How to Schedule Meetings with International Clients
Coordinating with clients across borders is different from internal scheduling. Here's how to handle it smoothly and respectfully.
Why Client Scheduling Is Harder Than Internal
With internal teammates, you can be somewhat direct about timing. With clients, you need to be more thoughtful. Respecting their working hours and offering choices — rather than dictating a time — is the baseline.
International clients add timezone complexity on top of cultural differences in communication style. The principle: present options and let them choose, rather than declaring a time.
How Many Options to Offer
Three to five candidate times is the sweet spot. Too few and nothing may work; too many and the decision takes too long.
Always include the time in the client's timezone: "14:00 JST (10:30 IST)." Better yet, share a tokipick URL — participants see times automatically converted to their local timezone.
When sending a tokipick link to a client, add a brief explanation: "Please choose your preferred time via this link. Times will display in your local timezone automatically." This small touch builds trust.
When You Don't Hear Back
No response to your scheduling request? Wait 2-3 business days, then send a polite reminder. Adding fresh time options in the follow-up improves response rates.
Keep the reminder courteous. A brief, friendly nudge works better than an impatient follow-up.
- Send a reminder 2-3 business days after the initial request
- Include new time options in your follow-up
- Check if a holiday or vacation might explain the silence
- If email isn't working, try an alternative channel
Being Considerate of Time Differences
Offer times that fall within the client's working hours, even if that's less convenient for you. Putting their schedule first signals respect.
When no overlap exists, propose a rotation: "We'll take the early slot this time; next time, we'll adjust to your convenience." This keeps the relationship balanced.
Follow Up After Confirming
Once a time is confirmed, send a calendar invite immediately. Double-check that the timezone is correctly specified in the invitation.
A reminder email the day before the meeting prevents last-minute timezone confusion, especially around DST transitions. These small gestures build long-term client trust.