This article is part of a Learning Module. To view or go back to Learning Modules, Click Here
The online scheduler is a powerful tool to place in the hands of your clients. Set yourself up for success by defining rules and policies for your online services menu. Set up how your appointments can be requested, rescheduled, and/or canceled. Add your booking policy, to set proper expectations with your client for their upcoming appointment. Set the service menu displays categories, staff, and services order, and time-slots.
Booking Options & Limitations
Online Scheduling
Make sure the checkbox is checked to enable online scheduling
Accept appointments
Define how your clients can request an appointment and how they will be notified of acceptance of the appointment by the business.
Manually - Client can request one time slot for an appointment
- When an appointment is requested by a client, Thryv Business Center™ will send a notification to your inbox.
- The business needs to accept the appointment.
- One time slot selected by the client will appear in the appointment details. The business has to accept the requested time, or message the client back to determine a better time if there is a conflict.
- Once an appointment time is accepted, Thryv Business Center will notify the client of the appointment confirmation with date and time.
Automatically - Automatically accept all incoming appointment requests
- When an appointment is requested by a client, Thryv Business Center will send a notification to your inbox. The business will need to confirm the appointment.
- No action is needed by the business to accept the appointment.
- The client receives an automatic message that the appointment has been confirmed with the date and time.
Combined - Automatically accept appointments for existing clients only, but require the business to accept appointments from new clients
- When an appointment is requested by a client that is already added to Thryv Business Center, the appointment will be automatically accepted. No action is needed by the business.
- When an appointment is requested by someone who is not currently a client in Thryv Business Center, it will require the business to accept that appointment before it is confirmed. A notification to do so will be sent to your inbox.
Advance Notification
Avoid 'last minute' scheduling by defining how much time in advance an appointment is available. All online menu services will show available until 'X amount of time' before the service start time. For example, if your business needs a booking set up 24 hours before the appointment time, you'd set the advanced notice to 24 hours, so your business can prepare for that client's appointment.
Limit future bookings
Set a limit to how far ahead a client can set an appointment with you. Choosing 'Not Set' means there's no limit.
Booking Policies
Waitlist
Your waitlist will apply to group events only. If the box create waitlist for fully booked events is checked, then any client who tries to register for a group event that is booked will be given an option to join the waitlist. For a full guide to how the waitlist works, click here.
To set an Arrival Window, use the drop-down and select a time frame. This will let your customer know that the beginning of their appointment time could be up to that amount of time after the scheduled start time. For a full guide to arrival windows, Click Here.
Appointment Cancellations & Reschedules
Determine whether your clients can cancel or reschedule an appointment online. If you do allow clients to cancel or reschedule their appointments, you can determine how far in advance they would have the option to do either.
Booking Policy Text
Insert your business booking policy with regards to cancellations, reschedules, arriving late and so on. You may also use it for instructions, terms or any other notes for your clients.
the place to describe your policy with regards to cancellations, reschedules, arriving late and so on. You may also use it for instructions, terms or any other notes for your clients.
Terms of Service
If you provide your own terms of service, your clients will be asked to accept those before setting an appointment with you. To use this option check the box for Request users to accept my Terms of Service, then provide the URL where your terms of service are displayed.
Display Options
Display of service categories
Choose how your services are displayed by showing all categories or collapsing all categories.
Scheduling Order
Determine if clients will first see the service menu and then the staff selection or vice-versa. Note* Choosing "staff member and then service" will override the 'auto-assign' option in the 'Services settings'.
Display time-slots
Determine how the time slots are displayed; either split by morning, afternoon & evening or display all times available.
Service Menu Title
Customize the title of your online services menu.
And that is it! These settings will serve as the default for all your services. Happy online scheduling!
Don't see your question here? Ask our User Community! To create your post, or answer another user's question, all you have to do is log in with your Thryv credentials
Comments
0 comments