Waitwhile offers the option to manage Booking Requests, giving businesses more control over their appointment scheduling process. Unlike automatic confirmations, where appointments are instantly secured, Booking Requests allow customers to submit a request, which you can review and approve before confirming the appointment. This system is ideal for businesses that need to manually manage bookings or offer services with variable availability.
How Booking Requests Work:
Customer Submits a Request: When Booking Requests are enabled, customers can choose their preferred time and date for an appointment. Instead of an automatic confirmation, they will see a message indicating that their booking request has been received and is pending approval.
You Receive the Request: Once a request is submitted, it will appear in your Waitwhile dashboard under the Needs Approval section. You will also receive an email notification (if enabled) alerting you of the new request.
Review and Approve/Decline: From your dashboard, you can review the details of the request, including the time, date, customer information, and any relevant notes. Based on your availability or business requirements, you can choose to either approve or decline the booking.
If approved, the customer will receive a confirmation notification via email or SMS.
If declined, the customer will be notified that their request could not be accommodated, and they may be prompted to choose another time.
Manage Approved Bookings: Once a booking is approved, it will be added to your schedule, and you can manage it like any other confirmed booking in Waitwhile. This includes rescheduling, canceling, or updating the appointment as needed.
Benefits of Booking Requests:
Manual Control: Booking Requests allow you to maintain manual oversight of your schedule, ensuring that appointments are only confirmed when resources or staff are available.
Custom Handling: You can assess each request individually, making it ideal for businesses that require more personalized booking processes, such as consulting firms, medical clinics, or venues with limited capacity.
Enhanced Customer Experience: By reviewing requests, you can ensure that you’re offering appointments that best suit your customers' needs, reducing overbooking and conflicts.
How to Enable Booking Requests:
Go to Settings: From your Waitwhile dashboard, navigate to the Settings menu.
Select Bookings: Under the Bookings tab, locate the option for Booking Requests.
Activate Booking Requests: Toggle on the option to require approval for all bookings.
Customize Notifications: Set up your automated notifications to inform customers that their booking is under review and will be confirmed shortly. You can also customize the messages they receive upon approval or rejection. You can customize your notifications in Settings >Messages >Customer messages.
Monitoring Booking Requests:
You can monitor pending, approved, and declined requests through your dashboard or booking calendar. Waitwhile provides a clear view of all incoming requests, allowing you to manage them efficiently and ensure a smooth scheduling process.
Have additional questions or need assistance? Reach out to us via chat or at support@waitwhile.com.