Once upon a time, in the dark ages before the development of Volo Studio Scheduling Software, we had a very different kind of technology. Our keyboard was a pencil. Our delete key? An eraser. And our software was a mythical substance called paper.

Back in the pre-Volo stone age, our studio scheduling software was bundled in a black binder. This binder sat at the front desk. Inside were sheets of paper with trainers' names at the top and a time bar down the side. To enter data you took the pencil and filled in the little squares with who was training who when. In the event of an error, or a cancellation, we deleted the entry by grinding out the writing with the eraser which, hopefully, had not been lost, misplaced or eaten by a passing pet. That was our studio scheduling software – a printed excel sheet stuck in a binder.

But it got worse. Before the advent of modern integrated studio scheduling software we would have to take the dreaded black binder and count each session every week. Then we would have to go to the files and double check the data to ensure that clients had actually been to each of the sessions in the book. Then we'd look at client purchases and ensure that those had all been paid.

The entire system relied on our trainers keeping accurate records.
Reception, trainers and management were all writing, erasing and writing again on this one poor, thin piece of paper. Talk about a lack of accountability. And this pre-computer studio scheduling software was extremely fragile. A whole week could be wiped out by a single tragic coffee spill. Our entire business could collapse if the binder ever went missing, a nightmare scenario that kept us awake many nights. 

Volo has not only replaced the black binder, it has become our own personal assistant. Everything that happens in our busy training studio is now scheduled and tracked with Volo.

Our studio scheduling software handles thousands of appointments every month effortlessly cross referencing with product inventory, sales, payroll and billing. No more counting, no more juggling figures and dates in my head. Volo studio scheduling software does it for me, instantly accessing our entire member and staff database. No more chasing down trainers to verify client attendance. No more hunting for that eraser to change things. Our modern studio scheduling software knows who has been in, how often and whether their account is up to date or not.

I don't even have to worry about coffee spills because my data is safe and secure offsite behind massive firewalls and encryption systems. That makes sleeping at night a whole lot easier.

Tell us about your own early studio scheduling software. Did you use a pen and paper? A wall calendar? A pile of old cocktail napkins? Share your stories below, we'd love to read them.

Meanwhile, if you or someone you know hasn't yet evolved from the ice age and embraced the new world of integrated, web based studio scheduling software all you need to do is request a demo. We'll arrange a demonstration showing how much more efficient and stress free business can be with Volo systems.    

Want to learn other ways to break out of the ice age and into new technology?