To decide whether to schedule appointments yourself or automate this process, you’ll need to look at whether this is a part of the business conversation where you’re adding value. Let’s look at a few factors to decide whether to do it yourself or automate.
Add Value (DIY)
- If your current process is to have a sales phone call and you like to book an appointment at the end of the call, keep the appointment booking as a process that you do yourself
- If your weekly calendar is highly variable, if the appointments involve varied travel times (different cities or countries) or if you like to have full control over your calendar, you’ll want to keep scheduling as part of your process (or use a segmented booking calendar)
- If you only have a few appointments per week, you might not mind the option to offer your client a few available times via email
Automate
- If you have appointments of a similar length throughout the day or have services that have similar timing, having an automated booking calendar makes sense
- If you’d like people to easily book appointments on your website, automating the process helps
- If you’d like to include a booking link in your email marketing or client communication strategy, you’ll want to automate your scheduling
Tips For Automating Your Scheduling
- Set up your calendar booking system with varied services with different lengths. Have one all-service booking link and then specific links for each service so you can selectively share. Copy the links across to use in your email Saved Replies/Canned Responses/Email Signature.
- Set up in-office appointments to happen on specific days and out-of-the-office appointments to happen on specific days. This will help you get in the flow of knowing when you’re travelling versus staying in the office. It also helps when communicating availability to clients.
- Set up text or email reminders to be sent to the customer on the morning of the appointment. Consider including a Google Maps link so they can click it in their car before travelling to the appointment. Also look into using a short link for text messages and emails.
- Set up a post appointment message to be sent via email asking for feedback and providing a gentle prompt to give an online review (use a specific form to ask for this).
- Consider using a route planning app if your schedule involves plenty of travel. You can combine a client booking page for part of your week and then proactively schedule appointments based on the best route possible for the other days.
- Any admin work that usually takes place in a client meeting that doesn’t build relationship can be requested by the client prior to them arriving at the appointment. Consider asking a series of pre-appointment questions that will help to kickstart the appointment.
Looking for personalised advice in this area? Let’s chat…or we can book an appointment 😉