This new feature brings together the scheduling component with the video conference interface. Anyone with the link can join the virtual appointment. They do not need a Teams account.<\/p> The power of Microsoft\u2019s scheduling app, Bookings, connects to Teams. This makes the Virtual Appointments function as seamless as possible.<\/p> Some of the features below will be available with any Microsoft 365 plan. Some are available with a premium plan.<\/p> <\/p> You can see your scheduled appointments in a single view. Manage cancellations and time changes easily.<\/p> You can send customers a customized message via SMS or email. This personalizes the experience for them. You can also use automation to give that personal touch without having to send each one manually. Automated appointment reminders are another time-saving function.<\/p> Add a personal touch to your virtual engagements. You can customize the Teams waiting room. You can use themes and logos to brand your business. You can also chat with attendees while in the lobby waiting room. This is helpful if your current appointment is running a little long. You can let them know you\u2019ll be right with them.<\/p> You can send meeting follow-ups after a virtual appointment. This helps you reduce the time it takes to send any promised follow-up information. You also keep all details in a single place. This makes your client communication trail easier to follow.<\/p> How effective are your appointments? It\u2019s hard to know if your demos are resulting in sales if you don\u2019t have a good tracking system. It\u2019s also important to have visibility into customer appointments across the organization.<\/p> You can do this with a premium analytics feature. It gives you helpful reporting. The reporting provides insights into B2C virtual appointments in all departments.<\/p> To start using Virtual Appointments in Teams, admins must set up a few things. Note, they must be a Bookings admin to access these settings.<\/p> In the Virtual Appointments app choose to \u201cCreate a calendar.\u201d You can find this option on the Home tab.<\/p> Larger organizations may wish to create different calendars for different departments.<\/p> Next, add staff members. You can add up to 100. You will also need to assign them a role. Once you\u2019ve added your staff, you can view their availability in both Teams and Outlook.<\/p> What’s another nice thing about using an integrated platform like M365? It’s the cross-app compatibility. Your calendar syncs across apps.<\/p> You\u2019ll next set up your appointment types. You can choose from these two options:<\/p> If you choose to use SMS notifications and have the right Teams plan, you can set this up next. This allows you to easily send appointment confirmations and reminders via text message.<\/p> Note: Attendees currently need a valid U.S., Canadian, or U.K. phone number to receive the SMS notifications.<\/p> If you would like your attendees to fill out any forms, you can link them now. Virtual Appointments allows linking up to four cloud-based forms. These would be forms you have created in Microsoft Forms.<\/p> If you want to give customers the ability to book on-demand appointments, take this next step. You will need to publish the booking page. You do this on the \u201cManage\u201d tab of Virtual Appointments. Select \u201cBooking page,\u201d and turn on \u201cPublish booking page.\u201d<\/p> Microsoft 365 is a platform with many possibilities. Often, companies aren\u2019t using all the features they could. As a result, their team may be less effective. They could also be wasting money on apps they don\u2019t need.<\/p> Are you interested in help supercharging your Microsoft 365 experience? Give us a call today to set up a meeting.<\/p> <\/p>![\"Virtual](\"https:\/\/disciplinedmsp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Virtual-Appointments.png\")
Teams Virtual Appointments Features<\/h2>
Manage Scheduled Appointments<\/h3>
Send Customized Confirmations & Reminders<\/h3>
Customized Waiting Room<\/h3>
Meeting Follow-ups<\/h3>
Organization & Department Analytics<\/h3>
How to Use Virtual Appointments<\/h2>
Create a Calendar<\/h3>
Add Staff<\/h3>
Create Appointment Types<\/h3>
![\"Appointment](\"https:\/\/disciplinedmsp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Appointment-type.png\")
Set Up SMS Notifications (If desired)<\/h3>
Link Forms (If desired)<\/h3>
Publish Your Booking Page<\/h3>
Get Help Using Your Microsoft 365 Tools More Effectively<\/h2>