Collect appointment requests through website chat
Written by the Allinaa team · Updated
"Can I come in on Saturday?" is one of the most common chat questions for any business that works by appointment. There are two ways to handle it: let visitors book a slot directly in a calendar, or collect a request that your team confirms. Allinaa's website assistant does the second; on Premium, bookings can also go straight into your Google Calendar, set up with our team.
Request-based booking vs. direct calendar booking
| Request-based (the assistant collects, your team confirms) | Direct booking (the visitor picks a slot) | |
|---|---|---|
| Confirmation | After a person checks the schedule | Immediately |
| Double-booking risk | Low: the chat cannot book a slot | Depends on how well the calendar is kept up to date |
| Jobs that need triage first | Handled well: you see the details before agreeing | Harder: every slot looks the same |
| Visitor effort | Low, but they wait for a reply | Low, with an instant answer |
If instant self-booking matters to you, keep the booking tool you already use and let the assistant send people to it (see below). Many businesses run both: simple appointments go to the booking page, while anything unusual becomes a request.
What to collect: service, preferred days and times, contact
The request form already has fields for the product or service, "When do you need it?" and specific requirements, and the assistant can fill these from the conversation. Tell it in the knowledge what else matters for your appointments, for example:
- new or returning client;
- which location, if you have more than one;
- a preferred team member;
- how long the visit usually takes, so people pick realistic times.
The assistant asks at most three such questions, one at a time, and only the ones the visitor hasn't answered yet. Contact details go into the form, where the visitor gives an email address or phone number and ticks the consent box.
Your team confirms: avoiding double-booking
The assistant is instructed never to confirm a booking itself. Its job ends when the request is sent. A clean routine for the front desk:
- The notification email arrives, and the request appears as New in the inquiry inbox.
- Check the calendar and contact the visitor with a confirmed time.
- Set the request to In progress, and add a private note such as "offered Sat 10:30, waiting for reply".
- Mark it Completed once the appointment is in the calendar.
Linking to your existing booking page
The assistant shares only links that appear in your approved information or on the page the visitor is viewing, and it never makes up a link. Add your booking page to the knowledge with clear rules, for example: "Cleanings and check-ups can be booked online at [your booking link]. For emergencies, call the office. Do not offer online booking for new patients."
Cancellation and no-show policy questions
Visitors often ask about the policy before they book. Paste your cancellation and no-show policy into the knowledge exactly as you want it quoted, including notice periods and any deposit rules. The assistant keeps names, prices and conditions as written and won't invent exceptions. Requests to reschedule or cancel an existing appointment can be collected through the same form. Your team makes the change.
Time zones and opening hours
Write appointment hours with the time zone ("weekdays 9 AM to 5 PM Mountain"), especially if you offer video consultations to clients elsewhere. Your inbox dates and filters follow the time zone set in the setup wizard. If a visitor writes "tomorrow at 4", the request records what they typed, and your team confirms the exact time.
Illustrative conversation
Illustrative example, not a real customer conversation.
Visitor: Do you have anything Saturday morning for balayage?
Assistant: Balayage appointments take about three hours, and we take them Tuesday to Saturday. I can't see the live schedule, but I can send your preferred time to the team so they can confirm it.
Visitor: Saturday before noon would be great. Is there a fee if I cancel?
Assistant: We ask for 48 hours' notice for color appointments. Later cancellations may be charged, as described in our policy. Is this your first visit with us?
Visitor: Yes, first time.
Assistant: Thanks. You can send the request with the form below. The team will reply with a confirmed time.
Salons, spas and clinics use this pattern most. See AI chatbot for salons and spas and AI chatbot for dental practices. Requests sent at night follow the same path, as described in After-hours answers.
Questions and answers
Can the assistant see my calendar?
Not on Standard. The website assistant collects the request, and your team or your own booking tool confirms the slot. On Premium, bookings can go straight into your Google Calendar, set up with our team; that option isn't yet part of the verified feature set described on these pages, so ask us about its status before relying on it.
Could the chat double-book a slot?
With request-based booking, the chat cannot write to a calendar, and the assistant is instructed never to confirm a booking. AI wording can still mislead, so your team should confirm every request.
Can visitors reschedule through the chat?
They can send a change request with the form, and the assistant can explain your rescheduling policy. Your team makes the actual change.
Is this suitable for medical or dental offices?
It can collect appointment requests, but write clear rules about what not to ask, such as symptoms or insurance numbers, and keep clinical questions for your staff.