Appointment scheduling software
Encyclopedia
Customer Appointment Management scheduling software allows businesses and professionals to manage scheduling appointments and bookings. This type of software is also known as appointment booking software and online booking software.

Types of Software

Customer appointment management scheduling software falls under two categories: desktop applications and web-based systems (also known as software as a service
Software as a Service
Software as a service , sometimes referred to as "on-demand software," is a software delivery model in which software and its associated data are hosted centrally and are typically accessed by users using a thin client, normally using a web browser over the Internet.SaaS has become a common...

).

Desktop applications are programs that are usually licensed and installed on end-user maintained computer hardware. Such programs are generally very robust in terms of features and reporting, and can oftentimes by customized, but one downside is that desktop applications often do not have an online portal for staff or customer access. As well, installed applications may require ongoing maintenance, support, and upgrading by the end-user.

Web-based systems are usually provided by a third-party service provider that offers appointment scheduling tools and features as a hosted software solution, usually provided via a web browser. One common benefit is that customers are provided the option of booking their own appointments. This facilitates appointment scheduling over the web
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...

 as customers can access their usual professionals' schedules 24/7/365 and make appointments online through the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...

.

Features

A variety of features are common to appointment scheduling software:
  • Website integration
  • Employee availability
  • Online customer bookings
  • Reminders (by email, SMS
    SMS
    SMS is a form of text messaging communication on phones and mobile phones. The terms SMS or sms may also refer to:- Computer hardware :...

    , or voice messages)
  • Synchronization with third-party calendars
  • Customer history management
  • Customer relationship management features

Pricing

Different pricing models are available. While the traditional software licensing model of a one-time licensing fee predominates for desktop applications; subscription-based, advertising-based, per-use, and even free web-based systems are available.

Customer Appointment Management Software

Customer Appointment Management (CAM) is a type of appointment scheduling software targeted towards companies with large mobile workforces that automatically routes and schedules in-home service appointment arrivals. The software is delivered to businesses over the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...

 using the software as a service
Software as a Service
Software as a service , sometimes referred to as "on-demand software," is a software delivery model in which software and its associated data are hosted centrally and are typically accessed by users using a thin client, normally using a web browser over the Internet.SaaS has become a common...

 model.

CAM software is powered by proprietary algorithms that learn mobile employees’ work patterns to accurately predict a service technician’s Time Of Arrival and narrow a customer’s wait window to 60 minutes.

CAM software applications are browser-based systems and provide scalability and flexibility, eliminate up-front, high-cap expenditures and require no dedicated IT support or ongoing maintenance. Its SaaS open architecture allows for flexible pricing models, deployment speed, and ease of use.

CAM is currently used by five of the United States’ top ten cable companies, including Cox Communications
Cox Communications
Cox Communications is a privately owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises providing digital cable television, telecommunications and wireless services in the United States...

 , as well as broadband operators in Europe, including ONO (Spain)
ONO (Spain)
ONO is a Spanish broadband communication and entertainment company, delivering integrated telephone, television and Internet services to its residential customers. In this segment, it has 3.7 million services contracted and over six million users....

, Spain's largest broadband communications provider.
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