Booking System Business Case
Business rationale, KPIs, and ROI for the automated booking & scheduling feature.
Overview
The Booking & Scheduling feature turns inbound interest into qualified meetings without manual coordination. It integrates Google Calendar, Google Meet, and timezone logic so visitors can book a slot instantly while I stay focused on delivery work.
Problem Statement
- Contact forms create multi-day back-and-forth to find a mutually available time.
- Timezone mismatches and DST shifts lead to missed or double-booked meetings.
- Manual scheduling interrupts deep work and increases context switching cost.
Solution Summary
| Capability | Detail |
|---|---|
| Calendar sync | Real-time availability via Google Calendar free/busy API |
| Meeting creation | Automatic Google Meet links + email confirmations |
| Timezone intelligence | Auto-detect visitor locale with manual override |
| Conflict prevention | Double booking safeguards + race-condition retries |
Implementation lives inside apps/site/app/(marketing)/book and apps/site/lib/calendar. Tests cover API routes and Playwright flows to keep the automation reliable.
KPIs & Impact
- Conversion uplift: Visitors with a booking CTA convert ~3x more often than those funneled to email threads.
- Time saved: Each automatically scheduled call saves ~10 minutes of coordination.
- Global reach: 24/7 availability regardless of my active timezone or vacation schedule.
Operating Costs
| Item | Monthly Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Google API usage | <$1 | Free tier covers current traffic |
| Hosting | Included | Runs inside the existing Next.js app |
| Maintenance | < 1 hr/month | Mostly verifying OAuth tokens remain valid |
Rollout Checklist
- Configure Google service account secrets in
apps/site/.env.local. - Verify
GOOGLE_CALENDAR_IDmatches the calendar that holds real availability. - Run
pnpm --filter @mindware-blog/site test:functionalto confirm the full journey. - Enable the booking CTA on the homepage or relevant project page.
This business case demonstrates how automation unlocks international availability, reduces friction, and showcases pragmatic systems thinking.