If you’re looking at training management software (TMS), an online course booking system is a key feature you expect from any quality TMS. In the digital age, you want customers to be able to visit your website and book courses 24/7 without having to pick the phone up and check for availability.
Plenty of training management solutions include online booking systems but they’re not all built to the same standard. So, in this article, we look at five key attributes you should look for in a good course booking system.
#1: Seamless integration with your website
The first thing you need from a course booking system is seamless integration with your website. The booking software should look and feel like a native part of your website, not something that’s been added on or integrated at a later date. At no point, should users feel like they’ve ever left your website or started using third-party software to complete the booking.
To achieve this level of integration, you need a customisable booking system that matches the design of your website.
The question you need to answer is, who is going to do this customisation and how? Some booking systems require you to customise the experience yourself and this may require coding skills – although, some providers include visual editors for code-free editing.
#2: Live course availability
To make the booking process as seamless as possible, website visitors should be able to see live course availability so they know exactly how many seats are available. Don’t force users to call up only to check that enough places are available when this information should be displayed on each course page.
Another benefit of live course availability is that it increases incentive as fewer places are available. When a visitor lands on your course page and sees there are only a few places left, they’re more likely to book now than wait and potentially miss out.
#3: Customised checkout pages
We touched on this in the first point discussed in this article but customised checkout pages are an essential part of any online booking system. This is where customers review their booking and make any potential changes before making the payment.
You don’t want a checkout page that looks different from the rest of your site, as if users have been redirected to some dodgy payment page. The checkout page should fit seamlessly into the look, feel and experience of using your website, including the URL users can see in the browser.
Here at Dante, we customise the booking system (and the rest of our software) to meet the needs of each individual customer. Keep in mind, not every TMS provider does this and many of the ones that do charge a hefty fee for the trouble.
#4: Payment processing integration
If customers are going to book courses on your website, they need to be able to pay for them. In order to accept card payments on your website, you’ll have to sign up for a payment processing service, such as Worldpay, Opayo or Stripe.
Our online booking system integrates with all three of these payment solutions so the experience is never interrupted. From the customer’s perspective, it looks as if the entire transaction has taken place on your website, helping them book with confidence and ease.
#5: A customer account portal
With a customer account portal, your customers can view and manage their bookings by login into their account at any time of their choosing. This is particularly important for customers who book multiple courses and repeat customers who continue to book courses from you over an extended period of time.
This keeps customers informed and saves them from calling you to check or confirm details, which is a drain on resources for your business, too.
With Dante’s account portal, your customers can manage delegates on their end, run training reports and keep track of expired training with options to rebook – a key feature that boosts bookings for your business. They can also download certificates and other resources, access invoices and pay any outstanding fees by card.
Is Dante the perfect course booking system for your business?
Contact Dante Systems to find out more about our training management system and discover how we can help you drive more revenue and business growth by increasing the productivity of your workflow. Request your free trial with no obligation or credit card details required. Telephone: 0117 405 8158. Email: enquiries@dante.co.uk.