Lynn is a career navigator whose office is in a busy area of the city. Her organization does have parking for visitors, but the lot is several blocks from Lynn's Office. Lynn's clients can come to the office by bus. However, the bus stop is also several blocks away. Lynn is concerned about the accessibility of her office. She wants to make sure her clients have no issue making their appointments. In this video, we'll cover how to set up appointments with clients. By the end, you'll be able to choose among several methods for setting appointments and identify accessibility considerations for your clients. As a career navigator, one of your most important responsibilities is to meet with your clients. According to an experienced goodwill career navigator supervisor, you should try to make scheduling your clients' appointments effective and efficient. Let's look at ways you can set appointments with your clients. The general rule is to follow your organization's established scheduling methodology if they have one. If they don't, one way you can set up appointments is to have your clients create them on an automated scheduling website. If your organization does not use an automated scheduling website, you might set up appointments with clients in response to their phone calls. Your organization might offer new client orientations on a regular basis. If so, another method you might use for setting appointments is to have a potential new client sign up for a time slot during an orientation session. Another strategy for setting up appointments, is to have standing appointments for orientation and intake at your community partners facilities. That way potential clients can come during one of your standing appointments. Lynn's organization opened last year and is working on setting up a way for clients to book their appointments online. In the meantime, Lynn primarily sets appointments during phone calls from potential clients. Take the time to think about how your clients will get to appointments at your office. It's important that you make sure that getting clients to their appointments is not overly difficult. Think about whether clients will come to your office via the bus. On what stop should your clients get off? How will they get from the bus stop to your office? Also, think about your hours of operation and the bus schedule, to make sure you offer appointments when clients traveling by bus can get to your office. What if a client drives themselves to your office? Where should they park? Is it clear how to get from the parking lot to your office? Is there a certain door they should use? Think about your office from the perspective of a person with a disability, do you have reserved parking for people with disabilities? If someone uses a wheelchair, do you have ramps, space in hallways and between desks and adjustable tables and chairs? If your organization is not accessible, find a place where you can meet that is accessible. Now that you've thought about the accessibility of your office, develop scripts with the necessary information to help clients who are coming to appointments at your office by bus or by car. For clients coming by car, be sure to include information on where to park and how to enter the building. Include hours of operations, class times, and ways clients can get in touch with you. After you develop the scripts, you can record the instructions and add them to your automated phone system to help clients learn how to get to your office. You could also save the scripts as PDFs so that you can send the information by email or your clients can download them from your website. As you develop materials for your clients, such as the scripts with instructions on how to get to your office, think about your clients' reading capabilities. Be sure to write at a level at which most people can understand what you're saying. Use this strategy for any printable materials, emails, and the information on your website. Think about clients who need accommodations to read. Develop a plan to have someone read materials such as job application questions to clients who can't read, enable accessibility features on devices, and provide materials in large print with images, diagrams, or both. In some cases, you might find that the easiest way to meet with a client is by using a virtual technology such as Zoom or by telephone. Take a moment to stop and think about any new accessibility strategies you come up with. Always evaluate whether your strategies make it easier or harder for people to meet with you. You don't want to create accessibility problems with the way you set up your intake process. As we mentioned earlier, Lynn works in a busy area of the city. Her organization is in a building with strict security. This requires Lynn to let the front desk know when she's expecting someone. In addition, she must escort any visitors to her office. Lynn included this information on her organization's website and the recorded scripts on their phone system and she mentions this requirement when setting appointments with her clients. Be sure to ask your clients what method is best for communicating with them about their appointments, phone call, text, email, or another method. Tell clients ahead of time if you want them to bring something to their appointments. When possible, remind your clients of their appointments a day or two before their schedule. If you've asked them to bring something with them, include that in your reminder. Remember a large part of your job is meeting with clients, set appointments with clients by following your organization's methodology or by using an automated or manual scheduling system. Make sure that you address any accessibility problems your clients might encounter. It's important for clients to find it easy to meet with you.
