Self-Service Booking: Let Customers Book While You Sleep

Quick Answer

Self-Service Booking is a 24/7 online portal where customers browse your services, see real-time availability, book appointments, add their pets, and pay, all without calling. Instant confirmation, automated reminders, and self-service rescheduling included.

The Problem

"Clients are texting me at 11pm asking for appointments."

The modern pet owner expects convenience. They book flights at midnight. They order groceries at 6am. But when they want to book their dog's groom? They have to call during business hours and hope someone answers.

The result:

Voicemails pile up
Texts interrupt your sessions
Potential customers give up and call competitors
You spend evenings responding to booking requests

This is not sustainable. And it's completely unnecessary.

The Solution: Self-Service Booking

Self-Service Booking gives your customers a 24/7 booking portal. They find availability, select services, book appointments, and pay, all without you lifting a finger.

Here's what your customers can do:

Browse services: See what you offer and pricing
Check availability: Real-time view of open slots
Select preferences: Team member, resource, add-ons
Add pets: Create or select pet profiles
Pay securely: Card on file with pre-authorisation
Get confirmation: Instant SMS and email confirmation

Your booking portal never sleeps. Neither should your revenue.

Who Benefits Most

Business Type	Key Advantage
Solo operators	Stop being interrupted during sessions
Growing businesses	Scale bookings without hiring office staff
Multi-service	Let customers book daycare AND grooming together
Any pet business	Compete with modern booking expectations

Self-Service Booking is available on Business Pro and Business Max plans.

Key Capabilities

Real-Time Availability

Customers see exactly what's available, right now:

Calendar view of open slots
Team member availability (if they can choose)
Resource availability (grooming stations, play areas)
Capacity indicators for sessions

No double-bookings. No "let me check and get back to you." Availability is always accurate.

Branded Portal Experience

Your booking portal looks like your business:

Your logo and colours
Your service descriptions
Your pricing and policies
Your business contact details

Customers feel like they're booking directly with you, not through a generic platform.

Pet Profile Integration

The booking flow captures pet information:

Create new pet during first booking
Select existing pet for repeat customers
Vaccination status checked automatically
Special requirements visible at booking

When customers arrive, you already know everything about their pet.

Payment at Booking

Require card on file to complete booking:

Secure payment via Stripe
Pre-authorisation validates card before appointment
Cancellation policy displayed and agreed
Auto-pay available for seamless checkout

No more "forgot my wallet" or payment chasing.

Self-Service Rescheduling

Customers can manage their own bookings:

Reschedule to a new slot (within your policy)
Cancel with appropriate notice
View history of past appointments
Download receipts for their records

They help themselves. You're notified of changes.

Real-World Impact

The stat that matters: Over 70% of self-service bookings happen outside traditional business hours.

That's revenue you'd miss if you relied on phone bookings.

Before Self-Service Booking: Lisa's grooming salon received 15-20 booking calls per day. Each call took 3-5 minutes. That's over an hour of phone time daily, often interrupting grooms.

After Self-Service Booking: Lisa's phone calls dropped by 80%. Customers book themselves. The calls she does receive are for complex questions, not simple bookings. She can focus on grooming.