Comments on: How many emails to set up a meeting? http://email-overloaded.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/ Itzy Sabo on Email Productivity Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:39:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Amy B. http://email-overloaded.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-35992 Amy B. Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:44:35 +0000 http://itzy.wordpress.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-35992 As a Personal Assistant, I highly recommend that when you offer times to someone for a meeting, you block those times off in your calendar as "on hold." Nicely letting someone know that you are doing this also often encourages a faster response. Then pretty quickly you get used to clearing those times once the meeting is booked. Not fully mechanized, but workable. As a Personal Assistant, I highly recommend that when you offer times to someone for a meeting, you block those times off in your calendar as “on hold.” Nicely letting someone know that you are doing this also often encourages a faster response. Then pretty quickly you get used to clearing those times once the meeting is booked. Not fully mechanized, but workable.

]]> By: geniesk http://email-overloaded.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-35867 geniesk Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:05:27 +0000 http://itzy.wordpress.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-35867 Занимаюсь дизайном и хочу попросить автора email-overloaded.com отправить шаьлончик на мой мыил) Готов заплатить... Занимаюсь дизайном и хочу попросить автора email-overloaded.com отправить шаьлончик на мой мыил) Готов заплатить…

]]> By: links for 2007-05-01 « Sandy’s blog http://email-overloaded.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-23878 links for 2007-05-01 « Sandy’s blog Tue, 01 May 2007 06:24:28 +0000 http://itzy.wordpress.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-23878 [...] How many emails to set up a meeting? “You want to meet. The other party wants to meet. You have a common interest in meeting. You’ve agreed to meet, but now you have to work out the logistics. How many emails and/or phone calls will it take to set it up?” (tags: iwantsandy productivity meeting schedule event) [...] [...] How many emails to set up a meeting? “You want to meet. The other party wants to meet. You have a common interest in meeting. You’ve agreed to meet, but now you have to work out the logistics. How many emails and/or phone calls will it take to set it up?” (tags: iwantsandy productivity meeting schedule event) [...]

]]> By: Randhir http://email-overloaded.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-21386 Randhir Fri, 02 Mar 2007 19:58:21 +0000 http://itzy.wordpress.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-21386 I have been intrigued by www.timebridge.com - I am not in the beta program, but interested to hear from those who are. They seem to take a pragmatic view to the problem by integrating with Outlook first and adding the server functionality as well. I have been intrigued by http://www.timebridge.com – I am not in the beta program, but interested to hear from those who are.
They seem to take a pragmatic view to the problem by integrating with Outlook first and adding the server functionality as well.

]]> By: Itzy Sabo http://email-overloaded.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-13482 Itzy Sabo Thu, 21 Dec 2006 21:15:23 +0000 http://itzy.wordpress.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-13482 Mark: Goovite seems optimized for one person inviting many. What does Goovite offer regarding the problem of scheduling a meeting for 2 busy people, which obviously cannot be decided by voting? See <a href="http://itzy.wordpress.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-2241" rel="nofollow">my earlier comment</a> for a more detailed discussion. BTW, I really enjoyed reading your paper on handling email a few years back. Mark: Goovite seems optimized for one person inviting many. What does Goovite offer regarding the problem of scheduling a meeting for 2 busy people, which obviously cannot be decided by voting? See my earlier comment for a more detailed discussion.

BTW, I really enjoyed reading your paper on handling email a few years back.

]]> By: Mark Hurst http://email-overloaded.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-13479 Mark Hurst Thu, 21 Dec 2006 20:33:03 +0000 http://itzy.wordpress.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-13479 The Goovite Meeting Maker - www.goovite.com/mm - will do it. The Goovite Meeting Maker – http://www.goovite.com/mm – will do it.

]]> By: Steven Burda, MBA http://email-overloaded.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-4881 Steven Burda, MBA Fri, 03 Nov 2006 07:27:54 +0000 http://itzy.wordpress.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-4881 Good read, Thanks! Steven Burda, MBA www.linkedin.com/in/burda e-mail me to connect: steven.burda.mba @gmail.com Good read, Thanks!

Steven Burda, MBA
http://www.linkedin.com/in/burda

e-mail me to connect:
steven.burda.mba @gmail.com

]]> By: Shelley http://email-overloaded.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-4589 Shelley Wed, 01 Nov 2006 07:16:00 +0000 http://itzy.wordpress.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-4589 Another variable that makes scheduling with programs difficult is the travel time factor. Finding a common empty slot in the calendar doesn’t mean that it can be filled if the meeting location will mean a long drive for one or more of the participants. If anyone works out how to add GPS info into these meeting programs, I think they’d be on to a winner! Another variable that makes scheduling with programs difficult is the travel time factor. Finding a common empty slot in the calendar doesn’t mean that it can be filled if the meeting location will mean a long drive for one or more of the participants. If anyone works out how to add GPS info into these meeting programs, I think they’d be on to a winner!

]]> By: Shelley http://email-overloaded.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-4588 Shelley Wed, 01 Nov 2006 07:09:55 +0000 http://itzy.wordpress.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-4588 Another variable that makes scheduling with programs difficult is the travel time factor. Finding a common empty slot in the calendar doesn't mean that it can be filled if the meeting location will mean a long drive for one or more of the participants. If anyone works out how to add GPS info into these meeting programs, I think they'd be on to a winner! Another variable that makes scheduling with programs difficult is the travel time factor. Finding a common empty slot in the calendar doesn’t mean that it can be filled if the meeting location will mean a long drive for one or more of the participants. If anyone works out how to add GPS info into these meeting programs, I think they’d be on to a winner!

]]> By: detailsdiva http://email-overloaded.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-3162 detailsdiva Fri, 13 Oct 2006 19:19:13 +0000 http://itzy.wordpress.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-3162 Hi Itzy, I came across your blog for Email Overload and I know that your tips would be a Godsend to many. My blog is concentrating on Small Biz Blogs and Websites...and i'm compiling the list now. If you have any other small biz suggestions, feel free to email me. thanks again Hi Itzy, I came across your blog for Email Overload and I know that your tips would be a Godsend to many.

My blog is concentrating on Small Biz Blogs and Websites…and i’m compiling the list now.

If you have any other small biz suggestions, feel free to email me.

thanks again

]]> By: Alyssa Felan http://email-overloaded.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-3159 Alyssa Felan Fri, 13 Oct 2006 16:43:23 +0000 http://itzy.wordpress.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-3159 Good day Itzy! I read your article and wanted to provide information regarding a great meeting scheduling tool I recently found. It is free and it schedules meetings for multiple persons. It sends an email to all parties and then finds the earliest date and time when everyone can meet and emails the parties with the information. The website address is www.setameeting.com. Check it out! Good day Itzy!

I read your article and wanted to provide information regarding a great meeting scheduling tool I recently found. It is free and it schedules meetings for multiple persons. It sends an email to all parties and then finds the earliest date and time when everyone can meet and emails the parties with the information. The website address is http://www.setameeting.com. Check it out!

]]> By: Peter Moroney http://email-overloaded.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-2246 Peter Moroney Thu, 14 Sep 2006 05:17:30 +0000 http://itzy.wordpress.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-2246 Hi Itzy, You're right, one of the real challenges is the lag time between meeting requests, responses and confirmations. In MeetingWizard, we've implemented some processes to help minimize that, but it can't be prevented. As in your initial post, we do foresee the possibility of using machine-to-machine interaction to further streamline and speed up the process. Getting the right blend of human interaction and automation is the trick, and we've learned that a one-size-fits-all solution is less than optimal. Also, as you suggest, there are features of calendaring systems that can be useful in certain scheduling situations. Actually, the problem you describe in your last post should be able to be addressed through an appointment booking concept provided there is only one person B per meeting. We are considering adding that as an option to our system. The trick is when you add a person C into the mix. Then you need the capability to propose multiple times to get B and C together, and then the appointment booking process to find an open timeslot with person A. There are some very interesting technical and usability challenges involved in the whole person-to-person scheduling process - what appears to be a simple process at one level is actually full of complex social and cultural nuances. Anyone using shared calendar systems probably has some sense of that. Hi Itzy,
You’re right, one of the real challenges is the lag time between meeting requests, responses and confirmations. In MeetingWizard, we’ve implemented some processes to help minimize that, but it can’t be prevented.
As in your initial post, we do foresee the possibility of using machine-to-machine interaction to further streamline and speed up the process. Getting the right blend of human interaction and automation is the trick, and we’ve learned that a one-size-fits-all solution is less than optimal. Also, as you suggest, there are features of calendaring systems that can be useful in certain scheduling situations. Actually, the problem you describe in your last post should be able to be addressed through an appointment booking concept provided there is only one person B per meeting. We are considering adding that as an option to our system. The trick is when you add a person C into the mix. Then you need the capability to propose multiple times to get B and C together, and then the appointment booking process to find an open timeslot with person A.
There are some very interesting technical and usability challenges involved in the whole person-to-person scheduling process – what appears to be a simple process at one level is actually full of complex social and cultural nuances. Anyone using shared calendar systems probably has some sense of that.

]]> By: Itzy Sabo http://email-overloaded.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-2241 Itzy Sabo Wed, 13 Sep 2006 20:04:03 +0000 http://itzy.wordpress.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-2241 Thanks Peter and jr, this is encouraging. I can see how these systems reduce complexity of a one person inviting many people to a meeting. However, one of the difficult problems that often crops up is the following: A offers B a number of available time-slots via email. B picks a time-slot, but by the time B's reply reaches A, the time-slot is taken, so the process must start all over again. The online systems you mention could mitigate this somewhat. This problem gets worse, however, if the nature of A's job is to meet with people all the time. A starts off with a clean slate, and invites a whole bunch of people to separate meetings. It's more or less first-come, first-served with regard to the available time-slots, but it looks as if the systems you've mentioned are meeting-centric and not calendar-centric. If I have a specific meeting, they can help me, but if I have some time-slots to allocate to numerous meetings, my guess is that they are probably not able to help. Am I wrong? Thanks Peter and jr, this is encouraging. I can see how these systems reduce complexity of a one person inviting many people to a meeting.

However, one of the difficult problems that often crops up is the following:
A offers B a number of available time-slots via email.
B picks a time-slot, but by the time B’s reply reaches A, the time-slot is taken, so the process must start all over again. The online systems you mention could mitigate this somewhat.

This problem gets worse, however, if the nature of A’s job is to meet with people all the time. A starts off with a clean slate, and invites a whole bunch of people to separate meetings. It’s more or less first-come, first-served with regard to the available time-slots, but it looks as if the systems you’ve mentioned are meeting-centric and not calendar-centric. If I have a specific meeting, they can help me, but if I have some time-slots to allocate to numerous meetings, my guess is that they are probably not able to help. Am I wrong?

]]> By: Peter Moroney http://email-overloaded.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-2240 Peter Moroney Wed, 13 Sep 2006 19:38:12 +0000 http://itzy.wordpress.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-2240 That's a good summary of the problem of meeting scheduling and the challenges to solving it. We've been offering a professional meeting scheduling solution since 2001 at http://www.meetingwizard.com We're working our next generation version which will employ even more automation and features. Many MeetingWizard users tell us they'll never go back to the old way of doing things! Regards, Peter Moroney Director TeamWorx Innovations That’s a good summary of the problem of meeting scheduling and the challenges to solving it. We’ve been offering a professional meeting scheduling solution since 2001 at http://www.meetingwizard.com

We’re working our next generation version which will employ even more automation and features. Many MeetingWizard users tell us they’ll never go back to the old way of doing things!

Regards,
Peter Moroney
Director
TeamWorx Innovations

]]> By: jr http://email-overloaded.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-2239 jr Wed, 13 Sep 2006 17:59:54 +0000 http://itzy.wordpress.com/2006/09/13/how-many-emails-to-set-up-a-meeting/#comment-2239 Hi Itzy http://www.doodle.ch/ is a service where people can actually quite easily set-up the kind of meeting proposals, inviting other people to tick the dates/times where they are able to join a meeting. You can actually use the interface to ask/coordinate exactly that kind of information/tasks you describe in your mail. We use it regularly to schedule meetings w/ clients. Best regards jr Hi Itzy

http://www.doodle.ch/ is a service where people can actually quite easily set-up the kind of meeting proposals, inviting other people to tick the dates/times where they are able to join a meeting.

You can actually use the interface to ask/coordinate exactly that kind of information/tasks you describe in your mail. We use it regularly to schedule meetings w/ clients.

Best regards
jr

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