How a call answering service can improve online scheduling

Online scheduling is a diary management solution that automates appointment booking and administration. It uses real-time availability to efficiently and conveniently schedule meetings and send confirmations and reminders, so there’s no need for any manual coordination. 

Most call answering services offer online scheduling, where a virtual receptionist takes care of your diary, making organisation and everyday planning easier for busy business owners. 

This blog explores the business benefits of partnering with a call answering service to improve online scheduling.

Reduce wait times

The number one rule in customer service is to never make callers wait for a response. If someone calls to book or change an appointment but you’re not there to answer or you place them on hold for too long, they are likely to hang up and simply not turn up for their booking. 

This results in a huge missed business opportunity, missed profits, and the inability to book someone else for a cancelled slot. 

And for the customer, missed calls create a poor experience. Not only will they not attend the appointment, but they might never use your services again. 

• See also: How Bizik’s diary management works
• See also: 4 reasons to use a Diary Management Service for your business
• See also: How we answer your calls

Luckily, as experts in their field, call answering services know just how vital every call is. With their help, you can reduce wait times and ensure that every call is answered promptly and every appointment is secured or rearranged as needed. 

Thanks to efficient online scheduling, this will reduce no-shows and, therefore, lost business opportunities and provide an excellent customer experience. 

Reduce mistakes

Manual scheduling leaves plenty of room for error. There’s a chance of double booking, scheduling appointments for the wrong date or time, and getting the invitee’s details wrong. 

Human error is natural, but even the smallest mistake can cause serious issues. You could risk disappointing customers and creating far more work for your team than necessary. 

This is incredibly inefficient and counterproductive. That’s why we recommend partnering with a call answering service to handle your online scheduling. 

That way, you’ll have an expert behind you with excellent attention to detail and top-quality customer service training.

Convenient and flexible

Call answering service experts know that plans can change, often at short notice. That’s why online scheduling makes booking, rescheduling, and cancelling appointments convenient and flexible.  

Different providers use different online scheduling apps. At Bizik, we offer Outlook and Calendly integrations, two of the most popular diary management tools. 

Both provide real-time access to your availability, allowing our PAs to see your up-to-date schedule and advise your callers about available appointments and meeting slots. That way, there are no back-and-forth discussions about who is free and when. 

If something comes up, rearranging couldn’t be easier. If you need to move an appointment, simply let your Bizik PA know. Alternatively, you can access your chosen online scheduling app directly and move your bookings as you wish. 

If a customer or client wants to reschedule or cancel, they can simply call, and our PAs will handle it in no time. Partnering with a call answering service is really the most efficient way to improve your online scheduling. 

Real-time updates

Busy business owners always have a never-ending to-do list, but with only so many hours in a day, staying on top of everything is impossible. Well, thanks to online scheduling, you don’t have to. 

Leave your diary administration to your call answering partner. They’ll use their best online scheduling tools and administrative expertise to manage your diary as it suits you.

If they book you in for a meeting or your timetable changes, you’ll get real-time updates so you can stay in control. Whether you prefer to keep in touch by phone, email, or instant message, your virtual PA will let you know what’s coming up and when. That way, you can free yourself up to take care of other personal and business matters that need your attention. 

24/7 online scheduling

Do you ever wonder how many opportunities you miss after hours or on days off? When you choose a call answering service, your business and callers can benefit from round-the-clock support. 

According to the AI and Great CX 2024 report by Vonage, one of the biggest customer service frustrations is the lack of 24/7 availability. Vonage surveyed over 7,000 global customers aged 18-74, and nearly half (48%) said that limited availability makes their issues difficult to resolve, causing considerable dissatisfaction. 

But that’s not the full extent of the problem. A staggering 75% of consumers also said they would stop buying products/services from a company if they failed to resolve their frustrations. 

These findings clearly show a considerable need for businesses to be more present. From a business perspective, though, staffing and software costs and practicality are some of the main factors making this a challenge to implement effectively. 

That’s why we recommend choosing a call answering service. A high-quality provider like Bizik offers live support all day and night, so regardless of your callers’ time zones or requirements, a virtual PA is always available. 

They’ll handle online scheduling while providing customer service excellence, ensuring that every customer is happy and keen to call again. 

Optimise your time

Running a business often means having to sacrifice your personal time. However, online scheduling is a simple way to optimise your team in and out of the office, ensuring that your business and social calendars align with your needs.

If you struggle to stay organised, choose a call answering service. Your dedicated virtual PA will always be ready to book your meetings, rearrange your schedule, and optimise your time so that you’re always productive and stress-free. 

At Bizik, we’ll take the time to become experts in your business. Let us know:

• Whether you prefer in-person or virtual meetings
• Your maximum travel distance
• Any unsuitable dates and times
• How long your appointments normally take

We’ll then set you up on your preferred shared online scheduling tool, which you can access at any time to view your calendar or make changes. Otherwise, simply leave it to us, and we’ll optimise your time exactly as you prefer. 

Assist with scalability

When your business is ready to grow, it’s a positive and exciting milestone. Maybe it’s time to move to a bigger office, bring new investors on board, or interview new team members. These are the vital situations when you simply can’t afford to waste time.

A call answering service is your secret weapon to efficient and successful scalability. Not only will they take care of your online scheduling, but they’ll also look after your customers while you focus on expansion. 

Likewise, if you need to scale down, you can rest assured that your diary is also optimised and all your calls answered. 

Power up your business with call answering and online scheduling

We hope this blog has been helpful in understanding the power of call answering services and how they can improve online scheduling. If you’re tired of juggling appointments and phone calls, get in touch with Bizik. 

We’ll pair you with your very own PA to manage your diary and deliver customer excellence at all times. Not convinced? Start your free trial today and contact our experts if you have any questions.