As an alternative to binding appointment booking, a calendar can be configured so that the customer is shown a contact form instead of a direct booking. This option is particularly suitable for services where the provider first wants to check whether and under what conditions an appointment should take place. While a classic booking immediately creates a binding appointment in the calendar, with the contact form variant the decision remains with the service provider.
How it works
- The customer selects a date and time from the available calendar as usual
- Instead of the booking confirmation, a contact form is displayed in which the customer enters additional information (e.g. concern, background, special requirements)
- The service provider receives an email with the requested appointment and the completed form content
- The appointment is initially not blocked in the calendar: the time slot remains visible for other requests
- After reviewing the request, the service provider decides whether and when the appointment actually takes place, and creates the appointment manually in the system or gets in touch by phone or email
Use cases
This approach is particularly suitable for:
- Complex consulting services, where it must be clarified before an appointment is given whether the request matches the range of services
- Individual project requests, where the effort or feasibility must first be checked
- Preliminary talks or initial consultations, where the provider first wants to get in touch by phone to clarify the need
- High-priced services, where manual pre-qualification is desired
- Industry-specific requirements, for example in medical or legal services, where certain prerequisites must be clarified before an appointment is given
Advantages over classic booking
- The service provider retains full control over appointment allocation and can reject unsuitable requests
- Additional information is collected before the appointment, which makes preparation easier
- Customers can describe their request in detail before an appointment is fixed
- Avoiding appointments that would not come about anyway (e.g. because the service is not available or the request is not suitable)
Disadvantages and trade-offs
- The threshold for customers is higher than with direct booking: there is an additional step
- The service provider has to process every request manually, which reduces the degree of automation
- Customers do not receive an immediate appointment confirmation, which can lead to uncertainty or drop-offs
- The time slot initially remains visible for other requests, which can lead to parallel requests for the same appointment
Technical implementation
It is activated via a simple option in the calendar setup. Instead of the booking logic, the contact form module is activated. The form fields can be configured individually, from simple text fields and drop-down menus to file uploads. The service provider receives the request by email and can respond in the admin area.
Hybrid solutions
Some service providers combine both approaches: direct booking is activated for standard appointments (e.g. initial consultations, consultations with fixed parameters), while a separate calendar with a contact form is available for more complex or individual requests. This split ensures maximum automation for standard requests and manual control for special cases.