Why have a pre pay option

[Studiolux]

My salon is 100% pre pay but it give us so many issues using square. We can’t utilize the loyalty system, discounts and payroll has to be done manually. This is so unfortunate. Also why doesn’t square have a deposit option? 

[TheAyurvedic]

I have set up deposit options in my services. There is even a square credit card authorization form that clients can sign and give back to you to keep in their file for automatic payment, including the option to pay a deposit to "hold" their reservation. I am a board-certified health and wellness coach, and that's what I use to schedule my patients' appointments. 

[arickrtattoos]

Do you have a true deposit set up, that they prepay up front? Or just the option to put their card number in to reserve their spot? 

[Avani_RRS2010]

I have used both options and run into an issue where people would put a card in file and then by their appointment dates, the card would not longer be valid so cancellation fees could not be processed and I was still left in the lurch. I take pre-payments up front which has been a MUCH better option for assuring I don't lose money on flakey clients. 

[arickrtattoos]

What method have you found to be efficient in getting a deposit up front? I just hate chasing people down and reminding them to pay it. I don't have a lot of no-shows, so sometimes I wonder if it's worth all that hassle. But if it was something that was built into the square booking process, I would definitely do it.

[LusterSalon]

I use the Invoices feature as it has an option to take a prepayment/deposit. The only thing is Invoices lives separately from Appointments. 
As an example, I do extensions. I create an invoice for the total cost and process a partial payment/deposit. I book the install appointment which is in my system as 0.00. Then at install day, they pay the remaining balance and I process the appointment at 0.00 to show the history of their appointment. 

[Avani_RRS2010]

I require a 50% "pre-payment" (deposit) in order to book ALL appointments; in person or booking online. 

[Studiolux]

Square doesn’t have a deposit option

[Studiolux]

I use to run into that too so got 5 years it’s been pre pay only 

[Studiolux]

Mine is set up for 100% pre pay 

[Studiolux]

Square has a pre pay option when they schedule an appointment to secure their appointment 100% of the payment is due at the time of scheduling

[arickrtattoos]

My appointment costs vary because it's an hourly rate. So even though they book for a set amount of hours, we can sometimes get done early or take longer than the alloted time, so I can't have them fully prepay.

[Studiolux]

100% prepay

[Naturallychevy]

My issue with the "pre pay" "deposit" how do I end up charging the full price to clients and have that price show up in reports & payroll vs two different numbers 

[Studiolux]

That is one of my biggest issues. It makes payroll very hard. I wish square will find a way to make it easy for people that wants to use prepaid but don’t want to go through hours every week doing payroll. It is very irritating

[Studiolux]

I really hate this part of the prepay 

[Studiolux]

That’s the part. I do not like if a customer paid for a service and they don’t want the service to for a whole month. Payroll will try to pay the staff member before the service was done. 

[christiema]

Does anyone know if there is a way to only take deposits or prepay options for first time clients only?  I see they now have deposit options but I don't want to take a deposit from all clients, just first timers. 

[Studiolux]

I’m sure that will be an option in a few years. Square move kinda slow