How government scheduling software helps citizens and employees

Meetings can be complicated; scheduling them shouldn’t be. That sentiment is especially true for government agencies, where meetings are required for everything from getting a driver’s license or passport to discussing new laws and creating new partnerships. But getting on someone’s calendar isn’t always an easy task.

“It is unbelievable how much time is wasted trying to schedule meetings with important stakeholders that drive decisions,” says Bryon Kroger, founder and CEO of Rise8, a full-stack digital transformation firm for the public sector.

Many government agencies schedule meetings and appointments via email or phone — an approach that tends to create back-and-forth conversations between the parties involved to select a time that works for everyone. In some rare cases, citizens may actually have to visit a government office in person just to schedule an appointment. Ultimately, the process of scheduling an appointment can sometimes take longer than the appointment itself, which slows down productivity and frustrates citizens.

Government scheduling software is a great solution for this problem because it streamlines the process of making appointments. With scheduling software, employees can specify their availability for appointments, and citizens and other employees can choose a time that works best for them from available time slots. These solutions also send automated email reminders as well as calendar invites with all the necessary details, making sure everyone has the information they need in advance.

Should your government office consider using scheduling software? The answer is a resounding yes — and for many compelling reasons. In this article, we’ll look at the benefits of government scheduling software for both citizens and employees, and we’ll offer a solution you can implement today.

The benefits of government scheduling software for citizens

Scheduling an appointment or meeting can be a frustrating experience for a citizen requesting a government service or an organization looking to work with a government agency. Government scheduling software eases the frustration by allowing people to

• Serve themselves: Using scheduling software means people don’t need to rely on government employees to book a meeting. They can access the software from a government website or mobile app anytime they choose.
• Book meetings with ease: Booking an appointment or meeting the old-fashioned way can take time or dozens of emails, which doesn’t make for a great experience. Scheduling software transforms appointment booking into an easy and stress-free process.
• Save time: Booking an appointment using scheduling software takes mere minutes, whereas doing it over email or the phone can take much longer. This software enables people to get back to their day quickly.

The benefits of government scheduling software for employees

Employees have many tasks on their plate at any given time, and they need to be able to focus on their priorities. “In some agencies, the cost of meeting delays can be quite significant,” says Kroger. “For example, for the Department of Defense, if we’re working on a large aircraft project and it takes a week to get on someone’s calendar, it could result in millions of dollars in delays.”

With government scheduling software, employees can automate administrative tasks like scheduling and sending out reminders. Employees can also

• Reduce scheduling conflicts: Employees can set their availability in government scheduling software, which minimizes the possibility of double bookings.
• Simplify the booking experience: Internal and external parties can use scheduling software to book appointments, improving the booking experience for everyone. 
• Increase their productivity: By automating certain scheduling tasks — like sending out email invites with meeting details through the scheduling software — employees can spend more time on higher-priority tasks.

Jotform: An easy-to-use government scheduling solution

For government agencies and departments, Jotform offers a scheduling tool that benefits both citizens and employees. It’s easy to set up — no coding experience required. Plus, it’s highly intuitive from a user perspective, so even those who aren’t tech-savvy will find it a smooth and hassle-free experience.

With Jotform, government employees can customize their appointment availability, set up automated reminders, edit appointment details, and more. These features make the process of scheduling appointments quick and simple, saving time for everyone.

Instead of dealing with the back and forth of appointment scheduling, public sector workers who use Jotform can focus on serving their citizens. “There is a major use case there for how much money governments can save by reducing meeting delay,” says Kroger. Get started today with Jotform appointment scheduling. 

Photo by August de Richelieu