software/technology question

[Ron Berry]

> Date:          Sun, 16 Nov 1997 08:47:59 -0500
> From:          Brad Smith <bsmith006@sprintmail.com>
> To:            pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject:       software/technology question
> Reply-to:      pianotech@ptg.org

> To All,
> I have this fantasy of having my own web page where customers can
> schedule appointments by clicking/pointing.  Any ideas where to start
> looking for help to do this?  Or what types of software can be used for
> this?  I would like to put schedule parameters in place, and have my 
> customers fit into them as much as possible. Thanks for any input.
> 

Brad,

I think it would be very expensive to do this right now.  You would 
have to have your own server and dedicated line to run that kind of 
software.  Front Page is a great program, I use it for the Piano Page 
but it doesn't have the scheduling capabilities.  MS Schedule Plus 
allows people to share calendars and set up meetings but it doesn't 
hook into the web.

This idea strikes me a bit like getting those phone messages where it 
says press 1 for this option.  I have eliminated most of the phone 
tag by forwarding my business phone to a cell phone during the day.  
This is expensive and cell phones aren't that dependable but overall 
it works.  I think that one thing that sets us apart from many other 
service people is that we do give people personalized service.  Web 
scheduling sounds too impersonal to me.  I do get several 
appointments by e-mail a month.  This is a bit cumbersome, it usually 
takes 3 messages back and forth to set up a date, but it works.

If you let people schedule themselves I imagine that you would be 
driving back and forth across town more than now.

It's great to dream of creative ways to use these new technolgies, 
keep it up.

Ron

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ron Berry, RPT, Indianapolis, IN
ronberry@iquest.net
The Piano Page has a new home at:
http://www.ptg.org/
for great information about Pianos