In the latest episode of the monthly Shop Guru podcast, Philippe Bussières, Training Director at PME Guru, welcomed Anie Samson, owner of a mechanical workshop, and Éric Duteau, Operations Director. Together, they discussed an increasingly important topic for shops: adopting online appointment booking.

Anie Samson, a pioneer in this field since 2015, spoke about the positive evolution of this practice. Faced with the mental load of being a shop owner — managing customers, parts, accounting, and human resources — she saw online booking as a practical solution to save time and better serve her clientele. She highlighted that this option is especially appreciated by non-traditional workers, such as night-shift nurses, who can schedule their appointments anytime from their phones.

Éric Duteau shared a similar experience gained from working in a large service centre. According to him, the impact on productivity is undeniable: by automating appointment scheduling, some shops have saved up to 35 hours of phone time per week. That’s equivalent to the salary of a part-time employee — time and money that can be reinvested in more profitable tasks. Adopting this technology also helps prevent scheduling bottlenecks and optimizes human resource management.

But the tool alone isn’t enough. Personalization is at the heart of the system. Each shop can choose the types of appointments offered, the available time slots, and even the staff assigned to each task. This flexibility ensures full control over customer flow while maintaining top-quality service. Manual management remains available when exceptions or special requests arise, maintaining a balance between automation and the human touch.

Fear of change still holds some owners back. However, the podcast team emphasized that implementation can be gradual — one step at a time. The key to success lies in consistency and discipline. As Anie insists: “If you say you’ll call a customer back, do it.” Honour your commitments — combined with an automated reminder system, this strengthens the customer relationship and reduces missed appointments.

Beyond the simple convenience of booking, this technology also enables better long-term planning. Some shops now schedule maintenance appointments six months in advance, ensuring a stable and smooth calendar. Automated data collection enables targeted follow-ups and behavioural analysis, making the shop more proactive than reactive.

The message from the podcast is clear: online appointment booking is no longer optional — it's a necessity. In 2025, customers expect this level of convenience. And rather than taking away control, this method gives it back to owners who want to structure their growth, build customer loyalty, and modernize their brand image.

Want to watch the full podcast? Follow the link :

https://vimeo.com/1063002095/89ef55a1c2?ts=0&share=copy