Understanding Time Zones

You always want to know that your leads are getting the right communication at the right time. 2 AM rarely goes over very well. There are multiple time zone options for both users and leads that can impact the timing of campaigns. This article covers everything you need to know to set up your agency and other users for success. 

How Do Time Zones Work?

Referins uses time zones in a variety of ways. In the calendar, it is used to determine appointment times and set available hours (9-5 in EST is different than 9-5 in PST). It is also used in Campaigns if you utilize a wait step, a delay within a step, a window setting in Campaign Settings, or a window setting within a specific campaign step. Below are the different areas where time zone settings come into play. 

Part 1 - Account Time Zone

Firstly, you will need to ensure that the time zone in the business settings is consistent with your actual time zone. This can be accessed in Settings>Business Profile>Time Zones. Save the time zone and hit ‘Update Address’. 

Part 2 - Lead Time Zone

No Time Zone for Leads in Campaigns: As a general rule, while leads do have their own time under General Info within the contact information, campaigns will still run based on the time zone of the location. Therefore, it is important to assess your delays, windows, and waits within your campaigns to ensure that you don’t have folks receiving communication when you don’t want them to receive communication. The reality is that campaigns disregard contact time zones so you should make sure the communication times are always falling in a safe window based on the possibility of multiple lead time zones. For example, Noon CST is safe for all US leads whereas 9 am EST would not be safe for PST or Hawaii. 

Appointments (The Exception): However, there is one exception to this rule. When a lead or customer books an appointment through the appointment widget, they can have the option to book an appointment in their time zone. (Side-note: Reminder campaigns are always relative to the appointment time so time zones are not important. For example, one hour before an appointment will be the same no matter if the appointment is 12 pm EST or 9 am PST.) 

Disable Contact Time Zone: If you are working with leads and customers that are all in the same time zone and therefore there is no need for leads to have a time zone option, you can go to Settings>Business Profile>Time Zones and check the Disable Contact time zone box. This will eliminate any choice that the lead has regarding the time zone when they are booking an appointment. 

FAQ

1. Can I customize communication timing for leads in different time zones within the same campaign?
Campaigns do not adjust based on lead time zones. You should set communication times that work across multiple time zones, such as sending messages at noon CST, which would work well for leads in different US time zones.

2. How do I ensure my campaigns don’t send messages at inconvenient times for leads in different time zones?
You need to carefully set delays, waits, and window settings in your campaigns to fall within timeframes that are acceptable across multiple time zones. Avoid setting times like 9 AM EST if you have leads in PST or Hawaii.

3. Does the appointment reminder campaign adjust based on lead time zones?
Yes, reminder campaigns are based on the relative time to the appointment (e.g., one hour before the appointment), so time zones are automatically accounted for when sending reminders.

4. How do I change the time zone for my agency account?
You can change the time zone in the business settings by navigating to Settings and updating the time zone under ‘Account Time Zone’ before clicking ‘Update Address.’

5. What happens if I disable the contact time zone setting?
Disabling the contact time zone setting ensures that all leads and customers will book appointments in the default time zone set for your business. This is useful if all leads are in the same time zone.

6. How can a lead book an appointment in their own time zone?
When booking an appointment through the appointment widget, leads can select their time zone, which adjusts the available appointment times accordingly.

7. What’s the best time to set for communication across multiple time zones in the US?
Noon CST is a safe time for communication across multiple time zones, as it falls within working hours for EST, CST, MST, and PST.

8. Can I set different time zones for different users within my agency?
Yes, different users can have their time zone settings to reflect their local times when managing appointments and campaigns.

9. What if my lead’s contact time zone is incorrect—can I change it?
Yes, you can manually update the time zone under the lead’s General Info in their contact details if it’s incorrect.

10. Do calendar availability hours adjust based on time zones?
Yes, the availability hours you set in the calendar are based on your account’s time zone, ensuring that booking hours like 9-5 adjust correctly between EST, PST, and other time zones.