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The Customer Booking Experience

10-15 minutes

Tutorial 18.3: The Customer Booking Experience

Introduction

Understanding what your customers see when they book online helps you provide better service and answer their questions. The Luminate online booking portal guides customers through a 5-step process: selecting a service, choosing a stylist, verifying their identity, picking a date and time, and confirming their booking. If your salon requires deposits and has Stripe Connect active, customers also complete a deposit payment step after confirmation.

This tutorial walks through the complete customer journey, explaining each step from the customer's perspective. This knowledge helps you guide customers who have questions and ensures your booking settings create the best possible experience.

Who this is for: Salon owners, administrators, and staff who want to understand the online booking process from the customer's point of view.

What you'll learn:

  • Each step of the online booking process
  • What customers see at each stage
  • How verification protects against fake bookings
  • What happens after a booking is confirmed
  • How the deposit payment step works (when applicable)

Time to complete: 10-15 minutes to read through

Prerequisites

Before reviewing this tutorial:

  • Online booking should be enabled for your salon (Tutorial 18.1)
  • Services and staff should be configured
  • Consider opening your booking page in a separate tab to follow along

The Booking Journey Overview

When customers visit your booking page, they see your salon's business name, logo (if uploaded), and a Book Appointment heading. The booking process has five core steps, shown in a progress bar at the top:

  1. Services - Select a service
  2. Stylist - Choose a preferred stylist or "Any Available"
  3. Verify - Confirm identity via email or phone code
  4. Date & Time - Pick an available slot
  5. Confirm - Review details and complete the booking

If your salon requires deposits and has Stripe Connect active, customers are redirected to a Stripe Checkout page after Step 5 to pay their deposit (see Step 6 below).

Customers navigate using Continue and Back buttons at the bottom of each step.

Step 1: Select a Service

What Customers See

The heading reads Select a Service with the subtext "Choose the service you'd like to book". A list of all available services appears, each showing:

  • Service name
  • Price (or "From £X" if prices vary by stylist level)
  • Brief description (if you've added one)
  • Duration (e.g., "30 min", "45 min", "1h", "1h 30m", "2h"), with a "From" prefix if duration varies by stylist level
  • Deposit badge (if the service requires a deposit) - shown in amber text as either "X% deposit required" or "£X deposit required"

Services are displayed as selectable cards with radio buttons. Customers select one service per booking.

How It Works

  • Customers click a service card to select it
  • Only one service can be selected per booking
  • The selected service is highlighted with a coloured border
  • A summary appears at the bottom showing the selected service name, price, and duration

Note: If your salon uses staff level pricing (e.g., Senior, Junior, Director stylists at different rates), customers see "From £X" showing the lowest available price and "From" before the duration if it also varies. The exact price and duration are confirmed once they select a specific stylist.

When Customers Can Continue

The Continue button becomes active once a service is selected.

Common Customer Questions

"Why can't I see a particular service?" The salon controls which services appear on their online booking page. Some services may be available in-salon only. Contact the salon directly to book services not listed on the booking page.

"Why does it say 'From' before the price?" This means the price varies depending on which stylist you choose. You'll see the exact price after selecting a stylist in the next step.

Step 2: Choose Your Stylist

What Customers See

The heading reads Choose Your Stylist with the subtext "Select a preferred stylist or let us choose the best available". A list of stylists appears plus an "Any Available" option at the top:

  • Any Available - "We'll match you with the first available stylist"
  • Individual stylists - Listed by name with a profile icon and their staff level badge (e.g., Senior, Junior, Director)

A summary panel shows Your Selection with the selected service name, duration, and price. It also shows a "1 service" count, total duration, and total price. When a specific stylist is selected, the prices and durations in the summary update to reflect that stylist's level pricing (removing any "From" prefix). If the service requires a deposit and your salon has Stripe Connect active, a Deposit due line appears showing the deposit amount.

How It Works

  • "Any Available" is selected by default
  • Customers can select a specific stylist if they have a preference
  • Only one option can be selected (radio button behaviour)
  • Selecting a specific stylist updates the price and duration in the summary to show exact values (the "From" prefix disappears)

When Customers Can Continue

This step is optional. Customers can continue immediately with "Any Available" selected, or choose a specific stylist first.

Common Customer Questions

"Do I have to choose a specific stylist?" No, selecting "Any Available" means the salon will assign the first available stylist who can perform your selected service.

"What if my preferred stylist has no availability?" If they choose a specific stylist, only that stylist's available slots will show on the next step. If none are available, they can go back and select "Any Available" or try different dates.

Step 3: Verify Your Contact

What Customers See

The heading reads Verify Your Contact with the subtext "We'll send you a verification code to confirm your identity". Customers enter their contact details:

  • If your salon has SMS verification enabled, customers see two tabs: Email and Phone
  • If SMS is not enabled, customers only see an email input field

How It Works

Entering Contact Details:

  1. Customer enters their email address (or selects Phone tab and enters mobile number if SMS is enabled)
  2. They click Send Verification Code

Verification Process:

  1. Luminate sends a 6-digit code to their email or phone
  2. The customer enters this code in the 6-digit input field
  3. The code auto-submits when all 6 digits are entered, or the customer can click Verify Code
  4. Once verified, they automatically proceed to the next step

For Returning Customers: If the email or phone matches an existing customer in your system, they're recognised and their details are used for the booking.

For New Customers: If the email or phone is new, customers are prompted to enter their first name and last name after verification succeeds. Both fields are required. Once they submit their name, a customer record is created and they proceed to the next step.

Additional Features

  • If a code doesn't arrive, customers see a countdown "Resend in Xs" - once it reaches zero, they can click Resend code
  • They can switch to a different contact by clicking "Use a different email" or "Use a different phone"
  • Phone numbers support international formats with country selection

Selecting Your Profile (Multiple Matches)

Occasionally, a customer's email or phone number matches multiple existing profiles in your salon's database. This can happen when:

  • A customer booked under slightly different names on previous visits
  • Family members share a phone number or email
  • A customer was accidentally added twice by staff

What customers see: When this happens, after verifying their code, customers see a "We found multiple profiles" screen showing:

  • A list of matching customer profiles
  • Each profile shows the customer's name, contact details (partially masked for privacy), and when they last visited (e.g., "Last visit: Jan 2025")
  • An "I'm a new customer" option at the bottom

How it works:

  1. The customer reviews the list of profiles
  2. They select the profile that belongs to them (their booking history will be linked to this profile)
  3. Or they select "I'm a new customer" if none of the profiles are theirs - they'll then be asked to enter their first and last name before continuing
  4. They click Continue to proceed with booking

For returning customers: Selecting their existing profile ensures the new booking is added to their appointment history, and staff can see their preferences and previous visits.

For genuinely new customers: Selecting "I'm a new customer" creates a fresh profile. If this creates a duplicate, salon staff can merge the records later using the Duplicates feature.

Why Verification Matters

This step prevents:

  • Fake or spam bookings
  • Incorrect contact details
  • Anonymous bookings you can't follow up on

Every booking has a verified email or phone number you can use to send confirmations and reminders.

Common Customer Questions

"Why do I need to verify?" This confirms your contact details so the salon can send you booking confirmations and reminders.

"I didn't receive the code" Check your spam/junk folder for emails. For SMS, ensure you entered the correct mobile number. You can resend the code after 60 seconds.

"Can I use a different email/phone for different bookings?" Yes, but each booking is associated with the contact details you verify.

"Why am I being asked to select a profile?" This means your email or phone matches more than one customer record in the salon's system. Select the profile that's yours to ensure your booking history stays together. If you're truly new, select "I'm a new customer".

Step 4: Date & Time

What Customers See

The heading reads Choose Date & Time with the subtext "Select your preferred appointment time". The page shows:

  • A calendar showing the current month
  • Available dates are highlighted with a green background and a small green dot
  • A legend at the bottom of the calendar showing Available and Selected indicators
  • After selecting a date, available time slots appear in a grid below the calendar

How It Works

Selecting a Date:

  1. Available dates are marked with a green dot and green highlighted background
  2. Customers click on an available date to select it (the selected date turns solid)
  3. They can navigate between months using the arrow buttons either side of the month name
  4. Today's date has a ring around it for reference

Selecting a Time:

  1. After selecting a date, time slots appear below the calendar with the formatted date shown (e.g., "Monday, 9 February")
  2. Available slots show as selectable buttons in 24-hour format (e.g., "09:00", "09:30", "16:00")
  3. Each slot shows the start time of the appointment
  4. Customers click a slot to select it

How Availability is Determined: The system shows slots where:

  • A staff member (the selected one, or any if "Any Available") is rostered
  • The slot isn't already booked
  • The time fits within your minimum lead time and maximum advance settings
  • There's enough time for the selected service plus any buffer time

Common Customer Questions

"Why are some dates greyed out?" Dates without availability appear greyed out. This could be because:

  • Staff aren't rostered on those days
  • All slots are already booked
  • The date is beyond your maximum advance booking limit
  • The date is within your minimum lead time

"I selected a stylist but there's no availability" Go back and try "Any Available", which shows all staff availability, or check dates further in the future.

"The time I want isn't available" That slot may already be booked, or staff may not be available. Try a different time or date, or contact the salon directly.

Step 5: Review & Confirm

What Customers See

The heading reads Review & Confirm with the subtext "Please review your booking details before confirming". The page shows:

Deposit Notice (if applicable): If the service requires a deposit and the salon has Stripe Connect active, an amber notice appears at the top showing "Deposit Required" with the deposit amount and a message that the customer will be redirected to a secure payment page after confirming.

Booking Summary Card:

  • Service - Service name and price
  • Stylist - The assigned or selected stylist (or the specific stylist name from the time slot)
  • Date & Time - Full date and time
  • Duration - Total appointment length (with "From" prefix if applicable)
  • Total - Total price (with "From" prefix if applicable)
  • Deposit due today - If a deposit is required, this line appears below the total showing the deposit amount

Booking for - The customer's name and verified contact details (email or phone)

Communication Preferences - A section where customers choose how they'd like to hear from the salon:

  • Appointment Reminders - Toggles for Email, SMS (if customer has a phone number), and WhatsApp (if customer has a phone number)
  • Promotions & Offers - Toggles for Email, SMS, and WhatsApp for special offers, promotions, and birthday greetings

Special Requests (optional) - A text field for notes

Terms & Conditions - If you've configured booking terms, a scrollable text box displays the terms and a checkbox reads "I have read and agree to the terms and conditions"

How It Works

  1. Customer reviews all details
  2. They set their communication preferences using the toggles
  3. They can add optional notes in the "Special Requests" field
  4. If terms are configured, they check the box to accept your terms and conditions
  5. They click Confirm Booking to complete the booking (or Confirm & Pay Deposit if a deposit is required)

After Clicking Confirm

When a deposit is required, clicking Confirm & Pay Deposit briefly shows a "Redirecting to secure payment" loading screen with a spinner and the deposit amount before redirecting the customer to the Stripe Checkout page (see Step 6 below).

When no deposit is required, clicking Confirm Booking creates the booking and takes the customer straight to the Booking Scheduled confirmation page.

The Confirmation Page

The confirmation page shows:

  • A success message: "Your appointment has been scheduled. We'll be in touch shortly to confirm."
  • Their booking reference (format: XX-YYYYYY, e.g., "LH-F54E32")
  • Full appointment details including date, start and end time, stylist, service, duration, and total
  • Deposit status (if applicable) - shows whether the deposit payment was successful or cancelled
  • A Your Details section showing the customer's name and verified contact details (email and/or phone)
  • A Salon Details section showing the salon's address, phone number, and email
  • An Add to Google Calendar button
  • A Manage Booking button (only if self-service rescheduling or cancellation is enabled)
  • A Book Another Appointment button to quickly book again without re-verifying
  • A confirmation notice showing where the confirmation was sent (email or phone)

Common Customer Questions

"Can I add notes to my booking?" Yes, use the "Special Requests" field on the confirmation step. This is useful for things like "Running 5 minutes late" or "Please avoid a particular product".

"What's the booking reference for?" The reference (e.g., "LH-F54E32") uniquely identifies your booking. Quote it when contacting the salon or checking in.

"Will I get a reminder?" If the salon has reminders enabled, you'll receive them by email or SMS before your appointment.

Step 6: Paying Your Deposit (When Required)

If the salon requires a deposit for the service you've booked and has Stripe Connect active, you'll be redirected to a payment page after clicking Confirm & Pay Deposit.

What Customers See

A Stripe-hosted checkout page showing:

  • The salon's name
  • The service requiring a deposit, with the deposit amount
  • The total deposit amount
  • A secure card entry form

How It Works

  1. After clicking Confirm & Pay Deposit on the review step, the booking is created and the customer is redirected to the Stripe Checkout page
  2. The customer enters their card details
  3. On successful payment, the customer is returned to the booking confirmation page with a deposit status of success
  4. If the customer abandons the Stripe page without paying, the booking is automatically cancelled after 30 minutes

Common Customer Questions

"Is the Stripe payment page safe?" Yes. Stripe is a PCI-compliant payment processor trusted by millions of businesses worldwide. Your card details are handled entirely by Stripe - the salon never sees or stores your full card number.

"What if I don't pay the deposit?" If you don't complete the payment within 30 minutes, your booking will be automatically cancelled and the time slot will become available for others. You would need to book again.

"What if I close the page by accident?" If you close the Stripe page before paying, you have up to 30 minutes to return and complete payment (check your email for a link). After 30 minutes, the booking is cancelled.

"Why is the deposit amount different from what I expected?" If the salon uses percentage-based deposits with different prices per stylist level, the deposit is calculated based on the price for the specific stylist you selected.

After the Booking

What Customers Receive

  • Confirmation email or SMS - Sent immediately with booking details
  • Calendar invite option - They can add the appointment to Google Calendar
  • Management link - If self-service is enabled, a link to view, reschedule, or cancel

What Appears in Your Salon

The booking appears in your:

  • Appointments page - Listed with other bookings
  • Calendar - Shown on the relevant date/time
  • Dashboard - Counted in today's appointments (if applicable)

The appointment shows the customer's name, service, time, and a note that it was booked online.

Common Pitfalls

"Customer says they booked but we don't see it"

  • Check if they completed all steps including the final confirmation
  • Ask for their booking reference
  • Check under the correct date in your appointments
  • Ensure you're looking at the right salon (if you have multiple)

"Customer's name doesn't look right"

New customers are asked to enter their name during the verification step. If a customer's name appears incorrect, you can update it from their customer profile. The booking will always have their verified email or phone as a reliable contact method.

"Customer says the page is slow or not loading"

  • The booking page is publicly accessible; no login required
  • Suggest they try a different browser or device
  • Check your internet connection isn't blocking the page

Tips for Supporting Customers

  1. Test the booking process yourself - Book a test appointment using a personal email to experience what customers see.

  2. Keep your services up to date - Ensure names, descriptions, prices, and durations are accurate.

  3. Maintain your roster - The booking page only shows slots where staff are rostered. Keep rosters current.

  4. Monitor online bookings - Check your appointments list regularly for new online bookings.

  5. Add clear service descriptions - Help customers choose the right services by including helpful descriptions.

Related Tutorials

  • Tutorial 18.1: Setting Up Online Booking for Your Salon - Enable online booking
  • Tutorial 18.2: Managing Your Online Booking Settings - Configure constraints
  • Tutorial 18.4: Customer Self-Service - How customers manage bookings
  • Tutorial 18.5: Collecting Online Booking Deposits with Stripe - Deposit setup and management
  • Tutorial 10.1: Setting Up Appointment Reminders - Reminder configuration

Frequently Asked Questions

Can customers book without creating an account?

Yes. Customers don't need to create an account or password. They verify their identity with a one-time code, and their details are associated with the booking.

What happens if a customer closes the page mid-booking?

Their progress is not saved. They'll need to start the booking process again. However, the verification step remembers recently verified contacts.

Can customers book for someone else?

The booking is associated with the contact details entered. If someone books using another person's email, the confirmation goes to that email. It's best for each person to book using their own contact details.

Do customers see the same services as staff?

Not necessarily. Salon owners can choose which services are available for online booking in the booking settings (Tutorial 18.2). If specific services have been selected, customers will only see those. If no specific services are selected, all active services are shown.

How long do customers have to complete a booking?

Booking sessions expire after 2 hours of inactivity. Within that time, available slots may also become unavailable if someone else books them. Encourage customers to complete bookings promptly.

Can customers modify their selection during booking?

Yes, customers can use the Back button to return to previous steps and change their selections. Changes to the service or stylist may affect available times.

Can customers book multiple services in one appointment?

No. The online booking portal currently supports one service per booking. If a customer needs multiple services, they should book each one separately or contact the salon directly to arrange a multi-service appointment.

Last Updated: February 2026