Approving online bookings first (booking requests)

If you'd like to look at online bookings before they're confirmed, FullColumn can send them to you as booking requests. A request holds its time so nobody else can take it, the client is told it's a request, and it only becomes a booking when you approve it. It's useful for new clients, say, to check a colour or extensions booking before you commit the time.

#Turning on approval for online bookings

1. Open Settings → Online booking and find Rules.
2. Under Approve online bookings first, choose:
   • New clients only: online bookings from clients you haven't seen before wait for you. Returning clients are booked straight away.
   • Everyone: every online booking waits for you.
   • Off (to start with): online bookings are confirmed straight away.
3. Under If not answered within, choose how long a request can wait: 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 (to start with), 48 or 72 hours.
4. Press Save changes.

Approval only applies to bookings clients make themselves, on your booking page or signed in to the client area. Appointments your team books never need approving.

#Who counts as a new client for booking requests

With New clients only, a booking needs approving unless the client has come in before: an appointment of theirs has been checked in, started or completed. Someone who has only ever booked, cancelled or not shown up still counts as new.

FullColumn finds the client by the email and mobile they type. If they type details that don't match the client on file (a new email, say), they're treated as new, because anyone could type someone else's email or mobile. A client signed in to the client area is known for sure, so their visits count. Your team sees a New client badge on the request.

#What your client sees when their booking is a request

• Before booking, the details step says so: "We confirm every booking ourselves" (or "New clients: we confirm your booking ourselves"), and that the time is held until you've had a look. With Everyone, the button says Send booking request.
• After booking, the screen says "Request sent" and that you'll confirm it soon, with your after-booking message and a View or withdraw request button.
• By text or email, they get your Booking request received message instead of the confirmation. It thanks them for their request, gives the day, time and services, says you'll confirm it soon, and links to their booking to view or withdraw it. You can change the wording in message wording.
• On their booking link, it says "Waiting for Halo Hair to confirm", when it will be cancelled automatically if nobody answers, and offers Withdraw my request. It can't go in their calendar until it's confirmed.

#Finding booking requests waiting for an answer

• Requests in the menu (an inbox) lists every request waiting, soonest first, with a count beside it. On a phone, the count shows on More. The menu item shows while approval is on, or while any requests are waiting.
• On the calendar, a request sits in the stylist's column with an hourglass: "Booking request – not confirmed until you approve it".
• Team alerts tell you about new requests, if you have them on (team alerts).

Each request on the Booking requests page shows the client (with a New client badge if they're new), any deposit or saved card, their phone number, the day and time, the services and stylist, the length and price, any client alert, their note, and when it will be declined automatically. That line is highlighted when there are under 3 hours left. Open in calendar shows it in the day.

#Approving a booking request

Press Approve on the Booking requests page, or open the appointment in the calendar and press Approve. It becomes an ordinary booking straight away:

• The client gets your usual confirmation, with any consultation forms and service messages, as if they'd booked straight away.
• A deposit they paid becomes account credit, ready for checkout.
• Reminders follow as for any booking.

Before approving, you can change the request from the appointment (Change the request), for example to give it to another stylist or adjust the services. A request whose time has already passed can't be approved: book them a new appointment instead.

#Declining a booking request

1. Press Decline on the Booking requests page or on the appointment.
2. Add a Message to the client if you like, such as "We're fully booked that afternoon, but Thursday morning is free if that suits?"
3. Press Decline request.

The time is freed straight away and the client gets your Booking request declined message: "sorry, we can't fit you in", your message, and a link to book another time. Anything they paid online is refunded to their card in full, automatically. If a refund doesn't go through at first, FullColumn says so and keeps trying. A card saved for the booking stays on file: nothing was charged.

A request can't be cancelled or deleted like an appointment. Declining it is the way to say no, so the client hears and gets their money back.

#What happens to booking requests nobody answers

A request is declined automatically when nobody answers it in the time you chose under If not answered within, or when its appointment time arrives, whichever comes first. The client gets the same Booking request declined message (without a personal note), and anything they paid is refunded in full.

The appointment's history says why: "Declined automatically: not answered within 24 hours" or "its time arrived before anyone answered it". The client's booking link shows the time it will lapse, so they know how long to wait.

#Booking requests with a deposit or saved card

If you take deposits or a card on file online, the client pays (or saves their card) first. While they're paying, the time is held for up to 30 minutes. Once the payment comes through, the booking becomes a request and the client gets the "we've got your request" message. The time you have to answer starts from then.

• Approved: the deposit becomes their account credit.
• Declined, withdrawn or lapsed: the deposit or payment goes back to their card in full.

#When a client withdraws a booking request

Clients can press Withdraw my request on their booking link while it's waiting. The time is freed, anything they paid is refunded in full, and your team gets an alert. There's no notice period or fee for withdrawing: it was never a booking. The appointment then says "The client withdrew this booking request".

#Who can answer booking requests

Anyone who may change the appointment may approve or decline it. Team members without Book and change other team members' appointments only see and answer requests in their own column, and the page says "(just your own)". Owners have every permission (roles and permissions).

#Common questions

#Does a booking request hold the time?

Yes. Nobody else can book that time online, and it shows in the stylist's column, until you approve it, decline it, the client withdraws it, or it lapses.

#Do booking requests count in my reports?

Not until they're approved. A request that's declined, withdrawn or lapses was never a booking, so it isn't counted as a cancellation, and there's no no-show or late cancellation fee for one. Reminders and marketing messages leave requests alone too.

#What if I decline a request while texts and emails aren't going out?

The request is still declined and any payment refunded, but FullColumn tells you the client wasn't messaged, so you can let them know yourself.

#Two of us pressed Approve and Decline at the same moment. What happens?

The first answer wins. The second person sees "This request has already been answered."

#Can I approve a request after it was declined automatically?

No. Use Book another time… on the appointment to book them in again, and they'll get a confirmation.

#Can my front desk approve requests on the shared iPad?

Yes, if the person who switched in may change that appointment. Declining a request with a deposit refunds it automatically.