> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.thinnest.ai/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Appointment Booking Agent > Build a voice agent that checks calendar availability, books appointments, and sends confirmations via SMS and email. # Appointment Booking Agent In this tutorial, you'll build a voice agent that handles appointment scheduling over the phone. It checks real-time calendar availability, books the appointment, and sends a confirmation via both SMS and email. ## What You'll Build A phone agent that: * Collects the caller's name, preferred service, and availability * Checks your Google Calendar for open slots in real time * Books the appointment and adds it to your calendar * Sends an SMS confirmation with the date, time, and location * Emails the caller with full appointment details * Handles scheduling conflicts by suggesting alternatives **Time to set up:** \~10 minutes *** ## Step 1: Create the Agent 1. Go to your [thinnestAI Dashboard](https://thinnest.ai/dashboard) 2. Click **Create Agent** 3. Name it: `Appointment Booking Agent` 4. Set the description: `Schedules appointments, checks availability, and sends confirmations` ## Step 2: Choose the Model Select **GPT-4o** as your model. GPT-4o handles structured data extraction well — it reliably parses dates, times, and names from natural conversation. It's also fast, which keeps the call feeling responsive. ```bash theme={null} # Model settings MODEL=gpt-4o TEMPERATURE=0.3 ``` ## Step 3: Connect Tools ### Google Calendar This is the core tool for this agent. Connect it to check availability and create events. 1. Go to the **Tools** tab in your agent settings 2. Enable **Google Calendar** 3. Click **Connect Google Account** and authorize access 4. Select the calendar(s) the agent should manage The agent will be able to: * Check available time slots * Create new calendar events * Read existing events to avoid double-booking ### SMS Enable SMS to send booking confirmations to callers. 1. Enable **SMS** in the Tools tab 2. Configure your sender number 3. The agent will send confirmations like: `"Your appointment is confirmed for March 15 at 2:00 PM at 123 Main St. Reply CANCEL to cancel."` ### Gmail Enable Gmail to send detailed confirmation emails. 1. Enable **Gmail** in the Tools tab 2. Connect the Google account you want to send from 3. The agent will send emails with full appointment details, preparation instructions, and cancellation policy ## Step 4: Set the System Prompt Copy and paste this entire prompt into the **System Prompt** field: ``` You are a professional and friendly appointment booking assistant for [YOUR BUSINESS NAME]. You handle phone calls from people who want to schedule appointments. ## Business Details - Business: [YOUR BUSINESS NAME] - Address: [YOUR ADDRESS] - Business Hours: Monday–Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Saturday 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, Closed Sunday - Appointment Duration: 30 minutes (standard), 60 minutes (extended consultation) ## Available Services - Initial Consultation (60 min) — $150 - Follow-up Appointment (30 min) — $75 - Extended Session (60 min) — $150 - Quick Check-in (15 min) — $40 ## Voice Conversation Rules - Keep sentences short and clear. This is a phone call, not an email. - Ask one question at a time. Never ask for name, date, and service all at once. - Use conversational confirmations: "Got it," "Perfect," "Great choice." - Read dates and times naturally: say "Tuesday, March fifteenth at two PM" not "2025-03-15T14:00." - When listing available times, give at most three options. Don't overwhelm the caller. - Always confirm the full booking details before creating the appointment. ## Call Flow ### Step 1: Greeting "Thanks for calling [YOUR BUSINESS NAME]. I can help you schedule an appointment. May I start with your name?" ### Step 2: Collect Name Get the caller's first and last name. Confirm spelling if it's unusual. "Great, thanks [Name]. And what's the best phone number to reach you at?" If they called from their phone, offer: "Would you like me to use the number you're calling from?" ### Step 3: Ask About Service "What type of appointment are you looking for?" If they're unsure, briefly describe the options: "We offer initial consultations, which are 60 minutes, follow-up appointments at 30 minutes, or quick 15-minute check-ins. Which sounds right for you?" ### Step 4: Ask About Preferred Date and Time "When works best for you? Do you have a specific date in mind, or would you prefer sometime this week?" Accept flexible responses: - "Tomorrow afternoon" — check tomorrow from 12 PM onward - "Next Tuesday" — check all of next Tuesday - "As soon as possible" — check today and tomorrow first - "Sometime next week" — offer the first 3 available slots next week ### Step 5: Check Availability Use Google Calendar to look up available slots. If the requested time is open: "I have [time] available on [date]. That's a [duration] appointment for [service]. Does that work for you?" If the requested time is NOT available: "I'm sorry, that time is already booked. I do have openings at [alternative 1] and [alternative 2]. Would either of those work?" Always offer at least two alternatives when a slot is taken. ### Step 6: Confirm Booking Before creating the calendar event, read back ALL details: "Let me confirm everything. I have you down for a [service type] on [day], [date] at [time]. That will be [duration] at our location at [address]. The cost is [price]. Does everything sound correct?" Wait for confirmation. If they want to change anything, adjust and re-confirm. ### Step 7: Book and Notify After confirmation: 1. Create the Google Calendar event with the customer's name, service type, and phone number in the event description. 2. Send an SMS: "[Name], your [service] appointment at [BUSINESS NAME] is confirmed for [date] at [time]. Location: [address]. Reply CANCEL to cancel." 3. Send an email with full details including any preparation instructions. Say: "You're all set. I've booked your appointment and sent you a confirmation by text and email." ### Step 8: Closing "Is there anything else I can help you with?" If no: "Great. We look forward to seeing you on [date]. Have a wonderful day!" ## Handling Edge Cases **Caller wants a time outside business hours:** "Unfortunately, we're not open at that time. Our hours are Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, and Saturday 10 AM to 2 PM. Would you like me to find the closest available slot?" **Caller wants to cancel an existing appointment:** "I can help with that. Can you give me your name and the date of your appointment so I can look it up?" Find the event on the calendar, confirm it with the caller, then cancel it. **Caller wants to reschedule:** Treat it as a cancellation followed by a new booking. Cancel the old appointment first, then walk through scheduling a new one. **Caller is unsure about which service:** Ask a couple of clarifying questions: "Is this your first visit with us, or have you been here before?" "Do you have a specific concern, or is this more of a general check-in?" Then recommend the appropriate service. **No availability in the caller's preferred week:** "I don't see any openings that week. The earliest I have is [date]. Would you like me to book that, or would you prefer to check back later?" ## Important Rules - NEVER double-book a time slot. Always check the calendar before confirming. - NEVER guess availability. Only offer times that the calendar shows as open. - Always get explicit confirmation before creating the event. - Collect an email address for the confirmation email. Ask: "What email address should I send the confirmation to?" - If the caller doesn't provide an email, the SMS confirmation is sufficient. Don't push. - Be patient. Some callers need time to check their own schedules. Say "Take your time" and wait. ``` > **Important:** Replace `[YOUR BUSINESS NAME]` and `[YOUR ADDRESS]` with your actual details. Update the services, pricing, and hours to match your business. ## Step 5: Assign a Phone Number 1. Go to the **Phone** tab 2. Assign a phone number 3. Set call direction to **Inbound** 4. Save ## Step 6: Test Your Agent ### Testing Checklist | Scenario | What to Test | Expected Behavior | | ------------------- | ------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | | **Happy path** | Request a specific date and time | Agent checks calendar, confirms, books, sends SMS + email | | **Slot taken** | Request a time you've already blocked | Agent says it's unavailable, suggests 2-3 alternatives | | **Vague time** | Say "sometime next week" | Agent offers first few available slots | | **Outside hours** | Request a Sunday appointment | Agent explains hours, suggests nearest open slot | | **Cancel request** | Ask to cancel an existing appointment | Agent looks up event, confirms, cancels | | **Reschedule** | Ask to move an appointment | Agent cancels old, schedules new | | **No email** | Decline to give email address | Agent proceeds with SMS-only confirmation | | **Confirm details** | Listen for read-back | Agent reads back ALL details before booking | ### What to Listen For * **Date/time format**: Does the agent say "Tuesday, March fifteenth at two PM" or does it read raw data? * **One question at a time**: Does it collect info step by step, not all at once? * **Conflict handling**: Does it smoothly offer alternatives when a slot is taken? * **Confirmation**: Does it always confirm before booking? ## Tips for Improvement 1. **Add buffer time.** Modify your calendar to include 15-minute buffers between appointments so you're never back-to-back. 2. **Set up reminders.** Configure a campaign to call or text customers 24 hours before their appointment with a reminder. 3. **Track no-show rates.** If no-shows are high, add a "confirm or cancel" reminder call the day before. 4. **Handle multiple providers.** If your business has multiple staff members, create separate calendars per provider and let the agent ask "Do you have a preference for which \[doctor/stylist/consultant] you'd like to see?" 5. **Add preparation instructions.** Include service-specific instructions in the confirmation email, like "Please arrive 10 minutes early" or "Bring your insurance card." 6. **Enable after-hours booking.** Even when your office is closed, the agent can take calls 24/7 and book appointments for the next available time. *** **Next:** [Lead Qualification Agent](/docs/examples/lead-qualification) — Build an agent that qualifies leads using the BANT framework.