In today’s always-on world, consumers are in the driver’s seat and the expectation is that brands will deliver what customers need when and where they need it, whether that’s online via mobile, or in-person. To best reach consumers in the moments that influence their decisions, leading brands have turned to intelligent appointment scheduling and communication tools to connect with customers at the right time, with the right messages and provide a frictionless experience online and off.
Engageware’s Intelligent Appointment Scheduling along with queue management, helps employees and customers prepare for appointments and manage in-store flow. But the most successful appointments start long before the first in-person meeting. To organize a smooth meeting that matches customer expectations, follow these best practices even before the initial handshake.
Stay top of mind with automated reminder notifications
Your customers are busy. They have a long list of personal obligations, spend an increasing amount of time in traffic, and on average, attend 62 hours of work-related meetings in a month. Unfortunately, this means they often forget or overlook other appointments. The more your brand can do to help remind and prepare customers for meetings in advance, the more likely it is they will arrive on time and prepared.
Engageware makes it easy for customers to keep your brand top of mind with automated, personalized notifications and reminders via email or text. Notifications can be customized to follow specific time intervals or include targeted text. Customers can also reschedule at a touch of a button if conflicts arise. Automated reminders decrease no shows, in fact, Engageware clients experience appointment show rates of about 90 percent.
Increase show rates with confirmations & rescheduling
In addition to appointment reminders, allowing customers the ability to easily confirm cancel or reschedule their appointments drastically cuts no-show rates and allows your employees to spend time with other customers or focus on other valuable businesses tasks. There are two ways Engageware customers can confirm appointments.
As scheduled customers receive text reminders and notifications, they are able to reply directly to their appointment reminder allowing to confirm or cancel their appointment. This provides a frictionless way to engage with customers before the appointment.
The second way to confirm appointments with Queue Manager. Part of Engageware’s comprehensive Scheduler Platform, associates can confirm appointments in Concierge Mobile. A few days prior to the meetings, associates can see upcoming meetings and customer details, providing them the opportunity to call and get a verbal confirmation that can be tracked right within the Concierge app. Engageware customers are seeing great results, increasing their show rates, by calling customers a few hours or a day before their scheduled appointment.
Engageware email confirmations also contain a link allowing customers to easily choose a new date and time for their appointment if their availability should change.
Customized notifications prepare customers for optimized service
It’s well established that the more prepared an employee is for an appointment, the better the overall customer experience, and the more likely it is that the appointment will drive revenue. But it’s also critical for customers to arrive ready and with an agenda, if necessary.
Appointment reminders not only help ensure your customers show up on time, it also serves as a source of important information to help customers prepare, providing them with the information they need to bring required materials, completed documents, and to help make any important decisions. Personalize messages to include key details in reminder notifications, including:
- Types of identification needed
- Paperwork, including any signed or notarized agreements
- Employment verification or credit information (for loan or mortgage appointments)
- Payment required
- Warranty or equipment information (for product training)
- Education or background credentials
Organizations with complex appointments often include common FAQs to help customers feel more prepared and confident ahead of their appointments. Not only will customers have a better experience since both them and your employees are prepared, your business will also be able to convert more customers with less meetings.
A few small actions make a big impact
Taking the right steps before scheduled appointments dramatically helps improve the customer experience and facilitates smoother meetings by removing the most common roadblocks. And by making personal outreach at different times pre-meeting, you’ll foster trusted and personal connections that ultimately drive higher business transactions and long-term loyalty.
Do you think you might need a queue management solution to help control on-site customer chaos? Learn more about Queue and Lobby Management to facilitate frictionless scheduled and walk-in appointments in your locations.