From "can I come by?" to a confirmed slot
Practices, agencies, training centres and town halls use Joomla to publish their services, and most of them still take appointments by phone. Visitors who find the information at 10 pm have to wait until the office opens. AI SmartTalk lets them book there and then, in the chat on your site.
Appointments are managed in SmartCalendar, the booking calendar built into AI SmartTalk. You set recurring opening hours and the length of a slot; the agent reads what a visitor asks — "Tuesday afternoon", "next week before 10" — and suggests the five nearest free slots. A visitor who is signed in to your Joomla site is already identified; anyone else confirms their email with a five-digit code before the booking is made. The rest of the conversation keeps drawing on your articles, so the agent can answer "what should I bring?" in the same chat.
What the agent does
Understands dates in plain words
"Thursday morning", "after the holidays", "the 14th at 3" — the agent turns the request into a date and offers the five closest free slots from your calendar.
In person, by phone or online
Each calendar lists the kinds of appointment it accepts. For online appointments, if Google Meet is connected, a Google Calendar event with a Meet link is created and sent to the visitor.
Confirmations to both sides
The visitor receives a confirmation email with a link to their appointment page, where they can cancel. Your team receives an email and an in-app notification for every booking and cancellation.
Answers around the booking
Opening hours, address, documents to bring or prices come from your Joomla articles, so the agent can prepare the visitor for the appointment without sending them elsewhere.
Set it up
- 1
Install and connect the plugin
Upload the plugin ZIP in System → Install → Extensions, enable it in System → Manage → Plugins, click Connect with AI SmartTalk and sync your articles.
- 2
Create the calendar
In AI SmartTalk, open SmartCalendar, create a calendar with its time zone and appointment types, and add recurring schedules: days, opening hours and slot length.
- 3
Connect Google Meet if you meet online
For video appointments, connect the Google Meet integration so each online booking gets a Meet link on your Google Calendar.
- 4
Switch the widget on and try a booking
Switch Enable Chatbot on in the plugin, then book a test appointment as a visitor to check the slots, the confirmation email and the cancellation link.
Honest limits
What it does not do
Availability comes from the schedules you set in SmartCalendar; busy times in your Google Calendar are not read, so a slot stays free in the chat even if you have a meeting at that time. Each slot takes one appointment, and a client can hold one upcoming appointment at a time. No reminder is sent before the appointment, and rescheduling means cancelling and booking again. Booking in the chat requires a confirmed email. SmartCalendar is an add-on billed per calendar.
Frequently asked questions
Do visitors need an account on my Joomla site?
No. A visitor who is logged in to Joomla is already identified; anyone else confirms their email with a five-digit code in the chat before booking.
Can I offer several services or staff members?
Yes, by creating one calendar per service or person, each with its own hours and slot length. Calendars are billed per calendar as an add-on.
Does it sync with Google Calendar?
Online appointments create an event with a Google Meet link on your Google Calendar when Google Meet is connected. Your Google busy times are not used to block slots.
Can the visitor cancel?
Yes. The confirmation email links to the appointment page, where the visitor can cancel. Both sides receive a cancellation notice.
How much does it cost?
AI SmartTalk plans start at €9.90 per month with a 30-day free trial; SmartCalendar is added per calendar. The Joomla plugin itself is free.
Sources
More solutions
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The agent answers technical questions from your articles, then collects what your sales team needs — company, need, quantity, deadline — and alerts them the moment a lead comes in.
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The agent learns your articles, your FAQ spreadsheets and your PDF guides, answers each question with the relevant passage, and says plainly when the answer is not in your content.
Appointment booking on other platforms
- Appointment booking
Appointment booking on Shopify
When a product needs advice before it is bought, the agent offers the next free slots, books the one the shopper picks and sends the confirmation — without leaving the conversation.
- Appointment booking
Appointment booking on WooCommerce
When what you sell needs a meeting — a fitting, a consultation, a workshop visit — the agent finds a free slot and books it in the conversation, or customers pick one on a booking page.
- Appointment booking
Appointment booking on PrestaShop
When a product needs advice in person — a fitting, a measurement, a demonstration — the agent offers the nearest free slots in your calendar and books the one the customer picks.
- Appointment booking
Appointment booking on WordPress
Visitors ask for a time in their own words; the agent finds your next free slots, books the one they pick and sends the confirmation by email.
- Appointment booking
Appointment booking on Webflow
The agent answers the visitor's questions, offers your next free slots and books the meeting — without sending them to another booking tool.
