Scheduling Made Easier
New app launching in Austin aims to make scheduling appointments a breeze
We've all had difficulty scheduling a much-needed appointment around our busy lifestyles. What should be a simple call to the front desk often turns into a game of phone tag and conflicting time slots. But a new app hopes to alleviate some of that frustration.
MyTime, which launched this week in Austin, allows you to schedule appointments with local businesses — dental appointments, haircuts and massages to name a few — from your phone. You begin by searching for the kind of service you need, then narrow down your options by location, price and, most importantly, your availability. MyTime syncs with a variety of calendars, so it gives you a business's availability in real time.
In other markets (like San Francisco and Los Angeles), MyTime charges businesses 40 percent of new customer revenue, but developers are testing a new model here.
"In Austin we take no commission," explains Melian Labs CEO Ethan Anderson. MyTime charges Austin businesses $49.99 per month for the service. If MyTime doesn't make the business at least $49.99 worth of new customer revenue in that month, the fee is waived. Businesses can also sync their calendar free of charge — but the fee includes promotion on the app and website.
They chose Austin as the test market because it's slightly smaller with a large amount of tech-savvy users. So far, 18,000 "mom and pop" businesses in the Austin area are listed, Anderson says.
According to Anderson, more than half a million people use MyTime to schedule their appointments. In addition to being free, MyTime benefits customers by offering discounts during off-peak times, social connections through Facebook and Yelp, and appointment reminders. You can downloaded MyTime via iTunes or use the online version free of charge.