The problem of frequent meeting cancellations, especially last-minute ones, creates significant inefficiencies in both professional and personal settings. Traditional scheduling tools lack mechanisms to discourage flakiness, leading to wasted time, disrupted workflows, and strained relationships. One way to address this could be through a scheduling app that introduces accountability by linking cancellations to charitable donations.

How It Would Work

This would function as a standard meeting scheduler with an optional accountability feature. When enabled, attendees who cancel more than a set number of meetings (e.g., three) would trigger an automatic donation to a charity chosen by the meeting organizer. Key components would include:

• Clear cancellation definitions (e.g., attendee-initiated within 24 hours of meeting)
• Customizable donation amounts set by organizers within reasonable limits
• Persistent cancellation tracking across all scheduled meetings
• Integration with payment processors and charity partners

Why It Could Be Effective

The approach aligns incentives for all parties involved:

• Organizers recover some value from lost time through donations
• Attendees are motivated to avoid financial penalties and maintain reliability reputations
• Charities benefit from additional funding streams

Unlike existing scheduling tools that simply track availability, this would incorporate behavioral science principles to actually modify cancellation behavior. The charity aspect provides positive reinforcement rather than purely punitive measures.

Implementation Strategy

A minimal viable product could start with basic scheduling functionality and the core accountability feature, then expand based on user feedback. Early versions might focus on:

1. Standalone scheduling with opt-in accountability
2. Simple cancellation counters and basic payment processing
3. A selection of well-known charity partners

Future iterations could add calendar integrations, advanced reliability analytics, and team/organization accounts to increase adoption.

The concept builds on existing scheduling tools by adding a novel accountability layer, potentially creating a new standard for reliable meeting culture. The charitable component offers a constructive way to address flakiness while supporting good causes.