What is buffer time between appointments?
Buffer time is the gap you deliberately leave after an appointment — for clean-up, notes, travel or a late start — so one overrun doesn't push your whole day late.
Buffer time (appointments) — Buffer time is the gap you deliberately leave after an appointment — for clean-up, notes, travel or a late start — so one overrun doesn't push your whole day late.
In more detail
Without buffers, a schedule only works if every client is on time and every job ends exactly on the minute. Real days don't look like that.
Buffers cost capacity, so it's worth doing the maths. In an 8-hour day of 60-minute appointments, a 15-minute buffer takes you from 8 slots to 6.
The right buffer depends on the service. A follow-up call might need 5 minutes; a colour appointment might need 20 for clean-up.
What to do about it
- Time a normal week: how long do appointments really run over?
- Set a buffer per service, not one number for everything.
- When you share open times, include the buffer so clients can't book into it.
- Review monthly: if you're never using the buffer, shrink it.
BookingSolved: Client Booking
Suggests open times using each service's duration and buffer, straight from your Apple Calendar.
Get it on the App StoreQuestions people ask
- Is buffer time wasted time?
- No — it's what keeps the next client from waiting. Shrink it if you never use it.
- Should buffer go before or after?
- After is most common. Before helps when you travel between clients.