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Web-Based Appointment Management

Letting your customers schedule their own appointments at your website, can save both your time and theirs.

Overview

Many businesses, such as clinics and banks, use scheduling software to set up appointments between customers and agents. Traditionally, scheduling an appointment would involve a conversation between the customer and a secretary or a call center agent. However, building a self-service application at the company website, to allow customers to manage their appointments, could be much more efficient.

The following article highlights some aspects of this topic.

Web-Based Scheduling Software

Web interfaces can be built for almost any scheduling system. However, some application would be better suited for this task than others. For instance, Callflow Software's solution offers a few particular advantages in this respect:

● Web Service API: an interface which allows application developers easy access to

   scheduling, searching for vacancies, looking up previously scheduled appointments

   etc.
● Accessible Database: stored procedures and database architecture which enable

   access to appointment data in addition or instead of the API.
● Ready to use Infrastructure: to search the calendar for vacant slots based on

   various criteria.
● Integration with Queue Management data: allowing the creation of a single web-

   based interface where customers can both check current (or expected) waiting time

   for a random visitor, and schedule an appointment.

In addition, Callflow today offers developers a ready set of .Net Web Components which can be used to set up a scheduling application in the organizational website, or at any hosting service, rapidly and easily.

Architectural Aspects

The overall architecture of the solution is primarily dictated by the organization and its website's existing design and technology. Two important issues that should usually be considered are:

● Information Security: As in any interface that allows external users access to internal

   enterprise systems, information security is not merely another element of the

   development path but a major factor of the software specification. Security

   constraints can affect significant attributes of the system, e.g. is data presented to

   users updated online or periodically.
● Data Synchronization: Information Security constraints may dictate a separation of

   the enterprise database and temporary storage used by the internet application.

   This calls for a synchronization method that ensures data integrity and prevents

   conflicts. Different methods exist, such as reserving different time slots for different

   systems; using the internet application for internal users as well; locking internal

   system time slots when they are reviewed by external system users; and so on.

   Choosing the right method may be affected by the rate of synchronization,

   distribution of usage volume between internal and external users, calendar

   occupancy level etc.
 

Building an Effective Scheduling Application

The internet application is intended to save the customer's time. Untidy GUI, slow responses or complicated design would deter the customer. A neat application that's easy to use would increase the proportion of customers choosing it over speaking to an agent.

Following are just a few basic rules for building a better interface for a web-based appointment management system:

● Do not put off the customer with an entrance page full of controls and prompts. The

   interface would be better off if constructed as a sequence of simple pages, each

   with a single prompt or message. For instance – Page 1 asking the customer for

   the required type of service, Page 2 asking for a preferred location to receive the

   service, and so on.
● Freedom of choice is nice, but overdoing it is not. Where choices can be narrowed

   down, do so. Instead of presenting a list of every city in the state, ask for a county or

   region first; instead of asking for an accurate time for a meeting, ask for a rough

   range or rounded hours ("10:00") and then suggest the nearest available time-slot.
● Forget all about the internal interface of the scheduling system; it is of no concern

   for external users (customers). The external application design should only consider

   the customers expectations, the company website design guidelines, clear wording

   (rather than technical jargon which may be used internally) and of course web-based

   interface design conventions.
● Provide an easy method for the customer to retrieve a previously scheduled

   appointment, and a way to re-schedule or cancel it. You could use cookies or

   customer identification to store the last scheduled appointment for quick retrieval.

   You might also email the customer a direct link for the appointment details. If

   customers are unable to cancel appointments easily – they will not bother, and

   would simply not show up.
● Offer customers an option to print out a page with all the appointment details. Be

   sure to include the website address, the call center number, even an illustration of a

   refrigerator magnet… anything that would help the customer remember the

   appointment and what to do if it needs to be canceled or re-scheduled.
 

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