Consumers have made it clear that they want retailers to offer virtual appointments for services – its convenience, simplicity and accessibility have made it a must-have even after social distancing restrictions have been lifted.
An October, 2020 survey by Qudini found that 45% of US consumers want retailers of all types to offer virtual appointment services, where they can book one-on-one time with store associates for everything from personal shopping and beauty appointments, to product consultations, to mortgage checkups and financial health checks, to technical advice and support.
The team at Qudini were quick to realize this demand, and in March of 2020 (right when the Coronavirus first caused the world to go into lockdown) we launched our Zoom video conferencing platform integration with our appointment booking platform.
How our booking system integrates with Zoom
Our integration with Zoom means retailers using the Qudini Appointment System can offer virtual appointments that customers can easily schedule online and receive a Zoom link by email.
We have since seen a huge uptake of this feature, as retailers and banks increasingly offer virtual appointment services to connect with their customers during and beyond lockdowns.
This was part of an ongoing series of video integrations including 8×8 and Go Instore.
Learn more about Qudini’s virtual booking system
We believe that virtual appointments are here to stay and will be a big part of the future of building omni-channel customer relationships. As a result, we’re making a number of changes to our virtual appointment offerings throughout 2021, such as:
- Our new online appointment booking interface, which includes an option to schedule virtual appointments across multiple stores.
- Integrating with additional video content platforms.
- Releasing our new stats data points and dashboards on virtual appointment activity offerings.
- Updating our call center interface for managing appointments across stores and virtual appointments.
- Enhancing Zoom integrations and integrations with other platforms.
For more information about how this integration works contact your account manager, or for new customers, contact info@qudini.com
How the Virtual Appointment Customer Journey works
While the customer journey varies from business to business, and often depends on the capabilities of the appointment scheduling software provider, here is how Qudini’s virtual appointment customer journey works:
- The customer clicks on the virtual appointment call to action on a retailer’s website.
- They select a relevant service (i.e. personal shopping).
- They select an available time-slot that suits them.
- They receive a confirmation email that includes a Zoom link (or alternative).
- They receive a reminder email and SMS before their appointment to keep them engaged.
- They click on the Zoom link and are directed through to the video call.
- Afterwards, they can receive a post-event follow up email with relevant information such as links to products, costings for services or the option to schedule a follow up appointment.
Read: How to promote your virtual appointment scheduling offering
Burberry’s virtual appointment service connects customers with styling experts.
Find out more about Qudini’s virtual appointment booking system here.
