List Cites Cloud Computing on Campus as a Top Trend in 2012, Affirmed by Rise in Online Scheduling

Jan. 31, 2012 - PRLog -- Scottsdale, AZ – A recently-released annual listing of top technology trends at universities and colleges nationwide reveals that more and more campuses will adopt cloud technology to move resources online and reduce costs, a statement affirmed by Appointment-Plus online scheduling program software, which has experienced a significant increase in higher education clients who now utilize the leading online scheduler for a variety of booking needs.

Over 200 institutions nationwide and in countries throughout the world rely on Appointment-Plus (http://www.appointment-plus.com), the worldwide experts in online scheduling program software and creators of the scheduling industry’s most flexible and feature-rich program, to improve the student-scheduling process of academic advisors, counselors, processors and tutors, as well as administrators looking for a simply manner of booking and managing testing centers, study rooms, athletic fields and other facilities.

Compiled and released by Washington, D.C.-based Gilfus Education Group, the listing illustrates the continual evolution and adoption of Internet-based, digital and mobile technology on campus. In addition to cloud technology, other trends cited in the annual list are the increased use of e-textbooks, open resources, online classes and mobile devices.

“University systems and colleges are quickly realizing the potential cloud technology has to help them operate more efficiently and effectively,” says Bob La Loggia, CEO of Appointment-Plus. “This includes online scheduling program software, which automates and streamlines the appointment and reservation process for staff, faculty and students.

“And no one does it better than Appointment-Plus!”

The leading provider of online scheduling program software since 2001, Appointment-Plus understands the unique and varied booking needs of institutes of higher learning and has the experience and resources to configure a scheduling solution that can simplify this oftentimes burdensome process for both staff and student alike. The software is especially suited for larger colleges and university systems, as its suite of services, functionality and support is designed specifically for larger sites looking to integrate Appointment-Plus with existing software applications and across numerous offices, departments and satellite campuses.

Among the specialized services that put the Appointment-Plus online scheduling program into a class of its own include:

• A highly scalable system that allows college systems to easily accommodate increases in workload, users and growth.
• Web services, including integrations with existing software systems.
• The most configurable scheduling software system available.
• 24-hour support from its headquarters in Scottsdale, Ariz.
• Dedicated support contacts.
• “Turnkey”, existing solutions that are instantly ready to go live.
• Custom graphic user interface (GUI) development.
• Robust record-keeping and reporting capabilities that make it simply to access and compile appointment and student data.

University system and college administrators that take advantage of these offered services can quickly implement a scheduling program that instantly integrates into their existing processes.  

In addition to these unmatched services, Appointment-Plus comes standard with proven functionality that has made it the world’s most popular online scheduling software system, such as:

• Online student self-scheduling, whereby individuals can book their own appointments 24 hours a day and at their own convenience, not just during normal office hours.
• Automated e-mail and text message reminders sent by the system prior to a scheduled appointment or reservation time, a sure way to dramatically reduce “no-shows” who miss their scheduled appointment or reservation times.

Administrators can also apply pre-set “rules” in their scheduling program, which prevent over-bookings or students from booking one service multiple times, such as at a testing center.

In addition to offering world-class scheduling functionality and support, Appointment-Plus also provides the industry’s premier collection of plug-ins, syncs and modules in its Market Place. Of particular interest to higher education clients are syncs with e-marketing service providers, such as Constant Contact, iContact, MailChimp and Vertical Response. Upcoming releases include a Microsoft Outlook Calendar sync and an enhanced mobile Web app.

“Experience matters when it comes to online scheduling,” La Loggia continues. “That’s why more and more colleges and universities are choosing Appointment-Plus for simplifying and improving the way they schedule.”

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About Appointment-Plus: Appointment-Plus (http://www.appointment-plus.com) is the worldwide leader in online scheduling solutions for growing businesses, enterprises, higher education, government and logistics.  With over 15 million end-users and 75 million appointments booked since its inception in 2001, Appointment-Plus is one of the fastest growing cloud-based services in the world. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., organizations ranging in size from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses use Appointment-Plus to book an average of 2.5 million appointments monthly.

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About Appointment-Plus: Appointment-Plus (http://www.appointment-plus.com) is the worldwide leader in online scheduling solutions for growing businesses, enterprises, higher education, government and logistics. With over 15 million end-users and 75 million appointments booked since its inception in 2001, Appointment-Plus is one of the fastest growing cloud-based services in the world. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., organizations ranging in size from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses use Appointment-Plus to book an average of 2.5 million appointments monthly.