Square Inc, has unveiled its AI-enabled automated messaging tool, Square Marketing Assistant to help customers manage appointments. The messaging application allows you to confirm, cancel, or change appointments without any action needed from businesses.
Square Marketing Assistant
The Artificial Intelligence (AI) bot can come in handy for businesses that struggle with confirming, canceling and rescheduling appointments. Square Assistant allows businesses to automate the rescheduling process by using Square Assistant. This allows small businesses to track appointments such as no-shows or rescheduling with ease.
The developers of Square Appointments say it is an all-in-one appointment scheduling, point of sale, and payment processing.
Easing Scheduling Headaches
Clashes in scheduling and cancellations make it difficult for small businesses to stay on top of their appointments. For businesses in the service industry who rely on appointments, schedules mishaps can lead to losses in business.
Square Assistant comes with a 24/7 online booking capability, automated text and email reminders along with seamless payment processing. The application allows customers to change schedules by linking them to the web-based calendar.
The calendar entries include a checkout button allowing for quick and easy payments or sending invoices. At the same time, it gives customers the ability to save their card on file through their customer account for even faster checkout. Customers can instantly book an appointment without ever leaving the Instagram app or, with a few clicks, find your business and book an appointment right from Google—at no additional cost. And the messaging tools work for both android and iOS so they can make the changes on their mobile device.
Cool Bells and Whistles
The free online booking site makes scheduling easier for your customers 24/7. For small businesses that want to be available day or night without the cost of a call center, this is a cost-effective option.
Once you set up your page with your logo, business hours and other pertinent information it will be displayed automatically. Your customers can then select services and availability. On your side of the system, you and your staff can accept or decline appointments and block out personal time. An added feature lets admins manage every location from one account and give employees different levels of access to adjust their schedule. This same option also provides a view of employees’ schedules to see who’s available and who is swamped.
When it comes to customer appointsments you can request prepayment or charge a cancellation fee for online booking. At the same time, you can keep notes on clients to help keep track of their preferences, appointments and sales history. All of these interactions are in a reporting mechanism that can generate real-time sales reports by item, tender type, discounts, and more. You will be able to compare sales on hourly, weekly, and yearly basis.
AI Technology
Square Assistant is the first Square product to utilize Eloquent conversational AI technology. Square acquired Eloquent conversational earlier in May this year. Eloquent conversational uses conversational AI to increase customer loyalty, boost employee satisfaction and upgrade your efficiency. In the case of Square Assistant, the artificial component, tries to determine what users are trying to accomplish in the first place when they send a text message to the business.
With its simplified task of a few potential actions i.e. confirm, cancel or reschedule appointments small businesses now have an indispensable tool that can solve their scheduling woes. The ability to also see which staff is overbooked or under-booked makes it possible to keep track of productivity as well.
Pricing and Availability
Square Appointments is now available starting with a free version for an individual which lets you only process payments. If you have additional staff and need more calendars there is a $50 tier for two to five employees. And it goes up to $90 per month for six to 10 employees. However, if you have more than 10 employees you can get a customized package by contacting Square.
Image: Depositphotos.com
This article, “Square Assistant Uses AI to Manage Appointments with Your Clients” was first published on Small Business Trends