ProblemBookings and orders
Bookings and orders get lost in WhatsApp
WhatsApp is where your customers are, so keep it. The trouble starts when the chat is also the only record of what was agreed.
Bookings get lost when a chat is used as a register. A chat has no calendar, no stock count and no list of what is still open. First separate the two: keep talking on WhatsApp, and write every confirmed booking or order into one shared calendar or sheet. When volume makes that slow, a booking or order system lets customers book themselves and keeps the register for you. Those start at N$12,999.99.
What you see, and what it usually means
| What you see | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Two customers were promised the same room or slot | There is no single calendar that everyone checks before confirming. |
| An order was seen and never done | Reading a message marks it as read. Nothing marks it as done. |
| Bookings are on a staff member's own phone | If they are off, or leave, the bookings go with them. |
| You scroll back to find what was agreed | The agreement is buried in conversation. |
| You cannot say how many bookings came in last month | A chat cannot be counted. |
What you can do yourself
These cost nothing but time. Do them before paying for software, including ours.
Move to WhatsApp Business on one business number
It is free. It gives you a business profile, quick replies and labels, and the number belongs to the business, not to a person.
Label every chat
Use labels such as new, quoted, confirmed, paid and done. The list of “confirmed” chats becomes your to-do list.
Keep one shared calendar or sheet
Google Calendar or a shared sheet. The rule: nothing is confirmed to a customer until it is written there.
Write a booking message template
A quick reply that asks for the same details every time: name, date, number of people, phone. Fewer questions back and forth.
Count for one month
Tally bookings, double bookings and missed orders. The count tells you what the problem is costing.
Today, and with a system
Today
- Agreements buried in chats
- Double bookings found when the customer arrives
- Bookings on personal phones
- No count of what came in
With a system
- Customers book or order from a link, any hour
- A slot or item cannot be sold twice
- Staff see one list of what is open today
- A confirmation message goes out by itself
- Monthly totals without counting
- Bookings arrive faster than one person can write them into the calendar.
- Customers want to book or order at night and at weekends.
- Deposits or payments must be taken to hold a booking.
- You have more than one branch, vehicle, room type or member of staff to schedule.
- Double bookings or missed orders happen every month.
What we would build
We build a booking or order page your customers open from a link, which you can put in your WhatsApp profile and quick replies. It shows only what is really available, records the booking, sends the confirmation and gives staff one screen of what needs doing today. WhatsApp stays for conversation.
A booking, order or stock system starts at N$12,999.99 and takes four to six weeks. Taking deposits online is an extra the estimator prices.
Common questions
Will customers use a link instead of just messaging?
Many will, if it is quicker than waiting for a reply. Those who prefer to message still can: staff enter the booking on the same screen. Either way there is one register.
Can it send the confirmation on WhatsApp?
Yes, as an extra. Automatic WhatsApp messages go through WhatsApp's business service, which charges per message. Email confirmations are included.
Is there a ready-made booking app I should use instead?
Possibly. If a ready-made service fits your kind of business, takes payment in Namibia and its monthly fee suits you, use it. Build or buy explains how to compare.
Describe the problem. We will send back a scope.
Say what is slowing the work down and who is affected. You get a one-page scope in plain words: what would be built first, how long it takes and what it costs. It is free, and you owe nothing if you do not go ahead.