Automating Actions with the Customer Booked Appointment Trigger

Understanding the Customer Booked Appointment Trigger

The Customer Booked Appointment trigger is a workflow automation that activates whenever a contact uses a public booking link or online scheduler to book an appointment on their own. This trigger is designed to help you automatically engage with clients the moment they schedule time with you, without requiring manual intervention from your team. It applies to standard, one-time appointments and does not support recurring appointment bookings.

Key Benefits

Using this trigger can streamline your operations and improve client communication.

• Reduce No-Shows: Automatically send reminder messages via email or SMS before an appointment.
• Enhance Client Experience: Send immediate booking confirmations, preparatory information, or welcome messages.
• Notify Your Team: Alert specific staff members internally when a new appointment is booked, especially for key clients or services.
• Manage Group Appointments: Automate communications for both the primary booker and any additional guests included at the time of booking.
• Target Precisely: Use filters to run workflows only for appointments on specific calendars, for contacts with certain tags, or within defined calendar groups.

Configuring the Trigger

Follow these steps to add a Customer Booked Appointment trigger to a workflow.

1. Access the Workflow Builder

Navigate to the Automation section of your CRM and create a new workflow or edit an existing one.

2. Add the Trigger

Click to add a new trigger. Search for and select Customer Booked Appointment from the list of available triggers.

3. Name Your Trigger

Give the trigger a clear, descriptive name that will help you identify its purpose later, such as "New Client Booking."

4. Choose Workflow Enrollment

This critical setting determines which contacts are entered into the workflow when the appointment is booked.

• Contact only: The workflow runs only for the primary contact who made the booking. This is the default setting.
• Contact and Guests: The workflow runs once for the primary contact and once for each guest contact listed on the appointment at the time of booking. Guests added to the appointment after it is booked will not be enrolled by this trigger.
• Guests only: The workflow runs only for the guest contacts attached to the booking; the primary contact is skipped entirely.

5. Set Up Filters (Optional)

Refine when the trigger fires by applying filters.

• Has Tag: Activate the workflow only if the booking contact has a specific tag.
• In Calendar: Restrict the trigger to appointments booked on a single, specific calendar.
• In Calendar Group: Restrict the trigger to appointments booked on any calendar within a selected calendar group.

6. Save the Trigger

Click the Save button on the trigger configuration. Remember to also save the entire workflow using the main save button.

Common Use Cases

Automated Appointment Reminders

Create a workflow that sends an SMS and email reminder 24 hours before a scheduled appointment. This helps confirm the time with the client and reduces last-minute cancellations or no-shows.

Post-Booking Confirmation & Instructions

Immediately after a booking, automatically send a detailed confirmation email. This can include the appointment time, location, a link to reschedule, and any necessary preparatory instructions or forms.

Internal Team Alerts for VIPs

Set up a workflow that sends an internal email or SMS notification to a manager or senior staff member when a contact with a "VIP" tag books an appointment, ensuring they are prepared to provide premium service.

Group Session Management

For businesses offering group classes or sessions, use the "Contact and Guests" enrollment option. Automatically send a welcome email with details to the primary booker and each guest they registered, ensuring all participants receive the same information.

Post-Appointment Follow-Up

Trigger a follow-up sequence after an appointment is booked. This could start with a "thank you for booking" message, then send preparatory materials a few days before the meeting, and finally initiate a feedback survey after the appointment date has passed.