Card on File + No-show Protection + Appointments - how do they work together?

[HollyA]

Hi im in the salon & spa industry & we deal with no-shows quite often & currently use square invoice to collect no-show fees. however clients can choose not to pay so its really not the best way to protect your business against no-shows. I am interested in the Card on File feature but i am wondering about gratuity and no-show protection 

The title of this post has been edited from the original: "Card on file" for no-show protection?

[#2]

Hi there @helenabrooke78 and @RMConsultingLLC 👋 Thanks for reaching out to us here on the Seller Community. I consulted with our Appointments Team to help answer your questions. Here's the information they've provided me:
 

With Square Appointments, your client has the option to add a Card on File for future appointments, as well as providing their card information for No-Show Protection. While these options are similar, it’s important to understand the differences between the two.

Card on File: This is an optional selection that your client can make when booking an appointment that will allow them to save their card for future purchases. Card on File saves the card to the customer’s profile in your Customer Directory and allows you to charge it whenever you want. This is always optional to the customer and they can unlink their card at any time.

No-Show Protection: This requires clients to provide the card information to book appointments so that you can determine whether or not to charge them based on your cancellation policy. Card information provided through No-Show Protection can only be used for cancellations up to 14 days after the appointment and isn’t applicable on separate purchases or appointments.

A client can not remove the card from No-Show Protection, but they can, however, remove their Card on File from the Customer Directory.

For more information on No-Show Protection, please visit this section of our Support Center.

I hope this information is helpful but please do let us know if you have any additional questions.
 

[Tom · Accepted solution]

Hey @HollyA, thanks for bringing this up!

My best suggestion for no-shows is to go with Square Appointments and set up a cancellation policy. When you create your cancellation policy, you can require that a credit card be used to book online and set the expectation that your customer will be charged a cancelation fee if they do not show up.

Check out our Support Center for specifics, and let us know if you have any other questions! Hope this helps. 🙂

[Valentina · Accepted solution]

I wanted to drop into this thread to clarify a bit more! ✨ 

No-show Protection and Card on File are different features. A client does have the option to remove a Card on Fiile for future purchases, which is typically done when the appointment is booked and they select the Card on Fiile opt-in check box. However, a card cannot be removed from an appointment, as it is saved to that specific appointment for no-show protection.

We store the information we need to charge the card for a no-show fee with the appointment details, not a direct reference to the Card on File, exactly for this reason. Even if a client unlinks a card, we still have the information on hand in order for you to charge a no-show fee to that card if necessary.

You may think that your client unlinked their no-show card because you are unable to charge the no-show fee. What is most likely happening here is that you have selected Fee for each service within the Cancellation Fee settings section, and never assigned a cancellation fee to the particular service being booked. In this case, the booking system will not ask for a credit card:

[_Violet · Accepted solution]

Hi there @helenabrooke78 and @RMConsultingLLC 👋 Thanks for reaching out to us here on the Seller Community. I consulted with our Appointments Team to help answer your questions. Here's the information they've provided me:
 

With Square Appointments, your client has the option to add a Card on File for future appointments, as well as providing their card information for No-Show Protection. While these options are similar, it’s important to understand the differences between the two.

Card on File: This is an optional selection that your client can make when booking an appointment that will allow them to save their card for future purchases. Card on File saves the card to the customer’s profile in your Customer Directory and allows you to charge it whenever you want. This is always optional to the customer and they can unlink their card at any time.

No-Show Protection: This requires clients to provide the card information to book appointments so that you can determine whether or not to charge them based on your cancellation policy. Card information provided through No-Show Protection can only be used for cancellations up to 14 days after the appointment and isn’t applicable on separate purchases or appointments.

A client can not remove the card from No-Show Protection, but they can, however, remove their Card on File from the Customer Directory.

For more information on No-Show Protection, please visit this section of our Support Center.

I hope this information is helpful but please do let us know if you have any additional questions.
 

[Beautynpassion8]

I just found out even if you requested them to save the card online for protection that they can go back in take it off file. Which can cause a dispute if you charge them when they dont show up. How do you avoid this from happening?

[Kassi_]

Welcome back to the Community, @Beautynpassion8 - 

If your customers make the appointment with a credit or debit card - they aren't able to delete it from the appointment. The only time a customer can delete their card is on their Customer Profile. You are still protected and you can still charge the "no-show" protection fee. 

[Beautynpassion8]

I understand what you are thinking but it has happened to me. I have seen the cards not show up after they booked the appointment right in front of me and the card did not show up. Also how are we supposed to charge the card if it’s no longer on file. With the no show if there isn’t a card there it’s no way to charge them. 

[Beautynpassion8]

Also I would like to know how is it possible my clients have saved their card information on file in front of me but an hour later and the card information still didn’t update on the app

[AbbyRichy16]

Hey everyone! In order for my clients to secure their appointments, I’m now requiring a card on file. How can they securely add their card on file so I don’t have to do it over the phone every time? Thanks in advance.

[Kassi_]

Welcome to the Community, @nanluxamerica - 

Whenever the customer books the appointment it will provide a secure site to add their payment information. 

If you're requiring it for appointments, it won't let them proceed without entering. It will definitely save you some time instead of the manual process. 

Please let me know if you have any other questions. 

[ALX61]

Yes, this function works for most honest non-paranoid people. Let me explain. I'm an owner-operator of Alex's Barber Shop LLC, a thriving three-generation four-chair barbershop. Five years ago we adopted Square for all facets of the business from pos, marketing, and appointments with no show protection, and up to this point have been very happy with the full lot. As of recently, we have been experiencing people booking appointments and then removing their credit card from their file. And lo and behold these same people without recourse decide not to show for the booked appointment. This then prevents my staff from at least receiving the no show fee and also prevents our other loyal clients from booking that same time slot.

What am I to do? I can make my clients prepaid for the services. Though this feels like I penalizing my honest clients because of the few dead beats.

Square Team....Any suggestions?

Adam Stibinger

Master Barber/Founder

Alex's Barber Shop LLC

www.alx61.com

@ALX61

[helenabrooke78]

Hello,

I am curious as to why Square didn’t charge my clients card. She booked online, entered her card info, and we had the appointment. I do have the option selected to charge in the event of a no-show. I presumed that the card, since it was already added by the client, would be charged at the end of the appointment; however, it did not and I have no way to do so. Only, call them and ask them for payment again.

Does cancellation protection not  also use the card for running the payment? This seems odd to me. 

[Thesaltystylist]

Has this feature or resolution to this issue been corrected yet? Curious because after 13 weeks out of work my first bridal party of 7 HMUA opted for 4 rather, upon arrival nonetheless. It was tasteless because I contracted additional help to provide the highest quality bridal beauty experience, EVER. I’ll 100% send a contract to book large parties and appointments from this point forward. Because we need more security and less drama. 

[Joe]

Hi there, @Thesaltystylist - thanksf for reaching out and checking in on this thread. 

Would you mind clarifying which feature you are referring to? If you're specifically looking for information concerning charging a card on file for No-Show Protection, you can learn more on this specific feature here. 

If I missed the mark in interpreting your question, let me know! We are here to help.

[Tpageartistry]

For my clients who want to call and make their appointments,  I actually go to my booking site and book it for them,  collecting the card info as I go and reciting my cancellation policy as I habe it written online.  You cannot charge a no-show if the customer did not book it themselves. 

[UrbanShaveSD]

You can capture the credit card during checkout POS add it to the clients personal info under credit card on file.  

[PrimpPolish]

Will saving a credit card on file eliminate the need for that client to  enter their credit card information every time when booking online?

[Helen]

@PrimpPolish At this time you can save your client's credit card if you're using the Point of Sale app. It's not possible to save your client's card information from the Appointments app, though this is a very popular request and I'll share your interest with the Appointments team! 

Update: You can now charge a customer's card on file from the Appointments app. Additionally, you can can now save card information from your online Appointments Calendar or from your online Customer Directory.

We'll update this post if the ability to save a card on file from the Appointments app becomes available.

[s4Bb]

Hi Helen,

Im confused about the location of the credit cards. When patients book their appt, they provide a credit card but when I check out from appts, that credit card is no where to be found.

I search in the client/customer sections of appointments and POS.  Also, POS and appointments seem to have different info for the same patient. Twice I’ve just given up and sent an invoice after the session. 

How can the information be on be merged between the two platforms so that I can use the credit cards saved in POS when I’m using appts?

[katieand]

Hi @s4Bb - Are you not seeing the card on file section on your customer's profile in the Directory?

If you go to your Dashboard then click --> Customers --> then Directory (a top tab) --> then select the customer you want.

A side bar from the right should open up with more info about the customer, including any cards on file.

Let us know if you need more help finding this!

[s4Bb]

Hi again-

There seems to be a lot of missing info.  I have to keep opening up apps (appointments, pos) and some of the time there’s no card anywhere, even if we used it in the session. 

Whats most frustrating is when the merging isn’t working. I end up with more than one listing and only some of the appointments show up. 

Then there’s no place to merge. 

My my question is, if they are required to supply a credit card when they make the appointment, why isn’t it available to use to pay for the appt. In essence, what’s the point of requiring a credit card for potential no shows if you can’t ever use it?

I feel like it would be best to set up an appt with a square person to walk me through what’s happened to my system. 

[Helen]

@s4Bb Hmm, if you're seeing duplicate Appointments and have general questions about your set up I recommend calling our CS team. Ask to speak to an Appointments specialists and they'll make sure you're all set up! 

To answer your question about your clients' cards: If your client provides card information at the time of booking because you've set a cancellation policy that card information is not stored as a card on file. Rest assured if your customer doesn't show up you can enforce your cancellation policy and to charge their card (you have 14 days to charge your customer).

But to store a client's card on file for future payments, you can save their card on file from your online Appointments Calendar or from your Customer Directory. After the card information is saved this way you can then charge their card from the Appointments or Point of Sale app.

[Timelessbeauty]

Yes please much needed!

[Tpageartistry]

What are our options if the card is declined when charging a no show fee? 

[EJ_]

@Tpageartistry You're correct here, No-Show Protection is only available for appointments booked online and can’t be applied to appointments created from your Appointments dashboard or app.

In regards to declined cards, we try to prevent this by verifying that the card is valid when it is added with a small authorization charge. 

We immediately void the charge once the authorization is successful. If the card that you have on file for No-Show Protection is declined, unfortunately there's not much we can do on our end, as we can't attempt to process the payment again due to network regulations.