Preferred staff
Two switches in Settings then Customer Portal. Record each client's preferred staff member: set it when editing a customer, and it shows on the customer, their animals and their bookings, and is picked first when you book them in or accept their online request. Customers never see it. Let customers choose who they book with: online booking asks "Who would you like?" from the staff who do that service, shows only that person's free times, and assigns the request to them; with preferences on too, their choice is saved as their preference.
Some customers always want the same groomer. PetDesk can remember who a customer prefers, and can let customers choose who they book with online. These are two separate switches in Settings → Customer Portal, and you can use either or both.
Recording a customer's preferred staff member
Switch on Record each client's preferred staff member. Then open a customer, click edit, and choose someone under Preferred Staff. Choose No preference to clear it.
The preference belongs to the customer, not the pet, because it's people who have favourites. Once it's set:
- It shows on the customer's page, on each of their animals, and under Staff Member on their bookings. If a booking is with someone else, the line is highlighted.
- When you make a booking for them, that person is picked for you. You can still change it.
- When you accept one of their online requests that hasn't got a staff member, that person is picked first in the window that asks you to choose.
Customers never see this. It's a note for your team, not a promise.
Letting customers choose who they book with
Switch on Let customers choose who they book with. When a customer books online and picks a service, a Who would you like? box appears with Anyone available and the staff who do that service. It only appears when more than one person does the service.
- If they choose someone, the calendar shows only that person's free times, taking their working hours and leave into account.
- The request arrives already assigned to the person they chose, so you can accept it without picking anyone.
- If you record preferred staff too, their choice is saved as their preference, and the box starts with that person next time.
This shows your staff's names to customers. Which staff are offered for each service comes from Settings → Services: a service with nobody ticked offers everyone.
Turning it off
Switching either setting off hides it straight away. Preferences you've recorded aren't deleted, so they come back if you switch it on again.