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Appointment Distribution

An Appointment is a distribution mechanism for scheduling time-based interactions. Appointments are ideal for in-store pickups, consultations, virtual meetings, or any scenario where consumers need dedicated time slots.

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How Appointments Work

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                      APPOINTMENT LIFECYCLE                          │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                    │
│  AVAILABILITY          BOOKING              FULFILLMENT            │
│  ────────────          ───────              ───────────            │
│                                                                    │
│  ┌─────────────┐      ┌─────────────┐      ┌─────────────┐        │
│  │ View slots  │─────►│ Select slot │─────►│ Confirmation│        │
│  │ with        │      │ and book    │      │ + reminder  │        │
│  │ capacity    │      │             │      │             │        │
│  └─────────────┘      └─────────────┘      └──────┬──────┘        │
│                                                    │               │
│                                                    ▼               │
│                                             ┌─────────────┐        │
│                                             │  Check-in   │        │
│                                             │  at time    │        │
│                                             └──────┬──────┘        │
│                                                    │               │
│                                                    ▼               │
│                                             ┌─────────────┐        │
│                                             │  Completed  │        │
│                                             └─────────────┘        │
│                                                                    │
│  Slot Grid Example:                                                │
│  ┌────────┬────────┬────────┬────────┐                            │
│  │ 9:00am │ 9:30am │10:00am │10:30am │  ← Available slots         │
│  │  ○ ○   │  ● ○   │  ● ●   │  ○ ○   │  ← Capacity (2 per slot)  │
│  └────────┴────────┴────────┴────────┘                            │
│    Open     1 left    Full     Open                                │
│                                                                    │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

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Availability Phase

  1. Consumer views available time slots for their desired date
  2. Each slot shows remaining capacity
  3. Past slots are automatically hidden
  4. Buffer times between slots ensure smooth operations

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Booking Phase

  1. Consumer selects an available slot
  2. System validates capacity is still available
  3. Booking is confirmed instantly
  4. Consumer receives confirmation with details

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Fulfillment Phase

  1. Consumer receives reminders before their appointment
  2. Consumer arrives and checks in
  3. Appointment is marked as completed
  4. No-shows are tracked for analytics

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The Consumer Experience

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Browsing Slots

Consumers see a calendar or time picker showing:
  • Available dates
  • Time slots for each date
  • Remaining capacity per slot (“3 spots left”)
  • Fully booked slots clearly marked

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After Booking

Consumers receive:
  • Instant confirmation with appointment details
  • Location information (address, directions, parking)
  • Confirmation code for check-in
  • 24-hour reminder before their appointment
  • 2-hour reminder (optional) for same-day appointments

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At the Appointment

  • Consumer arrives and presents confirmation code
  • Staff can check them in via the dashboard
  • Appointment marked as completed

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Consumer Journey

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                 APPOINTMENT CONSUMER JOURNEY                    │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  ┌─────────────┐                                               │
│  │   Viewing   │  (browsing available slots)                   │
│  └──────┬──────┘                                               │
│         │ Select and book slot                                 │
│         ▼                                                      │
│  ┌─────────────┐                                               │
│  │   Booked    │  (waiting for appointment time)               │
│  └──────┬──────┘                                               │
│         │                                                      │
│    ┌────┴────┐                                                 │
│    │         │                                                 │
│    ▼         ▼                                                 │
│ Arrive    Cancel                                               │
│    │         │                                                 │
│    ▼         ▼                                                 │
│ ┌───────────┐  ┌───────────┐                                  │
│ │Checked In │  │ Cancelled │                                  │
│ └─────┬─────┘  └───────────┘                                  │
│       │                                                        │
│       │ Service completed                                      │
│       ▼                                                        │
│ ┌───────────┐                                                  │
│ │ Completed │                                                  │
│ └───────────┘                                                  │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

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When to Use Appointments

ScenarioWhy Appointments Work
In-store pickupManage traffic flow, reduce wait times
Personal shoppingOne-on-one attention requires scheduling
ConsultationsDedicated time for quality interactions
VIP eventsControlled access to exclusive experiences
Service bookingsAllocate staff time effectively

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Configuration Options

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Slot Duration

How long each appointment lasts:
  • 15 minutes: Quick pickups, brief consultations
  • 30 minutes: Standard appointments
  • 60 minutes: Extended sessions, detailed consultations
  • Custom: Any duration that fits your needs

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Buffer Time

Gap between appointment slots for preparation:
  • Purpose: Staff preparation, cleaning, transition time
  • Example: 30-minute slots with 10-minute buffers = slots at 9:00, 9:40, 10:20
  • No buffer: Back-to-back appointments (for quick services)

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Capacity Per Slot

How many consumers can book the same time slot:
  • 1 per slot: One-on-one consultations, personal shopping
  • 5-10 per slot: Group pickup windows
  • 20+ per slot: Large venue time blocks, events

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Location

Associate appointments with a physical location:
  • Store address and directions
  • Operating hours
  • Holiday schedules
  • Per-location capacity settings

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Best Practices

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1. Account for No-Shows

Expect some percentage of consumers won’t arrive:
  • Track no-show rates over time
  • Consider slight overbooking for high no-show services
  • Send reminders to reduce no-shows

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2. Set Appropriate Buffers

Allow time for:
  • Consumer late arrivals
  • Staff preparation
  • Cleaning between appointments
  • General transitions
A good starting point is 20-30% buffer (e.g., 10-minute buffer for 30-minute slots).

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3. Require Verified Accounts

For appointments, verified accounts provide:
  • Accountability (reduces no-shows)
  • Contact information for reminders
  • History tracking for repeat consumers

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4. Send Reminders

Multiple reminders reduce no-shows significantly:
  • 24 hours before — Standard reminder for all appointments
  • 2 hours before — Optional reminder for same-day appointments
  • Include easy reschedule/cancel options in every reminder

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5. Allow Easy Cancellation

Make cancellation simple:
  • Clear cancellation policy
  • Reasonable deadline (e.g., 24 hours before)
  • Cancelled slots automatically become available again
  • One-click cancellation in reminder emails

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Common Patterns

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In-Store Pickup

  • Slot duration: 15 minutes
  • Buffer: None (back-to-back is fine)
  • Capacity: 10-20 per slot
  • Use case: Order pickups, returns, exchanges

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One-on-One Consultation

  • Slot duration: 30-60 minutes
  • Buffer: 15 minutes
  • Capacity: 1 per slot
  • Use case: Personal shopping, styling, product demos

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Group Event Time Block

  • Slot duration: 1-2 hours
  • Buffer: 30 minutes
  • Capacity: 20-50 per slot
  • Use case: VIP shopping events, product launches

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Virtual Appointment

  • Slot duration: Based on service type
  • Buffer: 5-10 minutes
  • Capacity: 1 per slot (video call) or unlimited (webinar)
  • Use case: Remote consultations, virtual tours

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Notifications

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Confirmation (Sent Immediately)

  • Appointment date and time (in consumer’s timezone)
  • Location name and address
  • Confirmation code
  • What to bring/expect
  • Cancel/reschedule link

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Reminders

24 hours before:
  • Friendly reminder with all details
  • You can add custom content like weather tips or parking reminders
  • Easy cancel/reschedule option
2 hours before (optional):
  • Final reminder
  • Direct link for virtual appointments
  • Parking/arrival instructions

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Handling No-Shows

Track and manage consumers who don’t arrive:
  • Mark as no-show in the dashboard
  • Track no-show rates by consumer, time slot, day of week
  • Consider no-show policies:
    • Warning after first no-show
    • Require deposit for repeat no-shows
    • Limit future booking ability