How should clients confirm audit dates: email, portal or phone?
The trade-offs between email, booking portal and phone for agreeing audit dates, and how preferred and excluded dates make the first proposal land.
Collect the client's preferred and excluded dates before you propose, then send a booking request the client can accept in one step, by email link or portal. Phone works for exceptions but leaves no record. ScheduleAI by Checkfirst sends booking-request emails with secure links, uses the client's preferred date range and excluded dates in planning, and cancels outstanding requests automatically once the audit is confirmed.
Key takeaways
- Ask for preferred and excluded dates before proposing.
- One-click acceptance beats back-and-forth emails.
- Phone is fine for exceptions, but record the outcome.
- Close out open requests once a date is confirmed.
Email, portal or phone?
| Email thread | Phone | Booking link | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Client can act without logging in | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Leaves a record automatically | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Uses preferred and excluded dates | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Closes other open requests | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
What to ask the client first
- ✓A preferred date range inside the audit window.
- ✓Dates the site is closed or unavailable.
- ✓Who must be present, and their availability.
- ✓Language and site access needs.
How a good confirmation flow runs
More on templates in the audit notification letter and on self-service in audit booking portals.
- Day 0RequestClient receives the preferred and excluded dates request.
- Day 2ProposePlanner sends dates that respect them.
- Day 3AcceptClient accepts with one secure link.
- ThenClose outOther open requests for the audit are cancelled.
ScheduleAI by Checkfirst plans around each client's preferred date range and excluded dates, sends booking-request emails with secure links, and cancels open requests once the audit is confirmed. Planners approve every date before it goes out.
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What are excluded dates?
Days the client site cannot host an audit, recorded so the scheduler never proposes them.
Do clients need a login to confirm?
No. A secure link in the booking-request email is enough.
What happens to other requests after confirmation?
ScheduleAI cancels them automatically.