Pro Infirmis shows: Digital appointment booking is becoming standard in social counseling

Initial situation: When scheduling appointments becomes a test of patience

Before Calenso was introduced, appointments at Pro Infirmis were made in the traditional way by phone or email. In practice, this meant:

• Multiple call attempts and callbacks
• Mailbox messages without direct contact
• Long email threads with suggested dates
• Sometimes several weeks until an appointment can be made

Especially with external specialist departments or clients who were not immediately available, finding a suitable appointment quickly turned into an inefficient back-and-forth process.

Challenge: Low-threshold access and efficient internal processes

For the association, it was clear that a modern solution had to be able to do two things at once:

1. Enabling easy access for clients: Manypeople find themselves in stressful situations. Digital appointment booking, without the need for initial contact by phone, makes things easier in this regard.
2. Reduce the organizational burden on employees: Scheduling , resource management, and coordination between multiple locations should become easier and more transparent.

"My record was three weeks until we found an appointment." – Patrick Lautenschlager, Head of the Pro Infirmis Basel Counseling Center

The switch to Calenso: A link instead of an endless loop

Today, scheduling appointments is much more structured. If a person cannot be reached by phone, the next step is clear: a Calenso booking link.

External specialist agencies, new clients, and existing contacts book their appointments independently online and with binding commitment.

So sieht der Calenso-Buchungslink aus, den Klientinnen, Klienten und externe Fachstellen erhalten: eine personalisierte, im Pro-Infirmis-Branding gehaltene Buchungsseite — niedrigschwellig, ohne Login, ohne Wartezeit am Telefon.

The result:

• Around 80% of appointments are booked directly by the patients themselves.
• All appointments are automatically recorded in the calendar.
• No more need for multiple follow-ups
  

Many clients are now familiar with the process and actively ask for the booking link.

Calenso in everyday work: Structured integration and practical use

Calenso is now firmly established in Patrick Lautenschlager's daily work and supports various key processes in his consulting work.

Auch intern arbeiten die Mitarbeitenden von Pro Infirmis direkt mit Calenso: Über das interne Buchungswidget lassen sich Termine im Namen von Klientinnen und Klienten anlegen – inklusive Auswahl der zuständigen Filiale und der passenden Beratungsform.

Zusammenarbeit mit externen Fachstellen
Wenn externe Fachstellen telefonisch nicht erreichbar sind, wird die Terminfindung nicht weiter verzögert. Statt erneuter Rückrufe wird ein Calenso-Buchungslink versendet, über den der Termin selbstständig ausgewählt und verbindlich gebucht werden kann. Der Termin erscheint anschliessend automatisch im Kalender – ohne weiteren Koordinationsaufwand.

Externe Fachstellen wählen mit einem Klick die passende Beratungsleistung – z. B. eine 60-minütige Sozialberatung in den Räumlichkeiten der PI – und gehen anschliessend direkt zur Datumsauswahl über. Kein Rückruf, keine E-Mail-Schleife.

Intake von Neuklientinnen und Neuklienten
Auch im Erstkontakt mit neuen Klientinnen und Klienten spielt Calenso eine wichtige Rolle. Wird eine Person telefonisch nicht erreicht, erfolgt – sofern möglich – eine Kontaktaufnahme per E-Mail mit einem Terminlink. Liegt noch keine E-Mail-Adresse vor, wird diese gezielt eingeholt, um die Terminvereinbarung nahtlos fortzuführen.

"We are also seeing increasing changes in behavior among clients themselves: many now proactively contact us and ask directly for a booking link. They then book the appointment themselves, and it is automatically added to the calendar." – Patrick Lautenschlager, Head of the Pro Infirmis Basel Counseling Center

Im Intake-Prozess können bestehende Kontakte mit einem Klick geladen oder neue Klientinnen und Klienten direkt erfasst werden. Pflichtfelder wie der Beratungsgrund stellen sicher, dass alle relevanten Informationen für die Erstberatung sauber im System landen.

Flexible appointment booking for a complex work reality

Social work at Pro Infirmis does not take place at a fixed location. Employees work at various locations, from home, or by telephone. This reality posed particular challenges for appointment booking.

At first, Calenso's default logic wasn't ideal for the team, as all time slots were automatically bookable unless they were explicitly blocked. This led to internal feedback and a need for adjustments.

Gemeinsam mit Calenso wurde daraufhin eine Lösung erarbeitet, die eine situationsgerechte Steuerung ermöglicht. 

Nach der gemeinsam mit Calenso erarbeiteten Anpassung schlägt das System nur noch passende Zeitfenster vor – abgestimmt auf Standort, Beratungsform und individuelle Verfügbarkeit. So bleibt die Buchung schnell, aber kontextgerecht.

• In-person appointments only at suitable locations
• Phone appointments while working from home
• Combination of several categories for different contexts

This adjustment made it possible to use Calenso realistically and in everyday situations.

Die Ressourcenansicht zeigt mehrere Mitarbeitende und Standorte parallel – z. B. Aussenstelle Willisau und Beratungsstelle Oberland. So behalten Stellenleitende wie Patrick Lautenschlager Auslastung, Verfügbarkeiten und standortübergreifende Termine jederzeit im Blick.

From testing to nationwide use in Switzerland

Calenso was initially tested at individual locations and then rolled out across Switzerland. Patrick Lautenschlager made a conscious decision to thoroughly test the tool and actively help shape it before it was rolled out nationwide. After the adjustments were made, a clear effect became apparent: acceptance increased significantly not only in Basel, but also at other locations. Employees who were previously critical are now enthusiastic about the Calenso appointment booking solution.

Less frustration, clearer processes

When asked what has changed most since Calenso was introduced, the answer is clear:

"My frustration tolerance is no longer needed." – Patrick Lautenschlager, Head of the Pro Infirmis Basel Counseling Center

Today, most contact persons use the appointment link directly. In some cases, a brief explanation is still necessary, especially for people with little experience in online appointment booking. Special cases from the early days, such as multiple bookings, have been resolved through targeted adjustments.

Internal introduction and training

Patrick Lautenschlager actively supported the rollout and took charge of training employees in German-speaking Switzerland. This included:

• Training courses for teams
• Step-by-step instructions
• Assistance with setup

"The wide range of options offered by Calenso makes setup a little more complex, but then enables very precise and reliable use in everyday life." –Patrick Lautenschlager, Head of the Pro Infirmis Basel Advice Center

Conclusion: Getting involved makes all the difference

For Patrick Lautenschlager, Calenso is now an integral part of his daily work. He particularly appreciates the opportunity to actively influence its further development.

"When technical innovations arise, it is beneficial to participate in the project group. This allows you to contribute to the design process and ultimately work in the manner that best suits your needs."– Patrick Lautenschlager, Head of the Pro Infirmis Basel Counseling Center

A conclusion that shows: Digital appointment booking is most effective when it is developed in collaboration with the people who work with it on a daily basis.