Waitlist

A full day used to mean a lost booking: the client picked another business, and when someone cancelled the place went unused. With the waitlist, clients can ask to be told about a full day, and when a place comes up Barclo offers it to them in the order they asked.

Switching it on

Go to Settings › Bookings, and in How clients book switch on Offer a waitlist when a day is full, then save. Only the owner and managers can change Settings.

It does nothing if you have chosen I'll handle bookings myself, because clients cannot book online then.

How a client joins

1. 1

   They sign in and start a booking

   The waitlist is for clients signed in to your client portal. It is not offered on the booking page for new clients without an account.

2. 2

   They pick a day that is full

   Instead of booking, they see Join the waitlist for that day, for the pets they have chosen.

3. 3

   They join

   They are told they are on the waitlist and will be emailed straight away if a place comes up.

A client only sees that the day is full, never how many places you have or how many people are waiting. A client can wait once for each service and day.

Barclo will not add someone to the waitlist for a day that can in fact be booked (it tells them to book it), a day you are closed, a day that has passed, or a day outside your booking notice and how far ahead clients can book.

How places are offered

Every 10 minutes Barclo checks the days people are waiting for. When one can be booked again, for example because someone cancelled, you declined a request, or you made more room, it offers the place:

• One at a time, in order. The first person in line who can take the place gets an email, "a place has come up", with a Book it now button that opens their booking at that day.
• 4 hours to book. Their turn lasts 4 hours, or until the start of the visit if that is sooner. If they do not book in time, the next person is offered it.
• First come, first served. Nothing is held. If someone else books the place first, the client keeps their turn for the next place that frees.
• Daytime only. Offers are made between 7am and 9pm.
• Settled automatically. When the client books the day they waited for, they come off the waitlist. When the day passes, the waitlist for it ends.

In their portal, under Bookings, clients see On the waitlist with each day they are waiting for, Book it when a place has been offered, and Leave if they no longer need it.

Seeing who is waiting

When anyone is waiting in the next 14 days, a Waitlist card appears on Today. For each day and service it lists who is waiting in order, their pets, and when a place has been offered, until what time.

• Tap a name to open the client.
• Use the cross beside a name to take them off the waitlist. Anyone who can manage bookings can do this.
• Places are never offered by hand: Barclo always offers them in order, so nobody is skipped.