How Does the Book Later Option Work In An On-Demand Service Provider App?
5 min readThe on-demand service provider app allows you to book services right away or for later. It will enable your customers to get nearby service providers’ information details, work backgrounds, and ratings seamlessly. However, suppose you want to build a business offering service provider services. In that case, it’s best to understand multiple features one by one. In this blog, you will learn the flow of the book later option for best user-interface standards.
Introduction
Service providers have ruled the on-demand marketplace since the location-based app industry took off. Today, a single service provider app can easily partner up with multiple app-based businesses. In return, the businesses can make profits from each single booking exclusively. Let’s learn about this business from the feature perspective and discuss the role of white-labeling as well. But first, let’s learn the book later option flow from start to finish.
Book Later Option Flow Explained: On-Demand Service Provider App
First, your customers select the type of service you need, such as on-demand service, video consultation, or service bid. Then, they choose the specific service and enter the location where they need it. Next, the app will show them nearby service providers for the category they selected. They can view them on a map or in a list that can be filtered based on the services available.
Moreover, they can select a provider and see their profile details, services offered, gallery images, and reviews from other customers. Afterward, they can book multiple services from the same category and provider at once. After selecting the services, they’ll see a booking summary where they can apply any coupon codes. Then, they choose whether to book right now or schedule for later. They also pick how to pay – cash, card, or wallet.
The option to book for later is only available if the provider is willing to come to the location. Otherwise, they’d need to go to their place of business. Now, once they book, the provider gets a notification and can accept or decline the request. If accepted, the booking becomes an ongoing job they can track.
Furthermore, the service provider can navigate to the location using the map, call/message the user, and see any special instructions. The On-Demand Service Provider app notifies the user when they’ve arrived at the location.
After completing the job, the provider can add any additional charges, and the user is notified that the job is done. An invoice summary is shown, and if paid by card, the money is automatically charged. If paid in cash, the customer pays the provider in person. Finally, they can rate each other on the app.
Read Also: Saas Products: Meaning and Benefits
Purpose of the Book Later Option
The book later option allows your customers to schedule a service appointment for a future date and time that is convenient for them rather than requesting it immediately. When selecting the services, they’ll see options to either “Book Now” or “Book Later.” If they choose “Book Later,” they can then pick the desired date and time slot they want the provider to come.
The app will show available time slots based on the selected provider’s calendar and when they have openings. Your customers can usually book several days or weeks in advance. However, instead of sending an immediate job request to the provider, the booking is just created as an upcoming scheduled appointment in the system.
Both your customer and the provider will be able to view and manage this upcoming booking in their respective calendars within the app. As the scheduled appointment time nears, the app will send reminders to them and the provider about the upcoming booking. The provider will then dispatch the job request shortly before the scheduled start time.
Moreover, the user receives a notification when the provider is on their way to your location for the scheduled booking. The rest of the process then proceeds similarly to an on-demand booking. The “book later” feature in an on-demand service provider app offers several key benefits:
Convenience
- Helps plan ahead and coordinate convenient times that fit the calendar
- No need to request services at the last minute or work around an immediate opening
Flexibility
- Anyone can book appointments days, weeks, or potentially months in advance
- Gives more time and date/time slot options to choose from
- Allows people to lock in a preferred provider before their calendar fills up
Access to Preferred Providers
- Top-rated or in-demand providers may have limited immediate availability
- Booking later ensures the user can still schedule the first-choice provider
- Avoids having to settle for someone other than the preferred pro
Avoid Rushing
- No need to scramble or rush to make immediate arrangements
- Gives time to prepare the service location, duties, instructions, etc.
The book later option gives users much more control, flexibility, and convenience when using an on-demand service app. It facilitates easier scheduling according to your precise needs and timeline.
Read Also: What Should You Consider When Expanding Your Business to Different Countries
How do you create an on-demand service provider app using Clone Scripts?
Using such clone scripts provides several advantages over building from scratch:
- Faster go-to-market with a ready-made product
- Proven functionality and features based on successful apps
- Lower development costs compared to building from zero
- Source code rights allow full customization as needed
- Easy to scale by adding new services/features later
The source code usually covers all the essential components – on-demand service provider apps for iOS/Android, customer apps, admin panels, iOS/Android service tracking, review system, secure payment integration, and more.
You simply purchase the license for the desired script, and then a team of developers can rebrand and customize it with your business name, branding, specific service categories, payment methods, and any other features you need.
Conclusion
Many app development companies sell these tried-and-tested clone scripts along with 100% source code licensing and ownership rights. This means you get complete legal rights over the source code to modify it as per your business needs. This white-label approach leverages established app models while allowing you to mold the product for your target market under your own brand name. It’s a great option for upcoming on-demand businesses to get a quality service provider app up and running quickly.