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Enquiries & Appointments

Enquiry to booking: AI customer enquiry handling

Turn a customer enquiry into an answer, qualified request or confirmed booking. Approved business knowledge and verified calendar setup define the scope.

Available after setupWebsite answers and capture are available within eligible existing plans. Booking needs enabled settings and verified availability; messaging depends on provider approval and configuration. Automatic appointment reminders and self-service rescheduling are not established in this release. Telephone answering is excluded.

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Procora · Workflow example

An answer with a source

Can I bring my bicycle in on Saturday?
The workshop is open Saturday, 09:00–13:00. Would you like to check a service appointment?
Approved opening hours

Owner-maintained knowledge · example

Source found
Unusual brake model?Ask the workshop
Fictional example · localised website visual

Before you decide

Is this the right first task?

Best for

Businesses receiving questions and appointment requests through their website.

Enquiries arrive while you are busy.

What you receive

Answers from approved knowledge, a recorded enquiry and details for your team’s next step.

Your team’s responsibility

You control knowledge, installation, booking and whether the assistant is active.

  • Approved business knowledge and a website you control or a hosted Procora enquiry page.
  • An eligible existing plan; booking needs its own enabled settings.

An illustrative example

A customer asks on your website whether a service is available. Procora uses approved knowledge, captures relevant details and records the enquiry. Missing information goes to your team. This is a fictional example; booking requires an enabled setup.

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A clear route through the work

Defined work. Your control.

  1. 01

    Customer asks

  2. 02

    Approved knowledge is used

  3. 03

    Details are captured

  4. 04

    Exceptions go to your team

Website chat answers within the approved setup and records the enquiry. Your team handles unanswered questions and exceptions. Booking requires the right package, calendar and availability.

The work, in practice

An enquiry often arrives while the team is already helping someone else. Procora can give website visitors an answer from your approved information, collect what is needed and offer booking where your existing plan and settings allow it. The useful outcome is a clear next step: an answer, a confirmed appointment, a question for the owner or an honest explanation of what happens next.

Choose the work you need to understand

Explore the information, decisions and responsibilities behind each part of the workflow.

01

Useful website answers start with information you approve

Maintain answers about services, hours and prices, recognise unknown questions and give the team an explicit next step.

02

Lead qualification: questions and routing

Lead qualification collects the service need, location and next-step details your team actually uses. Route exceptions to a person rather than guessing.

03

Shared inbox and human handoffs

A shared inbox needs clear ownership, conversation context and controlled AI pause and resume. Define when a human handoff is required.

04

Booking and rescheduling: calendar checks

Booking and rescheduling need current availability, a confirmed calendar event and an updated original appointment. Review the checks before activation.

05

Appointment reminders and no-shows

Plan appointment reminders around the confirmed visit, cancellation status and delivery results. Track no-shows separately from bookings and sales.

06

Channels and integrations for customer enquiries

Choose enquiry channels and integrations by the exact operation required: receive, answer, hand over or book. Verify each customer's connection.

07

Measure what happened to the enquiry

Define response quality, collected details, human hand-offs and confirmed appointments with clear periods and denominators.

08

Enquiry service setup and support

Prepare enquiry service setup with an owner, approved answers, channel access and test cases. Agree support responsibilities before live activation.

01 · Enquiries & Appointments

Make the first response useful while the team is busy

A visitor asking about a bike repair may need to know whether you handle that service, where to bring the bike and what detail will help the workshop decide. A consultant's visitor may need to explain the subject of a first meeting before choosing a time. Neither needs a sales speech or a long form that ignores the question. Start by answering the actual request and make the next question serve a decision.

The service combines approved website answers, conversation recording and contact capture. Booking is a separate configured part of that path, not a default outcome for everyone. Some visitors only need opening hours; others need the owner to review a special request. Keeping those outcomes distinct helps your team concentrate on the work still needing a person instead of treating every chat as either a sale or a failure.

Procora · Workflow example

An answer with a source

Can I bring my bicycle in on Saturday?
The workshop is open Saturday, 09:00–13:00. Would you like to check a service appointment?
Approved opening hours

Owner-maintained knowledge · example

Source found
Unusual brake model?Ask the workshop
Fictional example · localised website visual

02 · Enquiries & Appointments

Follow one enquiry from question to decision

In the fictional Utrecht workshop, Robin asks whether a city-bike brake check can be arranged next week. The example first uses an approved service answer, asks for the type of bike and preferred period, and keeps the reply with the enquiry. Only then does it show checked availability. If a time is available and the booking succeeds, the appointment is confirmed with its duration, location and Europe/Amsterdam timezone.

Change the question to an unfamiliar cargo-bike component and the route changes. The assistant should not turn a plausible repair into a service promise. It identifies the missing answer and gathers the minimum detail for the workshop owner. Change the preferred time to an unavailable slot and the example offers a checked alternative or owner review. These browser-only branches illustrate the decision; they do not create an appointment or send a message.

Procora · Workflow example

Requirements, ready for a person

Bicycle service · Utrecht
NeedBrake check
BicycleCity bicycle
UrgencyBefore next week
PreferenceWednesday afternoon
ContactName + reply address
Useful context, ready for the owner

Qualification is not a completed sale.

Fictional example · localised website visual

03 · Enquiries & Appointments

Give routine answers a maintained source

Opening hours, service areas, preparation instructions and published prices change. Agree which information the business approves, who maintains it and when it should be reviewed. The assistant uses approved knowledge, while draft information needs review before it becomes part of the answer source. A price shown in an old document should not silently override current terms. Avoid publishing an answer merely because it sounds familiar or appeared in another company's example.

Useful knowledge includes boundaries as well as positive answers: where collection is offered, which repairs need inspection and when a quotation requires the owner. Review a sample of real questions after setup. If customers repeatedly ask about a missing topic, the maintainer can add a verified answer rather than leave the assistant to improvise. We do not promise perfect accuracy; maintaining the information and checking response quality remain practical parts of the service.

Procora · Workflow example

An answer with a source

Can I bring my bicycle in on Saturday?
The workshop is open Saturday, 09:00–13:00. Would you like to check a service appointment?
Approved opening hours

Owner-maintained knowledge · example

Source found
Unusual brake model?Ask the workshop
Fictional example · localised website visual

04 · Enquiries & Appointments

Ask for the details that change the next step

For the workshop, useful details may be service type, bike type, location and timing. For the fictional Utrecht adviser, they may be the consultation subject, business location and whether the visitor wants an introductory discussion or help with an existing engagement. Ask one relevant follow-up at a time. Do not make a visitor repeat facts already given, and do not invent urgency or a budget from a friendly message.

Collect a working way to reply when follow-up is needed. An email address or phone number should support that particular enquiry, rather than become an automatic promotional audience. A summary should separate what the customer said from what still needs confirmation. Qualification helps the team make a decision; it is not proof of buying intent, a signed agreement or a completed sale. Keep specialist questions and exceptional terms with the person authorised to decide.

Procora · Workflow example

Requirements, ready for a person

Bicycle service · Utrecht
NeedBrake check
BicycleCity bicycle
UrgencyBefore next week
PreferenceWednesday afternoon
ContactName + reply address
Useful context, ready for the owner

Qualification is not a completed sale.

Fictional example · localised website visual

05 · Enquiries & Appointments

Let the team continue with the context intact

A hand-off is more useful when it includes the original question, details already collected, any answer given and the reason a person is needed. The stored conversation and lead notes help the team read what actually happened. Agree who checks unresolved enquiries and how absence is covered. A notification does not itself mean someone has accepted the task or that the customer has received a human reply.

If a customer returns with changed requirements, review the earlier context and record the change. A message from another account is not enough to merge two people or reveal their history. The local hand-off visual shows the information a responsible owner needs; it does not claim a universal automatic assignment or live shared-inbox takeover service. Discuss the actual team process and configured follow-up tasks before relying on a routing rule.

Procora · Workflow example

One conversation, clear ownership

AK
Customer conversation

Website chat · enquiry 04

Owner needed
I also need a written estimate first.
Hand-off summary

Brake check requested. Customer needs an estimate before deciding. No price promised; appointment not confirmed.

Next taskOwner reviews requirements
Fictional example · localised website visual

06 · Enquiries & Appointments

Offer appointments within the configured booking scope

Booking needs an eligible plan, an enabled setting and sensible calendar rules. Check opening hours, appointment duration, notice, booking window, business timezone and any external commitments the connection can read. The customer should see the specific location and time, not a vague suggestion that someone is free. A calendar subscription displaying Procora appointments is different from a connection checking external availability; agree which direction the business needs.

Availability can change between choosing and confirming. A requested slot must be checked again; a conflict leads to an alternative or a human next step, not a false confirmation. The appointment record is the confirmation boundary. If the business has several staff members, sites or specialised service durations, review those requirements explicitly rather than assume a single-calendar setup allocates them. Confirmation email is separate from whether the appointment was successfully stored.

Procora · Workflow example

A conflict becomes a choice

Workshop calendar
Tuesday10:00Occupied
Wednesday14:00Alternative
Duration30 minutes · example
Time zoneEurope/Amsterdam

Offer an alternative. A slot is confirmed only when the configured booking succeeds.

Fictional example · localised website visual

07 · Enquiries & Appointments

Keep changes and reminders tied to the real appointment

A request to move a visit is not a completed reschedule. The owner needs to review the existing record, check a replacement and confirm the change. Authenticated staff can cancel appointments and authorised people can record attendance outcomes. A time passing does not mean the customer attended. Keep confirmed, cancelled, completed and missed appointments distinct, so the team does not base follow-up on a guess.

Automatic appointment reminders and self-service rescheduling are not established parts of this website release. We explain how a suitable process should handle current dates, replies, cancellations and owner review, and provide educational wording you can adapt. Discuss any required scheduling separately. Appointment administration should help a customer manage an agreed visit; it must not quietly become a promotion, repeated rebooking pressure or a promise that a no-show rate will fall.

08 · Enquiries & Appointments

Start with verified channels, not a wall of logos

Website chat and contact capture are the core route. Other messaging channels need the actual account, entitlement, permissions and a healthy provider connection. Telegram has a bot setup; Meta messaging depends on the selected business assets and provider approvals. WhatsApp availability needs specific confirmation. Text handling does not establish photo analysis, document understanding or voice answering. The detailed connection matrix explains what is implemented and what still needs verification.

Telephone answering is not included. Taking a number for a callback is not answering a live call, and a phone field is not a missed-call text service. Transactional notification email is not an inbound email assistant or a marketing campaign. Similarly, forwarding an enquiry to a CRM does not prove two-way booking or quotation synchronisation. Discuss the specific event, fields and direction before making a connection part of the team's daily process.

Procora · Workflow example

Verify each connection

Website chatAvailable after setup
Appointment bookingPlan + calendar setup
Messaging channelsProvider dependent
Self-service reschedulingOwner-managed today
Live telephone answeringNot included

A connected account does not prove every workflow is ready.

Fictional example · localised website visual

09 · Enquiries & Appointments

Measure the next step without inventing a sale

Our fictional review contains eight enquiries: three confirmed appointments, two owner hand-offs, two waiting for customer information and one closed without booking. The categories total eight because each record has one current outcome. Three appointments out of eight enquiries is 37.5% in this small example. It is not a customer result, an attendance rate or evidence of revenue. The closed enquiry may have been handled correctly even though no booking followed.

For your own review, state the period, exclude test conversations and distinguish first response, useful answer, captured details and unresolved work. Examine unknown answers and hand-offs alongside booking counts. A quick incorrect answer is not better service. If attendance is important, record the actual outcome through a person rather than infer it from the diary. Compare periods cautiously when the mix of enquiries, opening hours or sources has changed.

Procora · Workflow example

Outcomes with honest denominators

8fictional enquiries
Confirmed appointments3 / 8
Owner hand-offs2 / 8
Waiting for customer2 / 8
Closed without booking1 / 8

One current outcome per enquiry. Appointments are not sales.

Fictional example · localised website visual

10 · Enquiries & Appointments

Agree setup, ownership and commercial scope

Begin with your website, approved information, common questions and a person responsible for changes. Check the installed widget before adding another. Choose the minimum capture fields, review the existing plan and confirm whether booking is enabled. If you need another channel, calendar, staff allocation or reminder process, describe it explicitly. Existing plan prices and limits remain those in Procora's commercial flow; these example pages do not change a subscription or invent an all-inclusive bundle.

Use fictional test enquiries to check a routine answer, an unknown question, a changed requirement, a conflicting time and an unreachable calendar. Inspect the saved record and the team's next step as well as what the visitor sees. Agree who reviews the first period, how to pause the assistant or booking and what support is included. The resources below give adaptable wording, a preparation checklist and a measurement method; they support that discussion without activating customer contact.

Explore a fictional workflow

Try the decisions, see the next step.

A local demonstration. Nothing is sent, booked or charged, and no customer records are created.

A busy bicycle workshop

Utrecht · Europe/Amsterdam

  1. Customer: Can you check my bicycle brakes?
  2. Approved service description found. Ask bicycle type and preferred day, then collect minimum contact details.
  3. Check current availability and the configured duration. Confirm only after the booking succeeds.

Confirmed appointment

Eight example enquiries

3Confirmed appointment
2Owner hand-off
2Waiting for customer
1Closed without booking
  • Enquiry 01Confirmed appointment
  • Enquiry 02Confirmed appointment
  • Enquiry 03Confirmed appointment
  • Enquiry 04Owner hand-off
  • Enquiry 05Owner hand-off
  • Enquiry 06Waiting for customer
  • Enquiry 07Waiting for customer
  • Enquiry 08Closed without booking

3 + 2 + 2 + 1 = 8. Every enquiry has one current outcome. An appointment is not a sale.

Useful resources

Bring the work into your own process.

Original templates, checklists and measurement guides. Read them online, copy what you need or download a text version.

Enquiries & Appointments · Practical guide

Enquiry response templates that keep the next step honest

Six original responses for routine questions, missing details, owner review, slot conflicts, changes and respectful closure.

Read, download and use
Enquiries & Appointments · Practical guide

A practical checklist for enquiries and booking setup

Prepare information, responsibilities, calendar rules and exception tests before relying on a new enquiry process.

Read, download and use
Enquiries & Appointments · Practical guide

Measure enquiry handling without confusing bookings with sales

A practical method for defining the review period, response quality, open work and appointment outcomes.

Read, download and use

Explore related work

Useful website answers start with information you approve →Booking and rescheduling: calendar checks →A practical checklist for enquiries and booking setup →

Questions worth answering

Is every enquiry booked automatically?

No. Answers and capture can provide a useful next step without an appointment. Booking requires an eligible existing plan, enabled settings and actual availability. Unknown questions and special requests need the team.

What if the assistant does not know the answer?

It should say what cannot be confirmed and collect the minimum detail for a person. Review the saved conversation and agree who follows up; do not invent a service, price or response deadline.

Does this include telephone answering or appointment reminders?

Telephone answering is excluded. Automatic appointment reminders are not established in this release; discuss the required process separately. Booking confirmation and an owner-managed change are different functions.

Can I use our existing website widget?

Check the current widget, assistant, approved knowledge and allowed domain first. Reuse suitable installation rather than split the business's enquiries across duplicate assistants. Extra channels or booking settings still need their own review.

A connected business journey

One next step leads to another.

  1. 01Enquiry & appointment ↗
  2. 02Quotation & decision ↗
  3. 03Accepted work & invoice ↗
  4. 04Appropriate next interaction ↗

This map explains how the work relates. Scope, ownership and availability are agreed at each hand-off; it does not mean every transition is automatic.

Selected service: Enquiry-to-Booking

Your next step

Tell us where the work gets stuck.

Describe the process you want to improve. We will save the enquiry for a scope review, confirm what is available and agree the next step with you.

Please keep customer records, financial documents and passwords out of this form. Submitting it does not activate a subscription, campaign, booking or customer-contact workflow. Marketing permission is separate.

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