Getting a first-time customer is expensive. Getting them to come back is almost free. Repeat bookings are the engine of a profitable cage rental business — and they come down to a few simple things done consistently.
1. Make the First Experience Flawless
The moment a customer first arrives sets everything. Your arrival instructions need to be clear — gate code, parking, where to find equipment. Everything should work: the pitching machine, the lights, the ball return. If something is broken, be proactive. Text them before they show up, not after.
The single biggest driver of repeat bookings is not price or amenities. It is whether the experience matched the expectation. Deliver exactly what you advertised and you will see that customer again.
2. Follow Up After Every Session
Send a message within 24 hours of a completed booking. Keep it simple: "Hope the session went well — let me know if anything was off." That is it. No hard sell, no coupon, just a human touchpoint.
This does two things. First, it catches problems you did not know about before they become negative reviews. Second, it builds a relationship. Customers who feel seen book again. Customers who feel like a transaction do not.
CageList sends automated post-booking messages, but add your own on top. The personal message from an owner carries more weight than a platform notification.
3. Create a Reason to Return
A discount is the lazy way to earn a repeat booking. A better approach is to give them something to look forward to.
Examples that work:
- Seasonal updates: "Just installed new turf — come check it out." Gives a reason to re-book even if they were not planning to.
- Machine variety: If you offer multiple speed settings or pitch types, rotate them and mention it. "We added curveball settings to the Hack Attack this month."
- Progress challenges: Create a simple challenge — 10 line drives in a row, all-fields hitting — and let customers track their progress over multiple sessions.
4. Make Re-Booking Effortless
Friction kills repeat business. If a customer has to text you to find availability, wait for a response, and coordinate timing, they will just not bother — especially if another cage is one tap away.
Your cage should be instantly bookable on CageList. Live availability, instant confirmation, no back-and-forth. The moment a session ends, the customer should be able to open the app and book their next one in 30 seconds.
5. Build Team and Coach Relationships
Individual families are good customers. Travel ball teams and hitting coaches are great customers. One team can mean 8–15 bookings per month at predictable, planneable times.
How to find them:
- Post your listing in local travel ball Facebook groups
- Reach out directly to coaches at your local high school and middle school
- Offer a trial session at a slight discount to a team that has never used you
- Ask your current customers if they know any teams looking for consistent cage access
Once a coach or team finds a reliable cage, they stick with it. Familiarity and trust matter more than price at this level. Be reliable, be available, and those bookings compound over a season.
CageList takes care of scheduling, payment, and follow-up so you can focus on keeping your cage great. List your cage today.
List your batting cageFrequently Asked Questions
How important are online reviews for cage bookings?
Extremely important. A cage with 15 reviews averaging 4.8 stars books significantly faster than a comparable cage with no reviews. Ask every happy customer to leave a review on CageList — one follow-up message after a great session is usually enough.
Should I offer a loyalty discount for repeat customers?
A small loyalty reward — 10% off their 5th booking, for example — can reinforce the habit. Just make sure your base price has room for it. Do not create a discount expectation that undermines your pricing.
What is the most common reason customers do not come back?
Something did not work and they did not say anything — they just did not return. Proactive follow-up after every session is the best way to catch these silent dissatisfactions before they become permanent churn.
