The problem
Booking a first call or review means several emails to find a time that suits the client and the adviser. If you book 15 appointments a week (about 65 a month) and each takes 6 minutes of messages, that's 390 minutes, 6.5 hours a month.
What the AI does
Each adviser connects their calendar to Calendly, sets their hours and creates events for an initial call and a review. Clients choose a slot from a link on your website or in your email. On Standard, Calendly's pricing page lists automated meeting reminders. The booking page should say that booking an appointment does not give advice and that the adviser will explain who you are and how you're paid at the start of the first call.
A worked example
A two-adviser mortgage practice in Reading books about 15 client appointments a week between them (65 a month), using one Calendly link each for first calls and reviews.
Before
6 minutes of emails per appointment for 65 appointments: 390 minutes, 6.5 hours a month
After
About 1.5 minutes to check each booking: about 98 minutes, 1.6 hours a month
What it's worth
About 4.9 hours a month saved (4.5 minutes x 65 appointments = 293 minutes), worth around £122 if staff time is worth £25 an hour. Calendly Standard is $10 (about £8) a seat billed yearly or $12 (about £9) billed monthly, so two seats are about £16 to £18 a month; Teams is $16 (about £12) yearly or $20 (about £15) monthly, so about £24 to £30 for two seats.
How to set it up
- Create a Calendly account for each adviser and connect their calendar.
- Create an event for the first call and one for reviews, with lengths and buffers.
- Turn on the reminder emails that Standard includes and read what the client receives.
- Put the booking link on your website and in email signatures, with a line saying no advice is given until the adviser speaks to the client.
- Check each booking before the call and send your initial disclosure information in your usual way.
What goes wrong
- Calendly isn't a CRM. Copy the client's details into your CRM and give the adviser the information they need before the call.
- Pricing is per seat, so each extra adviser adds about £8 a month. The Free plan has one event type and no reminders.
- The pricing page doesn't show monthly-billed rates; ask for the exact price before committing.
- Don't ask clients to enter financial details in the booking form. Gather those in your secure fact-find.