Attorney Mesh

Mar 25, 2024

The Best Call Scheduling App for Lawyers

Digital scheduling tools have introduced a new era of efficiency, enabling lawyers to streamline their appointments and maximize productivity (both for themselves and their clients). Among the leading solutions in this digital revolution are Calendly, Google's Appointment Scheduling, and Microsoft's Bookings. Each platform offers unique features designed to simplify the scheduling process, but they also come with their own set of limitations. Let's explore each and see which one is best for you.

The Best Call Scheduling App for Lawyers

Calendly: The Simplified Scheduler

Calendly stands out for its user-friendly interface and seamless integration with various calendar services, making it a popular choice among attorneys who prioritize simplicity and efficiency.

Pros:

  • Ease of Use: Its intuitive design and hyper-focus on letting other people grab time from your calendar allows for quick setup and minimal training - both for the Calendly customer as well as the clients scheduling calls.
  • Flexible Integration: Calendly works effortlessly with Google Calendar, Outlook, Office 365, and iCloud, ensuring appointments are synced across all devices.
  • Customizable Features: It offers personalized booking pages, enabling attorneys to set availability preferences, appointment types, and buffer times between meetings.

Cons:

  • Limited Free Version: The free tier offers basic features, but advanced functionalities require a paid subscription. I have survived with the free tier and its one meeting type (e.g., a 30 minute call), but you have to pay more if you want to be able to schedule different types of meetings (e.g., also include a 60 minute call, or have a special video conference meeting vs. a call meeting). That being said, the "Standard" edition with multiple meeting types is only $10/user/month-not a bad deal if it is saving you even 15 minutes a month in scheduling calls.

Google's Appointment Scheduling Innovations

Google has introduced two notable features for scheduling: Segments in Google Calendar and Google's Appointment Scheduling. These tools leverage Google's robust ecosystem to facilitate appointment management directly within the calendar interface.

Pros:

  • Seamless Integration: Both features are deeply integrated with Google Calendar, making it easy for attorneys to manage appointments alongside their existing schedules.
  • No Additional Cost: For users already subscribed to Google Workspace, these features come at no extra charge, providing a cost-effective solution.

Cons:

  • Complex Setup: Some users find the setup process for Google's Appointment Scheduling less intuitive, especially when configuring available time slots and services.
  • Limited Customization: Compared to dedicated scheduling apps, Google's tools offer fewer customization options for booking pages and notifications.
  • Availability (or more specifically - Unavailability): Google Appointment Scheduling is not available to all Google Workspace accounts. It seems that this is a problem with older Google accounts - but if you happen to have one (like @dyor.com) it is a show stopper - I just cannot use Appointment Scheduling, and Segments are going away - so Calendly it is!

Microsoft's Bookings: A Comprehensive Appointment Solution

Microsoft's Bookings is part of the Microsoft 365 suite, designed to offer businesses, including law firms, a high degree of control over appointment scheduling.

Pros:

  • Integration with Microsoft Ecosystem: Perfect for firms already using Microsoft 365, as it syncs with Outlook calendars and allows for easy access from other Microsoft apps.
  • Client-Facing Web Page: Clients can view availability and book appointments through a customizable web page, reducing the need for direct email or phone communication.

Cons:

  • Learning Curve: The initial setup and customization of Bookings can be more complex than simpler platforms like Calendly.
  • Subscription Requirement: Access to Microsoft Bookings is limited to users with specific Microsoft 365 subscriptions, which might increase costs for some firms.

The Empowerment of Client-Driven Scheduling

Allowing clients to schedule their own appointments saves time for the attorney AND the client. Some attorneys are concerned that this is an impersonal capability - and for some clients that may be true. Most clients, however, appreciate the control of being able to select a time that works for them without a bunch of back-and-forth. Plus, you can always use the "please send me a couple of times that work for you next week, or you can grab time from my calendar at meet.dyor.com."

meet.dyor.com is a redirect to a Calendly URL of https://calendly.com/mattdyor/30min - if you are interested in learning how to set up these easy-to-remember and domain-branded redirects, let me know - I can shoot you an email or write a follow-up post on how to do that.

Benefits include:

  • Increased Accessibility: Clients can schedule appointments outside of regular business hours, offering greater flexibility.
  • Reduced Administrative Burden: Automating the scheduling process frees up valuable time for attorneys and their staff, allowing them to focus on more pressing legal matters.
  • Improved Efficiency: Reducing scheduling conflicts and cancellations ensures a smoother operation and maximizes billable hours.

Conclusion

Overall, I think that Calendly is the way to go. It has one job and it has been doing it super-well for a decade. Granted, you may need to pay for it to get the experience you need, but the prices are reasonable.

If you have a different opinion, particularly if you have another service that I have not discussed, join the conversation on LinkedIn.

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