Email is one of the biggest time wasters in the typical workday. It’s an essential tool for an efficient workflow, but when the average worker spends 3-4 hours a day doing it, it’s also an obvious place to look for time savings. Changing behavior is part of the issue: we shouldn’t obsessively check for new messages, do personal email from work, or exchange memes with co-workers all afternoon. Another way to avoid unnecessary email is by using simple tools of automation. An online appointment scheduler can eliminate hours’ worth of “email tag” trying to nail down meeting logistics.
Your life without a scheduler
- 8:00 am: You respond to an email from Trish about problems in marketing.
- 10:25 am: Trish responds at length.
- 10:30 am: To avoid more email, you request a 20-minute meeting, suggesting several times.
- 4:15 pm: Trish is busy so she waits until late afternoon to respond.
- 4:55 pm: You see her message as you’re leaving, confirm, and hurriedly enter it in your calendar.
- On the day of the appointment Trish texts asking if you’re still going to meet. Unfortunately, you entered the appointment on the wrong day and are now double-booked . . .
Your life with a scheduler
- 8:00 am: You respond to an email from Trish about problems in marketing.
- 10:25 am: Trish responds at length.
- 10:30 am: To avoid more email, you request a 20-minute meeting, providing a link to your online appointment scheduler so she can schedule it herself.
- 10:35 pm: Trish is busy, but the scheduling link makes it so easy she schedules immediately to get it done. The meeting automatically goes correctly into both your calendars.
- On the day of the appointment you both show up and accomplish your business on time.
What are your options?
A great choice for many users is Meeting Scheduler for Gmail by cloudHQ, which integrates seamlessly with your Gmail account and calendar. For those using Office 365, you have the option of downloading Schedular, or setting up the Bookings App. Calendly is a popular and user-friendly option Other alternatives to check out are Honeybook, Hubspot, Monday.com, Setmore, Simplybook.me, Squarespace Scheduling, TimeSync, and Wix Bookings.
When reviewing your options, consider these questions:
- Do you already have access to a suitable app through your current software subscriptions?
- Can you take payments from the app, if it is important to you to do so?
- What is the price per user, and how many users do you need? Some cheaper plans are suitable for small businesses but quickly become expensive when you need to scale up to a larger team.
- How many different calendars can the app accommodate? Does it sync with your preferred calendar?
- Can you customize the interface and automated emails and reminders with your company logo or other information?
Before finalizing your choice, feel free to contact us at Ascend Technology Group to see how an online appointment scheduler can integrate with your current setup and streamline your workflow.
