Booking was introduced last July but has only been available to North American customers. For the global roll out, the service will still only be available to subscribers of the Office 365 Business Premium offering. Microsoft has made no hint that it plans to roll the service out to wider Office 365 customers. If you are unfamiliar with the service, it allows subscribers to book appointments directly online with a mobile device. This ability to sync appointments is available across all Office 365 devices. There is a centralized calendar. In an Office Blog, Microsoft describes Bookings: “Bookings provides your business a unique web page that your customers can use to schedule appointments, even when you’re not around to pick up the phone or respond to an email. The web page is simple to use: the customer first selects the service they want and, based on availability you provide, chooses a day and time when you or one of your staff is available, enters their contact information and books the appointment.” Among the features available is the ability to reschedule appointments on the fly. Users can also get notifications, email confirmations, and can cancel previously scheduled appointments. For organizations, there is an ability for admins to create and manage appointments across a team.
Bookings Updates
Since launching the service last year, Microsoft has made several enhancements. Last month, the company launched the app on the Android platform. That release has been followed by the full global roll out to Android and iOS today. Last October, the company also integrated Bookings into Facebook Pages. Using Bookings, Office 365 Business Premium users can keep customers up to date on activities and offer promotions. There will also be a ‘Book Now’ button integrated into Microsoft Pages. Microsoft said; “Once Bookings is set up on your Facebook Page, your customers simply click the Book Now button and select the service and time that works for them. Their contact information is automatically filled in for them, and once they click Book, they’re done.”
