Online Reservation Program Software Is an Easy Way for Colleges and Universities to Schedule Rooms
Our nation's colleges, universities, community colleges and technical schools are the leaders in societal advancements, whether it's a new technology, a scientific breakthrough, or a cure for a medical condition.
This, however, is not necessarily the case when it comes to administrative processes. Like many other organizations and businesses, many campus departments and offices get accustomed to conducting tasks in a certain way, and this comfort zone deters them from looking outside the box for new ways of automating and streamlining many of their daily tasks.
Case in point: room scheduling. Most campuses offer students the ability to book facility rooms, such as study rooms at the library or law school. On paper, this task seems simple enough. The student calls the facility or arrives in-person, the administrative staff checks availability, and the room is then scheduled for that student at a specific time. Easy, right? Now, multiple this scenario by several 20, 30 or even 100, depending on the size of the study body and the number of students who book rooms on a daily basis. Then, factor in the staff resources necessarily to handle this tedious process. As you see, it's not as simple as it sounds.
Another factor worth considering is student convenience. Like many of us, most of today's college students are accustomed to conducting all of their daily tasks-and this includes scheduling appointments and booking rooms-online. Picking up the phone or having to physically schedule an appointment on-site may seem foreign to them. Additionally, many of them simply do not have the time to schedule these appointments during normal office hours.
Fortunately, there's a proven, easy-to-use and affordable remedy to this procedural dilemma. And it comes in the form of an online reservation program.
WHAT IS AN ONLINE RESERVATION PROGRAM?
Online reservation program software goes by many names, such as online scheduling software, appointment-scheduling software, online booking and Web-based scheduler. Regardless of the term used to describe it, the impact is typically the same: It automates, streamlines and improves the way college and university department manage their room scheduling by giving students the ability to view available rooms and book them online without having to contact office staff.
Just like other Web-based services such as online banking, social media sites and e-mail, online reservation program software is accessible right through the Internet, without having to download or install any programs onto an individual desktop or laptop. The software and data is safely housed off-site on secure servers maintained by the service provider. This characteristic also eliminates the need for campus or department IT staff to install and monitor the software, as all maintenance, upgrades and updates are conducted automatically by the service provider.
As mentioned above, this system can dramatically improve the room scheduling process by allowing students to book their rooms online. This is done directly through a unique URL created specifically for that department or office's online reservation program scheduler. An administrative can add a "Book Now" button with the link on their Web page, include it on their Facebook or other social media site, or simply provide the link to students over the phone, in an e-mail message, a newsletter or other form of communication.
In addition to online student self-scheduling, another beneficial feature found in some online reservation program software applications is automated e-mail and text message reminders. It's easy to lose track of things, especially in the busy life of a college student. Sent out automatically by the system prior to a booked room time, these reminders are a great way to remind students of their upcoming bookings. Additionally, these reminders can also reduce the number of "no-shows" who fail to arrive at their scheduled booked times.
AN AFFORDABLE OPTION
Any talk of new software additions makes many administrators and office staff cringe, considering their limited budgets and the assumed high cost of implementing new technology. As a Software as Service (SaaS) application, most online reservation program software is affordable and does not require a long commitment. In fact, most services offer month-to-month payment options without any long-term contracts. Additionally, some scheduler providers offer a free trial period of their product, which is a great way to test their system and determine if it will be the right fit for your room scheduling needs.
When it comes to a simple task such as scheduling rooms, unnecessary time and effort to accomplish it should be in the equation. Turn to an online reservation program to improve this time-consuming task, while giving students the convenience of booking their rooms online, 24 hours a day.
This, however, is not necessarily the case when it comes to administrative processes. Like many other organizations and businesses, many campus departments and offices get accustomed to conducting tasks in a certain way, and this comfort zone deters them from looking outside the box for new ways of automating and streamlining many of their daily tasks.
Case in point: room scheduling. Most campuses offer students the ability to book facility rooms, such as study rooms at the library or law school. On paper, this task seems simple enough. The student calls the facility or arrives in-person, the administrative staff checks availability, and the room is then scheduled for that student at a specific time. Easy, right? Now, multiple this scenario by several 20, 30 or even 100, depending on the size of the study body and the number of students who book rooms on a daily basis. Then, factor in the staff resources necessarily to handle this tedious process. As you see, it's not as simple as it sounds.
Another factor worth considering is student convenience. Like many of us, most of today's college students are accustomed to conducting all of their daily tasks-and this includes scheduling appointments and booking rooms-online. Picking up the phone or having to physically schedule an appointment on-site may seem foreign to them. Additionally, many of them simply do not have the time to schedule these appointments during normal office hours.
Fortunately, there's a proven, easy-to-use and affordable remedy to this procedural dilemma. And it comes in the form of an online reservation program.
WHAT IS AN ONLINE RESERVATION PROGRAM?
Online reservation program software goes by many names, such as online scheduling software, appointment-scheduling software, online booking and Web-based scheduler. Regardless of the term used to describe it, the impact is typically the same: It automates, streamlines and improves the way college and university department manage their room scheduling by giving students the ability to view available rooms and book them online without having to contact office staff.
Just like other Web-based services such as online banking, social media sites and e-mail, online reservation program software is accessible right through the Internet, without having to download or install any programs onto an individual desktop or laptop. The software and data is safely housed off-site on secure servers maintained by the service provider. This characteristic also eliminates the need for campus or department IT staff to install and monitor the software, as all maintenance, upgrades and updates are conducted automatically by the service provider.
As mentioned above, this system can dramatically improve the room scheduling process by allowing students to book their rooms online. This is done directly through a unique URL created specifically for that department or office's online reservation program scheduler. An administrative can add a "Book Now" button with the link on their Web page, include it on their Facebook or other social media site, or simply provide the link to students over the phone, in an e-mail message, a newsletter or other form of communication.
In addition to online student self-scheduling, another beneficial feature found in some online reservation program software applications is automated e-mail and text message reminders. It's easy to lose track of things, especially in the busy life of a college student. Sent out automatically by the system prior to a booked room time, these reminders are a great way to remind students of their upcoming bookings. Additionally, these reminders can also reduce the number of "no-shows" who fail to arrive at their scheduled booked times.
AN AFFORDABLE OPTION
Any talk of new software additions makes many administrators and office staff cringe, considering their limited budgets and the assumed high cost of implementing new technology. As a Software as Service (SaaS) application, most online reservation program software is affordable and does not require a long commitment. In fact, most services offer month-to-month payment options without any long-term contracts. Additionally, some scheduler providers offer a free trial period of their product, which is a great way to test their system and determine if it will be the right fit for your room scheduling needs.
When it comes to a simple task such as scheduling rooms, unnecessary time and effort to accomplish it should be in the equation. Turn to an online reservation program to improve this time-consuming task, while giving students the convenience of booking their rooms online, 24 hours a day.
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