doublebooking

Doublebooking is the practice of scheduling two or more reservations, appointments, or commitments that require the same resource at overlapping times. The term is commonly used in service industries such as healthcare, hospitality, beauty or wellness, and transportation, where a single practitioner, room, table, vehicle, or other resource has limited capacity.

Causes include high demand and demand management, no-show variability, human error, miscommunication, or limitations in booking systems. Some organizations use intentional overbooking to compensate for expected no-shows, but doublebooking refers specifically to overlapping commitments for the same resource, creating a scheduling conflict rather than a planned buffer.

Consequences can include delays for clients, reduced service quality, overtime costs, missed appointments, and reputational or contractual harm. In healthcare or professional services, the risk extends to safety, privacy, and regulatory compliance.

Prevention focuses on accurate real-time availability, capacity constraints, and proactive communication. Booking systems should flag conflicts, require confirmation of time slots, and enforce buffers or waitlists. Clear cancellation policies and staff training help reduce accidental doublebooking and improve responsiveness when conflicts arise.

See also: overbooking, scheduling conflict, capacity management.