For the last year, 80% of my meetings with SpinWeb clients were scheduled by me, based on my availability and preference. While this is very beneficial for me, it left little concern for what best fit the client’s schedule.
I would look at my schedule and pick two or three slots that I preferred for a meeting time, present those options to the client, and wait for a response. The more I considered it, I began to realize that maybe my focus should be what is best for the client’s schedule, not just my own! As a client-focused web marketing agency, it would make much more sense than the traditional method.
Recently, I have been experimenting with allowing SpinWeb clients to see my schedule and pick the time they would like to meet. Using Mobileme, I share my iCal calendar without titles. If needed, I provide a general location, such as I’ll be around Carmel, IN until 10AM and then near Keystone at the Crossing until 5PM.
Not surprisingly, this has worked well and I’ve received positive feedback on the setup. Apparently, I’m not the only business person who likes to be in control of their schedule! I’ve also been able to increase the effectiveness of meetings by having meetings that are the right amount of time (instead of the standard 1 hour business meeting).
The only problem is that this is not a complete system - it doesn’t honor our clients’ time entirely, since they have to contact me to schedule or change the appointment. This is where Robyn will shine. Robyn allows appointment-based businesses to offer a truly interactive scheduling experience with clients. No more phone calls, messages back and forth, and transactions during business hours. Clients can set appointments when it’s convenient for them. For this reason, Robyn-enabled businesses will be very easy to do business with, which translates to happier clients and higher revenues.
