Paul Andrews of Audio Support shares his experiences of being a Simplybook.me customer and integrating their service into his business.
A few months ago, I realised my online booking system needed a serious upgrade. After some research into various options, I decided to go with SimplyBook.me, and I’ve been absolutely delighted with every aspect of their service so far. Recently, an email landed in my inbox asking if any happy SimplyBook.me customers would be willing to share their story and become a marketing affiliate. So, I reached out to them, and after a conversation with their marketing team I’ve put together this article to share my experiences.
About Audio Support: My Journey So Far
Audio Support is essentially the brand name for my personal expertise as a music technology specialist. While in previous years I operated with a business partner and trusted freelancers, I now run it solo, focusing on remote support. This shift has allowed me to serve clients globally, a significant evolution from my early days providing onsite assistance in the London, UK area.
My journey began with a degree in Music Technology from 2002 to 2005. During my studies, I discovered a knack for helping university colleagues set up and troubleshoot their audio gear. After graduating, a friend suggested we put a small advert in leading music technology magazines, and we were quickly inundated with bookings. This was during a boom period when professional-grade music software and equipment became more affordable, leading to an explosion of bedroom producers and small bands venturing into self-recording. Audio Support bridged a gap, providing professional knowledge and troubleshooting for home studio environments.
My passion for music technology and problem-solving has always driven me. I find it mentally stimulating to diagnose tricky issues, and I enjoy helping people get their equipment working seamlessly so they can focus on their creativity. I like being the friendly expert who drops in, solves a complex problem, and then moves on to the next challenge. Outside of Audio Support, I taught Music Technology part-time in two local schools until 2020. As the world was profoundly affected by COVID-19 and lockdowns, many musicians suddenly found themselves with time to work on personal projects. My ability to offer remote support became incredibly valuable during this period, helping them resolve technical problems that were holding them back, and as a result, demand for my services increased massively. This growth, coupled with the rising adoption of remote work, made it the perfect time to make the exciting leap to operating Audio Support full-time, dedicating myself fully to helping clients achieve their audio goals.
The Challenge Before SimplyBook.me: Manual Booking Headaches
Before I adopted SimplyBook.me, my client booking process was becoming incredibly cumbersome. Clients would find my website and typically message me first. Given the broad nature of my services, many clients needed a brief conversation to confirm I was the right person to solve their specific problem.
The workflow involved a lot of manual back-and-forth: receiving a message, arranging a session time by sending them to my online “free/busy” calendar, and then manually chasing them for advance payment via PayPal. As the business grew over the last couple of years, this ad-hoc solution was no longer efficient. It was slow, consumed too much of my time, and required clients to expend significant effort just to find a suitable session time. I quickly realised I needed to invest in a dedicated booking system.
Why SimplyBook.me? The Features That Made the Difference
My journey to finding the right booking solution began with a clear need: to streamline my client scheduling. As my business grew, the manual process of arranging sessions was consuming too much time. I knew I needed a system that was efficient but also simple and cost-effective for a solo operator like myself.
Initially, my WordPress developer helped me explore options, starting with booking plugins directly integrated into WordPress. However, we quickly encountered significant issues with compatibility and stability, hindering basic website functionality. After trying several alternatives, my developer concluded that a robust, dedicated third-party service would be a much better fit than a WordPress-native plugin, offering greater reliability and less maintenance hassle.
It was my developer who recommended SimplyBook.me. We explored it together, signing up for the free trial during our next website development session. We quickly found it perfectly suitable for my needs, and integrating my Google Calendar, PayPal, and links to my business website proved very straightforward. This positive initial experience confirmed it was the right investment of my time and resources.
What truly hooked me, however, was the Custom Features option. SimplyBook.me’s pricing tiers, based on the number of features used rather than which specific features, was absolutely perfect for my business. I could pick and choose exactly what I needed.
For instance, I knew I needed a reliable booking widget for my website and robust PayPal integration. Many other providers seemed to exclusively offer Stripe, and from my own experiences with Stripe as a consumer, I wanted a payment provider that clients were already comfortable with and commonly used. PayPal was a must for ensuring a smooth, trusted transaction process, especially with new clients. SimplyBook.me delivered on both these crucial points.
The flexibility to turn features on and off as I experimented was invaluable. For example, I wanted to showcase my case studies directly on my SimplyBook.me page. I could test integrating Instagram posts versus a dedicated photo gallery, and I found the gallery worked best. The ability to activate and deactivate features during this testing phase meant I wasn’t locked into choices or paying for things I didn’t use. This customisation is a huge benefit and a key reason I wholeheartedly recommend SimplyBook.me.
My Experience So Far: Elevating Professionalism & Saving Time
SimplyBook.me has drastically simplified my day-to-day workflow. Now, I simply direct clients to the booking page on my website. After initial setup and testing, the system has been entirely seamless—I’ve encountered zero problems with bookings since integrating it.
Beyond the immediate efficiency, integrating a professional booking plugin into my site marked a significant milestone for my business. It felt like I was leveling up my services, taking on a more professional appearance. This boost in professional confidence directly led me to raise my prices by 30%. Crucially, this price increase has had no negative impact on my business; no clients have balked at the new rates, suggesting I was likely undercharging previously. This feeling of increased professionalism, facilitated by SimplyBook.me, has been a massive benefit.
One particularly clever feature I appreciate is the “Make Me Look Busy” custom option. As a provider of a high-end, bespoke service, presenting an air of scarcity is beneficial. This feature allows me to control the perception of my availability, ensuring my diary never looks completely empty to prospective clients, which adds to the professional presentation of my business.
The overall client experience has also dramatically improved. There’s no more tedious back-and-forth email communication. Clients can easily select a slot, make their booking, and receive immediate confirmation. This streamlined process reduces the friction before a sale and has led to zero complaints from new or existing clients. SimplyBook.me has indeed been very smooth and effective.
Business Impact: Measurable Improvements & Peace of Mind
The positive changes driven by SimplyBook.me are evident in several key areas:
- Time Saved on Admin: SimplyBook.me automates admin tasks. I now receive instant email and Google Calendar notifications for new bookings, eliminating the need to manually enter these. This means when I’m off-duty, spending time with my family, I’m not interrupted by booking requests.
- Automated Reminders: The system automatically sends professional booking notification and reminder emails to clients. I used to do this manually, which was a time sink and could sometimes get forgotten. This automation ensures clients are well-informed and reduces my administrative burden.
- Fewer Back-and-Forth Emails: This has been a massive improvement. The clear, online booking process has significantly reduced the need for pre-booking correspondence.
- Client Confidence: Clients now have full confidence that once they’ve booked a session online, it’s securely in my diary and I’ll call them at the scheduled time.
Looking Ahead: Growing with SimplyBook.me
I absolutely see SimplyBook.me as a cornerstone for the future growth of Audio Support. As I actively work on enhancing my SEO and overall online presence, my business has a potentially substantial global reach. I solve very specific, real-world pain points for clients who rely on their equipment for their creative professions/hobbies, and I anticipate continued growth.
As Audio Support expands, SimplyBook.me’s features will prove increasingly beneficial:
- The idea of progressing through SimplyBook.me’s payment tiers to activate more custom features as my business develops is highly appealing.
- The waiting list feature will be crucial for managing demand during busier periods.
- The ability to add multiple providers will be perfect for potentially bringing back trusted freelancers to handle additional workload. This feature allows me to easily replicate my personal service offering with other qualified engineers within the SimplyBook.me system.
SimplyBook.me’s ability to grow seamlessly with my business, coupled with its superb custom features strategy, makes it an ideal long-term partner for Audio Support.
If you’re a small business owner, consultant, or service provider looking to streamline your booking process, I honestly can’t recommend SimplyBook.me enough. Their service has truly transformed my workflow and professionalism without complicating my existing setup.
You can try it out for yourself and see if it’s the right fit for your business by clicking here:
