The Intelligent Appointment Scheduling Blog

While essential businesses across the country are slowly reopening, large enterprises are encouraging employees to continue working from home. Learn how to keep these online meetings focused and productive even among virtual meeting fatigue.

Retailers are beginning the reopening process, but the landscape has changed dramatically in a few months. Consumers are uncertain about how they want to interact with brands, and a patchwork of guidelines across states impacts how and when national retailers can open their doors regionally.

When COVID caused widespread closures in March, Fifth Third Bank pivoted quickly. They closed branches to walk-ins, promoted drive-thru window transactions, and extended the ability to make one-on-on appointments to all customers who wanted to meet with a banker either in-person or by phone.

Online and traditional media outlets have been well populated with stories of the ways that banks and other financial institutions have responded to the pandemic, and how, despite the disruptions to our normal way of doing business, have provided unparalleled levels of service to their customers.

Retailers across the country are actively planning how to safely reopen their doors or welcome customers as COVID social distancing orders are rolled back across the country. While experts don't know exactly how customers will feel about shopping in stores, they agree that retail will be different.

One trend that analysts expect to remain long after the pandemic subsides is the shift towards buying online and picking up in-store (BOPIS). That’s because the nature of BOPIS offers consumers a convenient way to shop while also providing a safer alternative to browsing in-stores.

As more meetings go online or are held on the phone due to the current health pandemic, there’s going to be virtual meeting fatigue. Here are some tips to avoid common pitfalls and turn scheduled interactions into productive exchanges.