Inviting Customers from the Waitlist

Inviting customers from the waitlist is a simple process that helps you notify them when a spot becomes available for an event they’re interested in.

In this article, you will learn about

• Inviting customers from the waitlist
• Creating email or text templates
• Viewing the text and email you’ve sent
• What the text and email look like
• What happens if the customer books another time slot on the same listing.

Inviting customers from the waitlist

Waitlist works on a first-come, first-served basis. Once you open availability, anyone online can book the spot. If you want to guarantee a particular customer a spot, it’s best to contact them by phone or email first to confirm their interest before opening the spot.

Here's what to do:

1. Decide if you want to open the spot for anyone online or reserve it for a particular customer.
2. Manually increase the availability from the specific time slot in the Calendar Workspace.
3. Invite the customer by clicking the text or email icon under "Actions" to send them a booking invitation.

Creating email or text templates

Occasion now allows you to create an email or text message template, so you don't have to rewrite the same message repeatedly.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Navigate to "Settings" from the sidebar menu and click on the "Account Settings" tab.
2. Select "Your Business" and go to "Messages".

From here, you can customize the text to include your business name when sending a message.

You can set a default text message for your waitlist notifications, which can be customized when sending a specific waitlist text. Here's how:

1. Draft your message

•  Create the default text that you want to use for all waitlist notifications.

2. Use automatic insertions

• You can include placeholders for real information, like the event date and time or event name, which will automatically update when sending the message.

You can also set a default note for your waitlist emails, which can be customized when sending a specific message.

• Draft your note by creating the default message you want to use for all waitlist emails, and use automatic insertions like open seat count or event name that will automatically update when sending.

Viewing the text and email you’ve sent.

Click on the "Messages" tab to view all the waitlist emails and texts you’ve sent to customers. You can identify the communication type by checking the page, and you can view the sent message by clicking "View." This will allow you to see the recipients along with their email addresses or phone numbers.

What the text and email look like

When it's time to invite customers from the waitlist, they will receive an automated email with the event details and a message from the business. The email will include a "Book Now" button, allowing them to sign up directly for the event.

For text messaging, the display may vary based on your device, but it will show the message you sent. You can easily view all sent messages in the "Messages" tab.

What happens if the customer books another time slot on the same listing

The customer will be removed from the waitlist for the original time slot since they have completed a booking for that listing.