Below are answers the most common questions. Please contact us with additional questions!
What makes Online Scheduling Services different from other scheduling services?
We aren't handling your payment transactions, and you're not a 'staff' member of Online Scheduling Solutions. We simply set it up so your clients can pay you directly for your services. All you have is a small monthly subscription fee to use the software to help you run your business more smoothly.
We also set everything up for you - your calendar availability and locations, your email communications, importing your existing client information and more - and we help you connect your personal calendar, so you always have it at your fingertips. We're here to make the technical part easy, so all you have to focus on are your clients!
How does my client pay?
With Online Scheduling Services, your clients pay you directly. Decide if you want your clients to pay at time of booking, directly to your merchant account (PayPal, Square, Stripe, Cayan, Authorize.net, or E-xact), or if you will invoice them later. They can also pay by check, cash, or Venmo and you can mark them paid in the system.
Other scheduling companies require you to become 'staff' - where your clients pay the company, and they send your cut later.
What if I only have a couple clients?
That's fine, an online scheduling system will still save you time! Instead of manually scheduling and keeping track of your clients, you may have time to add a few more.
Do all my clients have to book online now, or can they still tell me verbally?
You can take appointments however works best for you. You can still add their appointment to your Google calendar, for example, and it will block that time on your scheduler. It could also generate an automatic email to your client, confirming their appointment, and sending them a link to pay online. If they prefer to pay by check, you can manually enter that amount to show that appointment has been paid.
Can clients book several appointments at a time?
Yes, clients can book several appointments at the same time. If preferred, they can request that you make their lesson a recurring lesson (ie: same time each week). You will make it a recurring appointment for them, or we can help you do that.
I only tutor during summer & breaks. Do I have to sign up for a whole year?
No, you may hibernate your account at any time for just $5/month, just contact us. We'll keep your schedules and clients, and activate it for the months you are using it.
Do I have to have a PayPal account? Do my Clients need PayPal?
PayPal is one of the merchant accounts you can use to be paid online automatically. It is probably one of the most common merchants. You may still accept checks or cash; you'll just have to manually update your invoices that you've Received Payment.
Your clients do not need PayPal; they will be taken to the PayPal page for checkout, but can use their credit cards to pay.
Can my clients pay me with Venmo?
They can, but not directly through the Online Scheduling Solution interface. You would just mark that as an 'offline' payment and update the system on your portal. Only PayPal, Stripe, Square, Authorize.net, and E-Xact have a direct interface with our scheduling solution.
What is the difference between PayPal Personal and Business Accounts?
- Personal: Recommended for individuals who shop and pay online, or wish to send or receive personal payments for shared expenses such as splitting of dinner bills or rental charges.
- Business Payments Standard (free) - For individuals and small businesses who accept credit cards and PayPal online, and who need a Merchant Account ID (required for our scheduling system). Click here to sign up.
- Business Payments Pro ($30/mo): For merchants who operate under a company/group name. It offers additional features such as allowing up to 200 employees limited access to your account and customer service email alias for customer issues to be routed for faster follow-ups.
Can I have both a PayPal Personal and a Business Account?
Yes, PayPal users can have one Personal and one Business account. Each account needs to have a unique email address. (from PayPal's website)