This article provides an in-depth guide on using the "Customer Booked Appointment" workflow trigger, a powerful tool for automating actions when a customer books an appointment independently. By the end of this article, you’ll understand how this trigger works, its key benefits, the setup process, and real-world use cases.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• What is Customer Booked Appointment Workflow Trigger?
• Key Benefits of Customer Booked Appointment Trigger
• Configuring the Customer Booked Appointment Trigger
  • Name Your Trigger
  • Set Up Filters
  • Has Tag
  • In Calendar
  • In Calendar Group
• Use Cases
• Frequently Asked Questions

What is Customer Booked Appointment Workflow Trigger?

The Customer Booked Appointment workflow trigger activates whenever a customer books an appointment using a booking link or online scheduling system without intervention from your team. This trigger is essential for businesses that want to automate follow-up actions, reminders, and notifications based on scheduled appointments. It works only for regular appointments and does not support recurring appointments.

Key Benefits of Customer Booked Appointment Trigger

Automating appointment-based workflows can significantly improve operational efficiency and enhance the customer experience. Here are some key benefits:

• Automated Reminders: Reduce no-show rates by sending timely appointment reminders via email or SMS.
  
  
• Improved Customer Experience: Keep customers informed and engaged with automated confirmation messages and follow-ups.
  
  
• Efficient Team Notifications: Ensure that the relevant team members are automatically notified whenever an appointment is booked.
  
  
• Flexible Customization: Use filters to trigger workflows for specific calendars, calendar groups, or customers with particular tags.
  
  
• Better Resource Management: By automating reminders and follow-ups, your team can focus on delivering services rather than manually managing schedules.

Configuring the Customer Booked Appointment Trigger

Follow these steps to set up the Customer Booked Appointment trigger in your workflow:

Access Workflow Builder

Go to the "Automation" section. Create a new workflow from scratch or select the existing workflow where you want to use the "Customer Booked Appointment" trigger.

Add a New Trigger

Click “Add New Trigger” and type in "Customer Booked Appointment." Select it from the list.

Name Your Trigger

Enter a descriptive name that helps you identify the trigger, such as “New Appointment Booking Trigger.”

Set Up Filters

You can refine the trigger using the following filters:

• Has Tag : Select this filter if you want the trigger to activate only when a customer with a specific tag books an appointment.
  
  
• In Calendar: Use this filter to target specific calendars. The workflow will trigger only when an appointment is booked in the selected calendar.
  
  
• In Calendar Group: Choose this filter to target calendar groups. The workflow will trigger when an appointment is booked in any calendar within the selected group.

Save the Trigger

Once the filters are set, click the "Save" button. Ensure that you save the entire workflow by clicking the blue save button in the top-right corner. 

Use Cases

Lets look at some examples where you can use this trigger:

Use Case #1 Appointment Reminder

Scenario: A dental clinic wants to send automated reminders to patients 24 hours before their scheduled appointment to reduce no-shows.

Outcome: The workflow sends an email and SMS reminder to the patient 24 hours before the appointment, improving attendance rates.

Use case #2 Follow-Up After Appointment Booking

Scenario: A real estate agency wants to send follow-up emails to clients who book property viewings to confirm the details and provide necessary instructions.

Outcome: The workflow sends a confirmation email with the appointment details, directions to the property, and a checklist of required documents.

Use Case #3 Internal Notification for High-Priority Clients

Scenario: A financial advisory firm wants to notify senior advisors whenever a VIP client books an appointment.

Outcome: The workflow sends an internal email notification to the senior advisor, ensuring they are prepared for the upcoming appointment.

Use Case #4 Group Appointment Management

Scenario: A fitness center wants to manage group training sessions by automating notifications whenever a customer books a session in a group calendar.

Outcome: The workflow sends an email confirmation to the customer and an internal notification to the assigned trainer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can this trigger be used for recurring appointments?

No, the Customer Booked Appointment trigger only works for normal (one-time) appointments. Recurring appointments are not supported.

Q. How can I trigger different workflows for different types of appointments?

You can use filters such as “In Calendar” or “In Calendar Group” to target specific appointment types and set up separate workflows for each.

Q. What happens if a team member manually books the appointment on behalf of the customer?

This trigger only activates when the customer independently books an appointment through a booking link. Manually booked appointments will not trigger the workflow.

Q. Can I send reminders at multiple intervals, like 48 hours and 24 hours before the appointment?

Yes, you can add multiple reminder actions within the same workflow and set different wait times for each (e.g., wait for 48 hours, then send the first reminder; wait for another 24 hours, then send the second reminder).

Q. How can I track appointments booked by high-priority clients?

You can use the “Has Tag” filter to create a workflow that triggers only when clients with a specific tag (e.g., “VIP Client”) book an appointment. This way, you can ensure timely follow-ups and special handling for important clients.