March Newsletter – Spring is in the air!

Time flies when you are having fun, or that’s what they say! It’s March already, and we are excited about new and upcoming developments for SimplyBook.me.

Search bar in Admin Interface

Do you ever find it challenging to navigate the Admin Interface?

We just launched a new search bar located on the top menu bar within the Admin Interface. Now you can search for specific features, set up services, working hours, or anything else that comes to mind. The search results will provide the exact location of what you are looking for within the Admin interface. It will also offer relevant articles and tutorials from our Help Center and YouTube channel – see below. We encourage you to try it out and experience its convenience. As we continue to develop the search bar, we will track searches that return no results and gradually add those to the function.

New Reports – Updated look & functionality – See the video!

We are excited to announce that we have revamped the appearance and functionality of our reports! In addition to refreshing the look and feel, we have incorporated new filters to streamline finding the information you need. We have also enhanced the user experience by allowing you to customise the default view of your reports by selecting the columns you want to display. This means you can create a view tailored to your specific needs, making your reporting process more efficient & effective. Click here to see the booking report tutorial.

New Client App Installation Page & Branded Client App available for ALL paying clients

We are thrilled to hear such positive feedback about our client app. Our clients love having their own branded app to offer their customers. Until now, only Premium users have been able to have the client app custom branded. However, we have now decided to offer ALL paying clients the possibility of having custom branding on their client app.

If you have a business with repeat customers, we highly recommend enabling the client app custom feature. This feature lets clients easily book services and receive push notifications and reminders* from their mobile phones.

We have made some improvements to make the download process more convenient for your clients. Go to the Client App settings and upload screenshots of your client app with a custom description. You will find your unique URL for the Installation page, which describes the app, showcases the images and explains how to download the app in a really pleasant way. This is the link you will send to your clients. We have compiled a helpful video showcasing the Installation page and how to set it up. Be sure to check it out!

*Please note that push notifications are currently available on all Android devices and will soon be available on iOS devices with the upcoming release of iOS 16.4. Apple has announced that it will now allow push notifications on PWA apps.

Welcome Steps – Are you new with SimplyBook.me, then you will like this one:)

New users can now follow the Welcome Steps to set up their system in no time. As soon as you sign up for SimplyBook.me, you will see the Welcome Steps displayed at the top of the menu bar. You can click on each step and follow the instructions provided to complete the setup process. With five simple steps, you can set up your system in no time! Once you’ve completed each stage, you can quickly move on to the next one until you’ve finished the entire setup process.

Booking Restriction – Anti-Spam Custom Feature

We understand that appointment spamming can be a concern for our users, and we’re happy to announce our new Anti-Spam feature designed to help prevent it. Our feature includes a range of measures to help protect your business, including blocking all disposable emails, limiting the number of bookings per email over a period, limiting the number of bookings per IP address over a period, and limiting the number of bookings per same phone number. In addition, we also offer a limit on the number of bookings per logged-in client over a period.

You have the option to activate some or all of these features to protect your calendar and business from appointment spamming. Additionally, we understand that some IPs may be safe, so our Anti-Spam feature allows admin users to safelist specific IPs to ensure that legitimate clients can still book without any issues.

Some of our enterprise users have taken this even further so that only those with unique published access codes can make the appointment. This is used by some immigration and homeland services to make sure that spam bookings do never take slots from those who actually need them.

Coming Up Soon

We have multiple exciting tasks underway, which will see the light in the upcoming weeks.

Tap-to-Pay in the Admin App

If you use Stripe in an appropriate region (right now, this is only available in the US, but other countries won’t be far behind), you may well be aware of the introduction of “Tap-to-Pay”. This option will be available to use from the mobile admin app.

If you want to try this new feature, please get in touch with ig@simplybook.me and request beta access to the latest version of the app.

Push Notifications

We want to make it easier for you to contact your clients and send out promotions or notifications about free slots. With the Push notifications, you’ll be able to send a quick message to selected clients, which will then appear in the web browser of your clients or within their client apps.

This one is still in development so more details will follow later.

Send Payment Links

SBPay.me’s new payment forms offer a flexible and customizable solution to your payment needs. With the ability to create custom payment forms, you can select items of your choice and send payment links to your clients. The platform’s advanced features enable you to sell almost anything and incorporate various taxes and discounts. Moreover, you can choose to make recurring payments with the first payment equal to subsequent payments or set it to differ as needed. This provides you with greater control and flexibility in managing your payments.

Connect users to multiple providers

We’re excited to announce that we’re currently testing a highly-requested feature that enables our users to connect with multiple service providers. This new functionality allows junior employees to connect with various providers rather than being restricted to just one. This new feature also allows different junior employees to connect with the same provider if needed, providing more flexibility and options for managing availabilities.

Min/Max allowed time per service

This functionality is the single most up-voted idea from our Feature suggestion page, and we hope this will be one of our new updates throughout the coming March..

Custom Gift Card Design

As mentioned above, Min/Max allowed time per service is the winner on our Feature suggestions page, but Customised Gift Cards is the runner-up! In the upcoming weeks, we will launch this functionality whereby users will be able to customise their own gift cards.

New Payment Providers for Brazil, Cyprus and Switzerland

In March, we will add Pagar.me in Brazil, JCC in Cyprus and Payrexx in Switzerland per our users’ requests.

That’s all, folks!

We hope you’re as excited as we are for what’s in store for SimplyBook.me in March. We have many more projects and updates in the pipeline that we can’t wait to share with you. Follow our blog and social media channels to stay up-to-date on all our latest news.

We’re always looking for ways to improve our platform and provide even more value to our users. That’s why we encourage you to share your feedback and suggestions. You can visit our feature suggestion page to share your ideas for new features or functionalities or vote on ideas from other users.

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Questions from our users

Where is the new search bar located within the Admin Interface?

The new search bar is located on the top menu bar within the Admin Interface.

What can users search for using the new search bar?

Users can search for specific features, set up services, working hours, or anything else within the Admin Interface.

What will the search results provide to users?

The search results will provide the exact location of what the user is looking for within the Admin Interface, as well as relevant articles and tutorials from the Help Center and YouTube channel.

Will the search bar provide relevant articles and tutorials?

Yes, the search bar will provide relevant articles and tutorials from SimplyBook.me’s Help Center and YouTube channel.

Where can users find the relevant articles and tutorials suggested by the search bar?

Users can find the relevant articles and tutorials suggested by the search bar within SimplyBook.me’s Help Center and YouTube channel.

How can the search bar make navigating the Admin Interface easier?

The search bar can make navigating the Admin Interface easier by allowing users to quickly search and find the specific features or settings they need.

How does SimplyBook.me plan to improve the search bar in the future?

SimplyBook.me plans to improve the search bar by tracking searches that return no results and gradually adding those to the function.

Is the new search bar available to all SimplyBook.me customers?

Yes, the new search bar is available to all SimplyBook.me customers who use the Admin Interface.

What is the new user branded client app development that SimplyBook.me has launched?

SimplyBook.me has launched a new development that includes a new client app installation page and a custom branded client app for ALL paying clients, no matter what subscription plan.

Who was previously able to have a custom branded client app?

Only Premium users were previously able to have a custom branded client app.

Who is eligible for custom branding on their client app now?

ALL paying clients are now eligible for custom branding on their client app.

What are the benefits of having a custom branded client app?

Having a custom branded client app allows clients to easily book services and receive push notifications and reminders from their mobile phones. It also allows businesses to offer their customers a more personalized and professional experience.

What kind of businesses would benefit from enabling the custom feature?

Businesses with repeat customers would benefit from enabling the custom feature.

What features are available on the client app?

Clients can book services, receive push notifications and reminders, view upcoming appointments, and reschedule or cancel appointments.

How has SimplyBook.me improved the download process for clients?

SimplyBook.me has made the download process more convenient for clients by creating a unique URL for the Installation page, which describes the app, showcases the images, and explains how to download the app in a pleasant way.

Where can users access their unique URL for the Installation page?

Users can access their unique URL for the Installation page in the Client App settings.

How can users customize the client APP Installation page for their clients?

Users can customize the APP Installation page by uploading screenshots of their client app with a custom description.

Are push notifications currently available on all devices?

Push notifications are currently available on all Android devices.

When will push notifications be available on iOS devices?

Push notifications will soon be available on iOS devices with the upcoming release of iOS 16.4.

What version of iOS will include push notifications for PWA apps?

Push notifications for PWA apps will be available on iOS 16.4.

What are push notifications?

Push notifications are messages that pop up on a mobile device from an app, even if the app is not open.

Why are push notifications helpful for clients?

Push notifications are helpful for clients because they provide reminders of upcoming appointments and offer updates on changes or cancellations.

What types of notifications can clients receive through the client app?

Clients can receive notifications about upcoming appointments, changes to appointments, and cancellations.

Can clients download the client app?

Clients can download the client app by clicking on the unique URL for the Installation page that is sent to them by the business.

Can clients download the app on iOS devices now?

While push notifications are not currently available on iOS devices, clients can still download the app on iOS devices.

What information should users include in the custom description when uploading screenshots of their client app?

Users should include a custom description that explains the features and benefits of the app and highlights the branding of the business.

What should businesses do to enable the custom feature for their client app?

To enable the custom feature for their client app, businesses should go to the Client App settings, upload screenshots of their client app with a custom description, and then send the unique URL for the Installation page to their clients.

What is the new anti-spam feature that SimplyBook.me has launched?

SimplyBook.me has launched an Anti-Spam feature designed to prevent appointment spamming.

What measures are included in the Anti-Spam feature?

The Anti-Spam feature includes blocking disposable emails, limiting the number of bookings per email, IP address, phone number, and logged-in client over a period.

Can users choose which measures to activate in the Anti-Spam feature?

Yes, users have the option to activate some or all of the measures to protect their business from appointment spamming.

What is the purpose of the Anti-Spam feature?

The purpose of the Anti-Spam feature is to protect the business from appointment spamming.