Switching booking systems without losing clients

01The fear isn’t the system, it’s the switch

Your current system annoys you, costs too much or can't do what you need. But switching feels risky: what if clients get confused, bookings vanish and regulars leave?

Those fears are real if the switch happens in one evening without a plan. With a plan it takes a couple of weeks and clients barely notice. This article covers what to move, in what order, what to tell clients and the most common mistakes.

02What to move, and what not to

• Clients: name, phone, email. This matters most, and it is the easiest to move.
• Future bookings: usually can't be imported automatically. Either enter them again, or let them happen in the old system.
• Services, prices and lengths: better entered fresh. It is a good chance to tidy your price list.
• Specialists and schedules: enter them again, because every system handles them a little differently.
• History and notes: useful but not essential. Important notes, such as allergies, are worth moving.

03Exporting clients from the old system

Most systems let you export your client list as a CSV or Excel file. If there is no button, write to their support. Do it while your subscription is still active: afterwards, access to the data may be gone.

Client data is still personal data, and you are responsible for it. Make sure the new system has a data processing agreement, and after the switch delete the data you no longer need in the old one. More on that in Client data and GDPR.

04The switch, week by week

1. Week 1, preparation. Set up the new system, enter services and schedule, import clients.
2. Switch day. Change the booking link everywhere, tell clients and turn off new bookings in the old system.
3. Weeks 2 to 4, both systems. Old bookings happen in the old system, new ones come into the new one.
4. The end. Once the last old booking is done, export the data again and close the old account.

The parallel period depends on how far ahead clients book. If they book a month ahead, allow a month.

Better not to plan the switch in the middle of your busy season. A quieter month gives you time to get used to it before the schedule is full.

05What to tell clients

Explain the switch to clients in one sentence: what changes for them. Usually just the link. Stress what gets easier.

06Change the link everywhere

An old link can live longer than you think. Go through every place clients might find it:

How to add the link to Google Maps and Instagram is in How to add your booking link to Google Maps and Instagram.

07The most common mistakes

1. Closing the old account before exporting. The data can disappear along with the subscription.
2. Switching in the middle of the season. A new tool in your busiest week means stress and mistakes.
3. Everything at once. A new system, new prices and new rules on the same day confuse clients. Change one thing at a time.
4. Forgotten obligations. Gift cards and deposits from the old system.
5. Two links at once. If both systems take new bookings, one time can be booked twice. Turn off new bookings in the old system on switch day.

08How it works in RINDIQ

• Client import in settings (on the Professional and Business plans): a CSV file with commas or semicolons, so a Latvian Excel export works too. Clients can have only a phone and no email, and duplicate rows for one person are merged.
• If you have many clients, or specialists and history to move, write to us. The RINDIQ team can help with the import, and each client's history (number of visits, last visit) is kept as a note on their client page.
• The import doesn't create future bookings. Enter them again or let them happen in the old system.
• The first 14 days are free with no bank card, so you can set everything up before switch day.

If you are still choosing which system to move to, read How to choose a booking system: 10 things to compare.