International House Turku
Online Appointment Service Lowers the Barrier to Contact
International House Turku brings together counselling and guidance services promoting and supporting the integration of immigrants and international newcomers in Turku. The services are offered in many languages, across multiple channels and they are easily accessible.
Before the implementation of an online appointment service, a large portion of staff time was spent scheduling meetings, and not everyone who came in to queue could be served. The COVID-19 restrictions in 2020 further complicated the booking process.
A project aimed at developing guidance and advisory services provided the resources to improve appointment scheduling: it was an opportunity to consider how to serve clients more easily and comprehensively while freeing up staff time for core customer service.
Druid was chosen as the service provider through a competitive tender process.
The Appointment Service Adapts to Customer Needs
“Initially, the service supported 4-5 languages. Over the years, both the language and service offerings have been expanded based on customer needs. Currently, we offer 11 languages and multiple services that support integration,” says Walid Al-Janabi, the service coordinator for the City of Turku, who has been involved in the development since 2021. “New language needs are assessed and tested before being implemented in the online system.“
Clients have found the service very convenient. Being able to book appointments in their own language makes the process easy and natural. No-show rates have been reduced by making cancellations effortless, including a cancellation link in the confirmation messages.
“Multilingual guidance and advisory services are among our most important offerings,” notes Walid Al-Janabi.
“A tool for switching languages has also been developed to assist the staff. With it, the content on the page can easily be translated to Finnish or back to the original language with a single click. This feature has proven especially handy for International House Turku’s staff during client meetings, where finding a common language can sometimes be a challenge,” says Full Stack Developer Sonja Vainionpää from Druid.
More Time for Client Work
The appointment system has significantly improved the efficiency of International House Turku’s operations, allowing clients to be served more flexibly and comprehensively. Authorities and partners, such as social workers, can also make appointments through the system, facilitating smoother collaboration.
Walid Al-Janabi also emphasizes the smooth collaboration with Druid: “Two years as the project lead have shown how well our partnership has evolved. They respond to my inquiries quickly, and solutions are found efficiently.”
At the beginning of 2025, the primary responsibility for integration will legally shift to municipalities. The digitalization of services in Turku and the surrounding area is well underway, but the legislative change will likely bring further adjustments.
