate times I need help other than online ( generally me being dim) the customer service is the absolute best. Really glad I moved from Schedul to Ovatu best decision.

Inconvénients

I am yet to find something I don’t like.

Avantages

After a year of having different booking systems that don't have every feature i am after , I stubbled across this. OMG finally a system has been creatwd that does everything im after. SO HAPPY!

Inconvénients

Eventually i would like to be able to integrate with xero. However this is not so important at the moment considering all the other benifys and features.

Avantages

The best customer service you could ask for, they get back to really quick always lovely and helpful they will always send a personal reply to help not a generic answer.
Ovatu is the best booking system I’ve used, it’s easy to find your way round, once I’d asked the ovatu team for help on what I didn’t understand it was pretty much plain sailing.

Inconvénients

To be honest not a lot of cons for me, the only con is I may not understand something so maybe add a info about what things mean to make it a bit easier in places.

Avantages

Ease of use and knowing that everything was backed up

Inconvénients

Nothing it’s all good and I kept it running for longer than required just in case I changed my mind.

Avantages

Working with Ovatu has made my job so much easier. I have multiple employees some renters some commission this makes it easy to see what employee I need to keep track of. Keeping track of daily money and product sales is very easy and helps me with taxes and book keeping. My clients love the online booking option and use it all the time. I travel for large parties and can take the program with me any where. Being able to see schedules right from my phone lets me see my books are full and money is coming in when I’m not in the shop. The price is amazing other booking products cost hundreds of dollars. Every time we need to add an employee the process is very quick and easy for them to learn. I’m so glad I found Ovatu.

Inconvénients

I would like to be able to print receipts

Avantages

The online booking is a great feature and ever growing area of our business. Very customer friendly and integrates well in the system. It's more simpler than other systems to use, streamlined to suit rather than having features that aren't really relevant or will increase bottom line value. Having sms reminder cost built into the pricing structure reveals more of what the actual costs of using are rather than having continual add on cost to the service. Reports again are streamlined as to what is relevant but able to be adapted to in more depth accounting and business summary. The new quick sale and re-book feature works well

Inconvénients

The appointment diary view is a bit small on my browser view but is better on a larger screen so not really a problem. Booking and changing breaks in the appointment diary is a bit of a faf admittedly but just probably more so because of changing from another system which in this area was easier but did not include so many of the better features of Ovatu. Bar-code scanning with a bar-code scanner would be better for me from using in a browser but realise many use the apple app of which I don't use apple.

Avantages

Fully customizable, easy to add services, tons of automated marketing, and the ability to send SMS messages. My guests rave about the ease of use for online booking integration, and I recommend the platform consistently. My contractors can view their schedules over a wide range of mobile devices and tablets, and have no syncing issues. Well done, Ovatu.

Inconvénients

*So far* inability to integrate with Square. I prefer it to Stripe, which does the job in the intervening period, and I've been advised that Square may be in the works. Also, no customer service phone number / a significant (up to a day or more) delay in getting answers for issues when working through Facebook messenger. Thankfully, help isn't really needed much because it's such a stable, easy platform.

Avantages

I love the simplicity of uploading, changing, tweaking my salon services. It's pretty self explanatory but, I have used the customer service call line a few times and always rectified my issue with tricky complicated (to me as I'm not tech savvy!) Problems and it's never an issue.
My staff can also use the software with ease and my customers regularly tell me what a great addition online booking is with ovatu- life can be hectic but thanks to ovatu you can book with ease 24/7. It takes some of the stress out of running my busy salon

Inconvénients

If you could see your daily revenue on a mobile device- iPhone -then it would be perfect. As I generally chop and change between my iPad where you can see the revenue at the top right of the screen

Avantages

Allows me to run my driving school business with ease. Just enter the booking on the flexible calendar then Appointments are taken care of with customer reminders and confirmations, which virtually brings cancellations down to zero.
Customers can even book or reschedule online. Taking payments is easy too.

Inconvénients

Nothing to dislike about this product.

Avantages

I love the booking, invoice & recording of customer payments systems. Ovatu are quick to respond to emails, always giving great step by step instructions. The help function has excellent tutorial videos that are easy to follow, making use of their system easy.

Inconvénients

i am happy with most features that this product offers. Recording the customers bookings requires going into the schedule clicking checkin in and then change of screen into customers invoice to add the sale, I understand the first sale to raise an invoice can be done with create a sale, butt if I wish to add to this invoice I need to go into the sales invoice. This process can be a little clunky.

Avantages

I have personalised the app for my Beauty Salon, allowing for all therapists, treatments, time allocation and costs to be added, making business run smoother! Clients all receive automatic appointment booking confirmations, reminders and any changes made to date or time, via email and/or text which saves a lot of manual time. Has made my "no" shows" a thing of the past! Ovstu is really easy to add new data and information as needed, very user friendly! Ovatu is really efficient and does everything I need it to.

Avantages

It's easy to use and it is dependable. Anytime I've ever had a question or needed support, their people have been VERY responsive. Last year at tax time I had spent hours on something that I messed up, and their IT people were able to fix my problem within a couple of hours. I was so incredibly relieved. Shortly after, there was a small change in the software that made it easier to not make the mistake I was making. They truly care about improving the software and want to help you succeed!

Avantages

I really like how attentive the support team are. The system works really well, simple to use and navigate but when you dig deeper, there are so many more uses for the system, like reporting, tracking sale etc. You can use it simply as a diary or a way to run your whole business.

Inconvénients

The only issue we ever have is if staff don't sync their phones and the bookings don't show on everyone's phones or iPads. This is completely user error so cannot be blamed on the system!

Avantages

Ovatu is easy to use for both staff and owners. The POS is brilliant but it's the functionality for me as an owner that I love. I can track staff performance, income, stock levels and so much more.

Booking reminders are brilliant and so necessary. It has saved my business truck loads of money as it helps reduce those dreaded "no-shows".

Inconvénients

I find occasionally the software can be a little "laggy" at times but this is usually resolved with regular updates.

Avantages

I tried nearly 9 different software programs before finding Ovatu. In the 7 years I have used Ovatu, I have not had an issue, a lost appointment, or a crash. I recommend this software to everyone I can.

Inconvénients

I have not had an issue that I have come across yet.

Avantages

Easy to use & always evolving. Love that you can use it if your offline. Is o e of the best I have trailed and used.

Inconvénients

Can't think of any. Perhaps more couloir options for treatment categories? Would like option to use themes in the background and Birthday pop ups & loyalty points per price views on client booking on the description so you can see it as soon as you open in the mornings & we don't miss them.

Avantages

Software integration on all popular devices-we can access and edit our appointments/client details at ease anywhere in the world.

Avantages

The reminder SMSs that get sent to the customers.
Adding services & customers is very easy.
Once I found out "secret" steps on how to use or find some of the functions then my previous frustrations were dissolved.
Great support!

Inconvénients

Creating Sales: There are definitely more user-friendly changes that I would suggest to be made. We've had to adapt to make it work for us.

Avantages

online booking is fantastic. It has changed my business. The mobile and ipad app is fantastic. All my staff can log in and see their roster and bookings which makes life easy for everyone.

Inconvénients

Sometimes the flexibility of the online booking rules in the background is a bit limited. It would be good to be able to set up personalised reporting functionalities.