5 Benefits of Appointment Scheduling Software
It’s a jungle out there. These days the competition will take every advantage to break out from the pack. That’s why it’s so important that businesses strongly consider the benefits of appointment scheduling software. According to industry analysts, appointment scheduling software use is projected to grow in business by 9.8% between 2017 and 2021. There’s no denying that appointment scheduling software provides a ton of benefits for your business. But for the lingering skeptics out there, here are 5 ways appointment scheduling software can put companies one step ahead of the competition. Benefit 1. Reach More Customers, In Less Time A customer no-show represents a wasted investment of time and employee resources. And too many no-shows will adversely impact a business. An appointment software helps businesses maintain their competitiveness by reducing no-shows and optimizing the customer service experience. By cutting down on customer wait time, you’ll be reducing their frustration and improving employee performance in one fell swoop. The efficiency of the software also saves employee time, allowing them to service more customers. More customers mean more revenue opportunities for your business, and that’s never a bad thing. Benefit 2. Automated Communication Ensures You Stay in the Loop Most scheduling software packages worth their weight also include automated phone and text reminders for customers. Automated communications ensure that customers never slip through the cracks and also contributes to employee productivity. Benefit 3. Gain Actionable Insights & Analytics In an age where businesses are making major decisions based on customer data, companies can’t afford to be left behind. A premium appointment scheduling software package designed for enterprises allows them to monitor valuable employee productivity and customer data with the push of a button. This provides a better understanding of customers and this knowledge helps drive disruptive, actionable processes in all aspects of the business, from product development to marketing and communications. Benefit 4. Deliver Personalized Experience to Customers In order to stay competitive, it’s critical that businesses take every opportunity to make a good impression on their customers. White label features allows for delivering a personalized customer service experience that is consistent with the company’s brand. In addition, sending tailored email communications and notifications also helps keep a company’s brand top of mind and provides a more holistic experience. Appointment scheduling software gives companies the power to start conversations that customers look forward to coming back to. Benefit 5. Superior Project Management and Efficiency Go Hand in Hand Calendar-syncing, single sign-on, and technical support when needed are some of the important features to look out for when choosing appointment scheduling software. Companies that avoid the upfront investment to use this software risk the possibility of operating inefficiently and leaving revenue on the table for competitors. A centralized customer-oriented scheduling solution helps manage projects efficiently and minimizes bottlenecks by making appointment scheduling quick and easy. The decision to take the leap and invest in an automated solution to customer appointment scheduling requires a lot of consideration. It’s important for businesses to find the right mix of features and cost to fit their specific needs. The ease of appointment scheduling can make you stand out from the competition. The time is now to jump on the bandwagon and get a leg up on the competition before it’s too late. If you’re interested in learning more about the value that online appointment scheduling solutions can add to your business, check out our value report. What’s Next? Interested in learning how appointment scheduling can help your entire organization engage more efficiently and effectively with customers? Download our Customer Experience Whitepaper. Ready to get started? Schedule a consultation today.
Top 3 Credit Union Scheduling Pain Points
Depending on the size of a credit union, scheduling pain points arise for both advisors and members when it comes to their appointment management system. Pain points generally culminate around staffing requirements, research and preparation and system limitations. These pain points lead to unproductive meetings with members, missed meetings and lost time and revenue for the credit union. We’ve recently compiled the top 3 scheduling pain points that we have come across in meetings with our credit union clients over the past year. Additionally, we’ve highlighted the ways that enterprise appointment software addresses these issues, leading to less missed and more productive meetings. Credit Union – Top 3 Scheduling Pain Points 1. Establish the Omni Channel Within the Credit Union industry, the idea of the omnichannel is very important. Credit Unions understand that their members are diverse and prefer a choice for how they interact with its advisors. In order to create a fully optimized omnichannel experience, Credit Unions are looking to offer an opportunity at every level of their member interaction to book an advisor meeting. This means, over the phone, in person and online. Credit Union’s currently have a tried and true model when it comes to in branch and contact center interactions. What ends up being the missing piece is a quality digital option to help your members connect with your team. With online appointment scheduling, Credit Unions are able to empower their members by allowing them to select the branch and meeting time that works best for them. It creates efficiencies and a seamless experience for all involved. 2. Visibility of Resources and Expertise across the Branches The ability to provide a visual of which advisors can perform specific services within each branch has been very difficult for tellers, members and contact center agents to book appointments in real-time. Real-time online scheduling maps out which advisors are certified to perform what services at which branch, creating a simple online view and scheduling ability for your members, branch staff and contact center. 3. Wait Times and Hold Times Credit Unions are challenged with longer than desired wait times for contact center and walk in traffic. These wait times are resulting in frustration from its members, busy lobbies and potential missed opportunities to connect with drop-off and walk out traffic. Online scheduling creates visibility into the advisor’s real-time schedule, alleviating wait times and spreading traffic within the branch across more time slots. On very busy walk in days, providing times to meet with your advisors is convenient to your members and respects everyone’s time. Automated reminder messages reduces no shows, eliminates wait times and increases your member experience. Learn about the key features and integrations that enterprise organizations need from an appointment management solution. Download Coconut Software’s Appointment Management Data Sheet today. Looking to boost revenue and deliver a premium experience to your clients? Schedule a consultation with Coconut Software to learn more about how our appointment scheduling solutions can get you there.
Improving Member Experience for Credit Unions and Banks (2019 Update)
Improving member experience is at the forefront of almost every initiative that Credit Unions and Banks take part in. Recent surveys, conducted of Coconut Softwares enterprise clients, suggest that over 62% of clients chose to implement appointment management software to improve the overall member experience. In today’s digital era, where markets have become more competitive, it has become increasingly important for organizations to elevate member experience. Ready to learn more about upgrading your institution’s digital presence and capabilities? Download our Ultimate Guide to Digitally Transforming the Appointment Experience According to a recent survey by Extractable, banks and credit union have been focusing on customer service; they are providing better rates, fees, and low wait times in contact centers, as competitive advantages. However, many aren’t focusing on easy to use digital interfaces, financial tools or personalized messages. Exactable also found the average member interacts digitally with their bank or credit union 158 time a year, while only call 13 times. When so many members are embracing these digital channels, user experience is critical. So why aren’t more banks and credit unions investing in improving the digital customer experience? Not only does the digital experience affect members experience, it also influences their product purchase. Members are more likely to apply for a loan at the bank or credit union they believe has better ease of use and superior member experience. According to ebiquity, consumers are willing to spend more with a company they believe provides excellent customer service. Financial institutions with better member experience are also more likely to increase member retention and satisfaction. Other factors influencing member experience are brand consistency and recognition, including the digital interfaces and emails. Financial institutions can integrate technology with their current processes and continue to innovate, by implementing simple tools geared towards improving member experience. Here are a few tips to help ensure a successful implementation of these tools, to increase customer adoption and use: Test out the technology and gain confidence in its ease of use before a complete implementation; look for pilots or trials. Collaborate and work with the provider; develop a customized plan together that supports your financial institution’s needs. Easily integrates with your current systems and workflows; technology doesn’t need to be complicated or require long implementation timeframes. Easy to use for members and staff; increase adoption by implementing systems that members can and want to use. Omnichannel capability; don’t look for systems to replace contact centers but enhance and improve the experience for both members and staff. Secure and compliant; keep data and members’ information safe by ensuring the system has regulations and processes in place. What Next? Ready to learn more about upgrading your institution’s digital presence and capabilities? Download our Ultimate Guide to Digitally Transforming the Appointment Experience for an in depth look on how to make it as smooth as possible for everyone involved, and how Coconut Software can help get you there. Looking to boost revenue and deliver a premium experience to your clients? Schedule a consultation with Coconut Software to learn more about how our appointment scheduling solutions can get you there.
London Drugs Implements Coconut Software Solutions
London Drugs has selected Coconut Software, an industry leading tech company, to deliver real time appointment scheduling for customers in order to easily connect with a London Drugs Expert in store. With the implementation of Coconut Software’s solutions, London Drugs will be able to manage appointments and leverage Coconut’s real time insights to build a relationship, not just a transaction. At London Drugs, they understand the value of time and the importance of offering a tailored customer experience. “Coconut is a simple to use, retail focused system that made it easy to fulfilll our needs for an easy way for customers to book time with our staff,” said London Drugs AGM of IT, Greg Martin. “It helped us be quick to market to meet a customer need quickly and without having to custom build a solution.” The partnership began in 2016, with a focus on mobile phone activation and computer product advice. With the success of these services, London Drugs has expanded to include camera, photo lab, and audio video system tutorials, photography tips, and beauty consultations, which are now available in select stores across Western Canada. The public can easily book a one-on-one sessions online. “Companies want to better understand their customers before they get to the till,” added Coconut Software CEO & Founder Katherine Regnier. “Our solution allows for meaningful and timely interaction between the company and a potential customer.” About Coconut Software Coconut Software, a Saskatoon-based tech company, is an industry leading software company that provides sophisticated yet simple appointment and lobby management solutions. Geared towards managing walk-ins, on-site & pre-booked appointments, all while providing real-time insights to optimize results, Coconut provides enterprise level solutions that redefine how customers interact with organizations while maintaining the highest levels of security and compliance. Born out of a need for real-time, easy-to-adopt scheduling and customer management, Coconut is the preferred solution for modern banks and credit unions across North America. Since its founding in 2011, the company has quickly become the leader in appointment scheduling and lobby management platforms for modernizing the customer experience, while saving companies time and money. What’s Next? Looking to boost revenue and deliver a premium experience to your clients? Schedule a consultation with Coconut Software to learn more about how our appointment scheduling solutions can get you there. Product Info Appointment Scheduling Data Sheet