Switch to gig-model for appointment scheduling: Automation meets personalization
With new tech innovations changing the way we used to book appointments for various services, industries are now switching to better ways in order to give a personalized experience to their customers.
Rising costs and an increasing population demand is in need of more services, and various industries such as healthcare, medical, EdTech, tourism, SaaS and hospitality, etc. are under constant pressure to make an effective use of their existing processes for appointment scheduling.
Research shows that almost 82% of customers today use mobile devices to book appointments while 16% and 2% are made from desktops and tablets, respectively. However, the manual job of maintaining appointments (regardless of the channel) can be a slow and hectic process. A lack of 24/7 availability and accessibility of support staff keeps the customers away especially when they need a service urgently. Moreover, handling a large volume of requests with limited schedulers can also be an added disadvantage to following traditional methods.
Ask yourself, how much time in a day does your team spend coordinating with the customers over calls and emails every day? A study shows that only 20% of the total mails sent for follow-ups actually get opened.
Needless to say, this gap in understanding the customers’ expectations calls for a simpler and sustainable solution.
Automated appointment scheduling for bulk bookings-
A systematic workflow manages voluminous appointments requests while reducing the hassle of physical coordination. Such an infrastructure is a boon for appointment-based industries that rely on them for revenue generation. A Reuters research report found that the global automated appointment scheduling market will grow at a CAGR of 15.1% between 2017 and 2023. In fact, by the end of 2023, the market is expected to be valued at $360 million.
Automation gives an opportunity to customers to book slots for a service from their comfort zone and convenient time. A study by ReportsnReports in 2018 shows that lack of technological awareness greatly hinders an industry’s overall growth.
With a DIY model, customers simply have to visit your enterprise’s website or app and choose their desirable date and time without waiting for your staff to hand-hold them. As an enterprise, it can reduce your sales cycle length from an ROI perspective by reducing administrative tasks.
However, every coin has a flip side- despite the benefits, this DIY appointment scheduling process may not solve each and every challenge that comes with service-oriented industry.
The challenges-
1. Cost- The convenience of a DIY booking program comes at a cost- such a model requires investment of regular funds as these are subscription-based. It calls for a time-to-time renewal once you and your customers get used to it, which might refrain you from exploring other cost-friendly models available in the market.
2. Managing bulk requests- If you are getting bulk appointment requests on a daily basis and you have minimal/limited resources to serve all those requests, it can result in-
-Limitation of team bandwidth
-Delay in appointments
-Poor customer experience
-Lack of personalisation
A study shows that there was a 29% increase in no-shows with automated reminders where there was no physical assistance provided to the customer.
3. Continuous training- It is not necessary that your staff is well-equipped with the thorough knowledge of handling the DIY appointment model the way it demands to be. On the contrary, an inexperienced staff can actually ruin the whole automated experience of the customer who looks for an ease of access. Even if you train your staff, a regular attrition rate can affect the overall workflow appointment scheduling and lead management.
Gig-based appointment scheduling: GigIndia’s answer
GigIndia’s smart solution provides you with a ready-to-deploy workflow for managing and following up with appointment bookings. Our trained Giggers (proficient in 14+ vernaculars) are certified appointment schedulers with 24/7 availability; they utilise well-framed and proven transcripts to understand your customer’s intentions and sentiments that leads to a full personalised experience.
Now simply allow your customers to schedule their appointments through an integrated system that does not require you to hire a full-time staff or care about overhead costs (as we work on a 100% pay-per-result model).
Wish to explore? Visit our website www.gigindia.in or simply write to us at sales@gigindia.in
