When an event is canceled by the host after it has started, it is not counted as a canceled event in Calendly's statistics and is simply marked as a no-show. This can significantly skew statistics, as canceled events are different from no-shows.
In addition, if a workflow is created to send an email to those who canceled to reschedule, it will be ineffective, as the guest did not attend and never clicked the "cancel event" button. This means that the workflow will be largely ineffective.
Solution:
To address this issue, Calendly could consider the following changes:
- Classify host-initiated event cancellations after start as canceled events, not no-shows. This would allow users to obtain more accurate statistics about their cancellations.
- Allow users to configure their workflows to trigger when an event is canceled, even if it is canceled by the host after start. This would allow users to send emails to guests who canceled, even if they were not the ones who canceled the event.
Impact:
These changes would have a positive impact on the accuracy of Calendly's statistics and the effectiveness of workflows.
Recommendation:
I recommend that Calendly consider implementing these changes as soon as possible.
Accuracy of statistics
Currently, Calendly's statistics for canceled events and no-shows are combined. This can be inaccurate because canceled events and no-shows are different things. Canceled events are events that were scheduled but later canceled by the host or the guest. No-shows are events that were scheduled but the guest did not attend.
If Calendly were to classify host-initiated event cancellations after start as canceled events, not no-shows, this would improve the accuracy of its statistics in the following ways:
- Users would be able to see the true number of canceled events, which would give them a better understanding of their cancellation rate.
- Users would be able to compare their cancellation rate to the industry average, which would help them identify areas for improvement.
- Users would be able to track their cancellation rate over time to see if it is improving or declining.
Effectiveness of workflows
Currently, if a user creates a workflow to send an email to those who cancel to reschedule, the workflow will not be triggered if the event is canceled by the host after start. This is because the guest never clicked the "cancel event" button.
If Calendly were to allow users to configure their workflows to trigger when an event is canceled, even if it is canceled by the host after start, this would make workflows more effective in the following ways:
- Users would be able to send emails to guests who canceled, even if they did not cancel the event themselves. This would increase the chances of the guest rescheduling the event.
- Users could customize the email to explain why the event was canceled and to apologize to the guest. This would show the guest that the user is still interested in meeting with them and that the cancellation was not their fault.
- Users could offer the guest a discount on their next appointment or some other incentive to reschedule. This would make it more likely that the guest would reschedule.