Making use of calendar software and other virtual scheduling technology can help you and your team save valuable time, says Stephanie Holmes-Winton, CEO of the Money Finder in Halifax.
“It’s about breaking the mould of what you are accustomed to doing,” says Holmes-Winton, a former financial advisor who now coaches and trains advisors. “It really simplifies the process because you don’t have to play phone tag with clients to set up a meeting.”
While scheduling technology might defy the way you have traditionally thought about communicating with your clients, Holmes-Winton insists it is well worth the change.
> It’s accessible
Instead of going back and forth with clients over the phone or email to set up a time to meet, your clients or prospects can simply go to your personal web page and pull up your virtual calendar.
From there, he or she can see when you are available to be contacted and when you have scheduled prior obligations. Next, the client can choose a time to meet or have a telephone conversation, and book it themselves. The software will sync the meeting to your mobile device or desktop calendar, and your client will receive a confirmation notice by email.
“It’s really helpful because if a client wants to book a quick 10-minute call to ask you a small question,” Holmes-Winton says, “they don’t have to worry about trying to catch you or hope somebody answers the phone. It helps build a better client experience because they aren’t waiting to hear back.”
> It improves profitability
Scheduling technology can help you improve your profitability. Simply put, the less time you spend organizing meetings, the more profitable your practice can become.
According to Holmes-Winton, the lag time between when a client wants to see you and the time that they actually do see you costs money.
The goal, Holmes-Winton says, is to keep that window of time to a minimum. The more often you go back and forth on locking down a date and time, the lower your returns will be for your services.
> Clients will adapt — eventually
With your schedule easily accessible on your web page, remind your clients that the online tool offers the best method to reach you. Still, it might take some time for your clients to adapt to the new, more streamlined format.
“Overall,” says Holmes-Winton, “clients adapt very quickly.”
Nevertheless, be sure that you — and your team members — continue to accept phone or email requests for your time, particularly during the trial period. Eventually, Holmes-Winton says, they will come around.
This is the first instalment in a two-part series on how scheduling technology can make your practice more efficient. Tomorrow: tips on how scheduling software can help you maximize your time.