Are there System Requirements?
Any web-enabled and internet-connected phone, tablet or computer can access your unique Tele-Consultation booking page to initiate the request. Your salon must be running either a current cloud or desktop version of DaySmart Salon. Desktop users will also need a Remote Access license (normally $9/mo), and that can be added for free by contacting Sales. In order to conduct a video consultation, both the stylist and the client will need access to a working webcam at the time of the call.
Can more than one stylist use this service?
Because of the urgency presented by the pandemic, we fast-tracked this development and designed it as a single-user service, meaning one stylist would be sending campaigns to clients and reviewing those consult requests and conducting the consultations. We may include robust multi-user functionality in subsequent versions of a tele-consultation service, but this service was designed with one user in mind. This does not mean that multiple employees cannot use the existing service, but it does mean:
You’ll need to perform a little coordination on availability - remember this free service does not use the DaySmart Salon calendar to track consultations, it uses the Consult tab in your online account.
If you could send a campaign to all clients you could assign the consultations based on the regular stylist.
Each stylist with upcoming calls would have to be notified login to consult with their clients at the requested times.
Will this service always be free?
Yes. We released this to help you stay in touch with clients beyond emails and texts. We hope it serves some purpose for our many valued customers at this trying time. We will never charge you for using this service.
How would I charge clients for tele-consultation services?
There is currently no integration with our credit card processing partners, so whether you use one of our existing processors or your credit card reader was provided by your bank or a third party like Square, the process will be the same:
Decide if you want to take deposits when accepting the booking request, at the start of the consultation, or at the completion of the call. Make that policy clear in your tele-consultation promotional communications.
For each approved request, create a ticket for the correct amount in DaySmart Salon.
Contact the client for a credit card number. With CardConnect, you may already have that number stored in DaySmart Salon.
Process the consultation payment as a ‘card not present’ transaction though your merchant portal or on your processing terminal/POS.
Do you plan to further integrate this service with DaySmart Salon?
There is obviously real value to tightly integrating this service with the client database, appointment book, inventory and payment systems, as well as extending it to run with online booking or through our mobile applications. This was the fastest way to build this service, but it may not represent the best long term choice. We stand behind everything we make, and we will be here to support you to ensure it works as advertised. In all honesty, we don’t know how far we’ll expand this. We will take our cues from you - if stylists like it or would like it deployed in other ways, we’ll do everything we can to meet the need.