How to set up appointment booking

What Bob handles automatically

• Detects booking intent in any language — English, Malay, Chinese, or mixed
• Collects customer name, date, time, service and contact number
• Routes the chat to the Appointments tab in your inbox
• Confirms the booking in the conversation
• Handles rescheduling and cancellation requests

1. Tell Bob what to collect

Add appointment handling instructions to your knowledge base or system prompt. Bob follows them whenever a customer wants to book.

When a customer wants to book an appointment, collect:
- Their name
- Preferred date and time
- Service type
- Contact number

Confirm the booking and say you'll follow up to confirm the slot.

2. Let Bob detect the intent

Bob works out on its own when a customer is trying to book, from what they write. The chat then appears under the Appointments tab in your inbox so you can follow up quickly.

3. Manage bookings in your dashboard

1. Go to WhatsApp Inbox → the Appointments tab
2. Click any chat to see its appointment details
3. Use the Appointments panel on the right to add, edit or delete

Once you have confirmed a slot with the customer, set the status: Confirmed, Cancelled or Completed. The dashboard auto-refreshes every 30 seconds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Bob send a confirmation to the customer?

Yes — Bob's reply is the confirmation. When it says "Booked for Saturday 18 April at 7pm, 3 people", that message goes to the customer and is logged in the dashboard.

What if Bob books the wrong time?

Edit the appointment directly in the Appointments panel beside the chat. Date, time, service and status are all editable at any point.

What timezone does Bob use?

Malaysia Time (MYT, GMT+8) by default.

What if a customer tries to book outside business hours?

Bob tells them it cannot confirm that slot. Add instructions to your knowledge base for what it should do next — for example, offer the next available morning.

Can I add an appointment that was not booked through Bob?

Yes. Open the chat, click + Add Appointment in the Appointments panel, and fill in the details.