Tech

Your New Instagram Feature Has More Holes Than a Swiss Cheese 

  • Reading time: 2 min
Instagram, Appointments on Instagram, Business accounts, Customer engagement, Booking process, Cost-free, Meta, User information, Privacy concerns

Hear me hear me as I bring great news to application dependent users. Instagram has released a new feature called “Appointments on Instagram.” This tool was strictly created for business accounts. It allows businesses to schedule and check customer appointments directly while using the Instagram application. 

As the new feature is introduced it brings multiple advantages along the way, including convenience, elevated customer engagement, buttery booking processes – oh and the catch is that it’s all at zero cost to your business.  

To activate the “Appointments on Instagram,” your account should be configured as a business account. Once this is completed, follow the steps listed below: 

Step 1: Go to “Appointments”: Navigate to inbox and pick the message thread where you would pick an appointment. 

Step 2: Access “Appointments”: Along the various message thread, click on the plus icon placed on the bottom right corner. 

Step 3: How to select an appointment date: Select the option “Appointments” among the options listed. 

Step 4: Set the Appointment: To set an appointment through Instagram, pick a date, select “Schedule appointment”, insert the Title and Date/Time, include the customers details optionally, and then select “Schedule appointment” to share the conversation.  

Benefits of the latest feature of “Appointments on Instagram”:  

  • All-In-One Platform: The feature is on the application which eliminated the use of other ones. 
  • Enhanced Customer: Increase return booking and decrease no show. 
  • Seamless Booking experience: Allows for a smooth booking process without switching apps. 
  • Cost-Free for Instagram Business Accounts: The feature is free of charge for business owners. 

Although Instagram has simplified the process of bookings, this issue is a double-edged sword. Just like everything in life there are advantages and disadvantages. The advantages to the “Appointments” feature is that it eliminates any chaos or confusion, creates smooth customer interactions, and allows for a buttery booking experience. As you know, not every person prefers calling and booking on the phone due to certain reasons like anxiety and others find calling to be time consuming. 

While the feature could ease the process of booking, it does have a subliminal message behind it. The question is, “Does Meta want to provide us with smoother experiences, or does it want to gather more information regarding its users?”  

You have definitely come across the saying, “All that glitters is not gold.”  

This applies to the appointments feature. 

Meta clearly was not satisfied with the number of pictures and information that we have posted on their various applications, so it decided to create more features to access its user’s life. The outer image of the feature looks like a blessing, but it’s a curse. Users shouldn’t be authorizing leakage of personal information. We went from posting pictures to having to post our locations on our pictures, and now our destinations and what time. The real question you should be asking yourself is the following: What is the purpose of gathering such information from the user? Where are we headed with this? 

Is Meta beginning to remind you of your toxic ex?

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