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Appointment System Features
This online appointment system is offered as software as a service. UTF-8 encoding facilitates the display of user input in most languages, while support text and static text is available in English only.
Login ID determines area access. Owners control most access parameters, including client access, client privileges and manager assignments. Those opting for private appointment systems can add IP security and limit access to specific networks. So while this service is globally accessible at the front end, owners control access to both their appointment system and to critical client data with selectable user security checks.
A tiered user-model controls system access and the display of information. User status is defined as the following.
owner
manager
trusted client
client
new client
visitor
The system processes all information requests and will either allow or deny that user, based on the owner's global settings and client-specific access settings.
trusted client = can book and cancel their own appointments
client = can book appointments
new client = allowed by owner but has not booked
visitor = not registered / no access
To those opting for online client booking, clients do not see any appointment information in the appointment book. Clients see either open time slots or the word BOOKED. It is this visual aspect which empowers the client and makes this an efficient scheduling tool for all users.
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Owners who select online client booking can invoice the client through Paypal using a standard Paypal form. However, it does not matter whether a client books online or calls your front desk, you cannot control their behavior.
The built-in security of this system removes the need to require a pre-payment prior to your client completing the booking process. This helps to ensure a completed booking process and it streamlines the client's online experience.
This system does provide owners with the option to invoice a client prior to their appointment, but only after the client has booked.
Please note that Paypal does not guarantee payment for services. Payments for services that have been processed through Paypal can be revoked by the client - either before or after the appointment - no questions asked.
New features are being added based on compatibility, security considerations and member feedback.
Phone Ready Interface
Login, book and manage your system.
SYSTEM FEATURES
- Three entry point options include the basic portal page, the home site package and the external link package. The home site package is also available as a stand-alone web site without the appointment system.
- The portal and home site packages include booking instructions, an embedded membership form and a login form. A custom 360x60 business banner will brand the entry page with the business logo. That banner will also appear on all booking pages.
- Owners will re-title the site name My Next Appointment (at top-left in blue) with their own business name, address and phone number. This information will be clearly visible on all business related pages, including the appointment book.
- All packages include a unique URL prefix using one of these domains. The owner will select one of these domains and prefix it with a unique name.
*.mynextappointment.com
*.spacalendar.com
*.lositio.com
Note that all pages requiring a login will revert to mynextappointment.com with the unique identifier intact. This is the root domain for the system's SSL certificate.
- Owners will add a custom message to the first page of the portal and home site packages. The external link package does not include a home page, but the business message can be searched for keywords by client members. Those search results will include a link to that business web site.
- All packages include a client to business contact form. To prevent spam a login is required to access the form.
- Owners can add two images (one large and one small) to the main page of any home site package. The smaller image can be linked to another web site.
- An optional interactive Google Map with Street View is available with the home site package. The map will include a marker for driving instructions.
- An optional public calendar is available with any home site package. The public calendar will display the hours of operation and general monthly appointment information for each appointment column (login not required). Each date becomes an active link to the appointment book once the user logs in. Access beyond that link is determined by the owner. Dates which have passed will hide appointment activity and display as 100% full.
- An optional private calendar will also display both monthly and weekly appointment activity. This eliminates the need for day-scrolling in the appointment book. Owners, managers and allowed clients can visually locate available openings in any column and then open the appointment book at that date. The private calendar is available with all packages and does require a login.
- Owners can create an appointment book for multiple locations with a single business membership. Each appointment book can be independently set to private or set to allow online client booking.
- Managers can be assigned to one or more appointment books. This will facilitate booking across departments and business locations.
- The appointment book will accommodate up to 64 columns with pagination at 6 column intervals.
- Each column can be titled according to service type, location or employee name.
- A custom message will replace the appointment book for days closed.
- The appointment book will accept input from 00:00 to 23:45 hours, 365 days per year, with automatic leap year adjustments.
- Set weekly hours of operation and then override those hours of operation for any day of any year. Repeating and non-repeating holidays and occasional closed days can be entered with automatic cancellation notices sent to any effected clients.
- Owners and managers can enter up to 51 repeating appointments with date spans of days, weeks and months. The system will display the results of each repeat booking attempt and display which repeat appointments were successfully booked and which ones were not. An unsuccessful booking will result when an appointment overlaps an existing appointment, exceeds the hours of operation or coincides with a date which the business will be closed.
- Time off can be set independently for each column for each day of the week.
- Owners can override the client requirement of requesting access by selecting less stringent security options. Less stringent restrictions include the client's city, state, province, country, time zone and gender.
- Owners can hide columns for internal use only. Hidden columns are useful when a single service space or employee can simultaneously accommodate two clients. One column can remain available for client booking while the other can be retained for internal use.
- Services and service durations are set independently by each owner. A short note can be appended to any service description.
- Mobile service providers can insert travel time or rest time between appointments.
- Hours in the appointment book can be segmented in 15, 20, 30 or 60 minute intervals.
- Navigate the appointment book one day at a time, jump to any date, or use one of three mini calendars to open the appointment book at a specific date. The mini calendars float from month to month in unison with date changes in the appointment book.
- Each time slot in the appointment book represents an active link. When clicked that link will set the selected start time and move the user onto the service selection page. Time slots which have passed are marked with a red dash and are rendered inactive.
- Owners and managers can add and edit client name, phone number, email address and appointment notes for walk-in clients.
- Each appointment will include a tool-tip on mouse over. The tool-tip will display the the following information:
- Booked by (booker's name)
- appointment notes
- client phone number
- appointment type
- last modified date
- name of last modifier
- a rapid cancel link
- an arrived and no-show flag
- a client email link
- An appointment display name will fill the time slot as an active link. When the name is clicked it will open a page to edit the appointment details.
- An EDIT icon will appear to the left of each appointment display name. When clicked a rescheduling window will open. The appointment book will refresh at the date being viewed when the rescheduling window is closed.
- One-step rescheduling cancels the original appointment, sends notices to both the business and to the booker, and inserts the new appointment at the selected time and date. This feature is only available to the owner and managers.
- A manual daylight savings adjustment will adjust the next available time slot to your current local hour. This is only required if the DST adjustment date of the business is not the same as that of the server in Texas.
- Owners can link their Twitter feed and display Tweets in their Control Center and appointment book or both. Client viewing of that feed can be turned on and off.
- Clients can be required to book in advance by 2, 4, 6, 12, 24 or 48 hours.
- Owners can limit the most future date that clients can book.
- The person who books the appointment and the owner will receive an email reminder and an email alert, respectively. Reminders and alerts for self-booked appointments can be set to on or off.
- Outgoing appointment alerts can be filtered by column title and forwarded onto an associated email address.
- With online client booking each client will receive a free private
appointment center. Clients cannot view any details within the appointment book itself, but can view their upcoming and past appointments from within their PAC.
- Clients remain anonymous to one another.
- Clients cannot cancel their own appointments unless flagged by the owner as trusted.
- Owners can sort and review the appointment history of each online client.
- Owners can download a CSV history file for each of their online clients and open that file in local spreadsheet software. CSV file names have been randomized to prevent unauthorized downloading. A CSV file with all appointment activity records can be download for each year.
- Owners can send news and marketing email to all online clients with a two step form.
All outgoing email are sent individually to maintain client privacy.
- Owners and managers can terminate the booking privileges of any client at any time.