Manage hair appointment requests across channels without mixing them up

Where should you gather requests from different channels?

Choose something you actually consult before replying, such as a notebook or a private working table. Use that same place for requests received by phone, message or in person. Note the original channel and the date of the latest exchange so you can find the conversation without copying every message.

This list helps you decide what to do next. It should not become a second schedule that contradicts the first. Adding a message to a list does not turn it into a booking. Check appointments already recorded in your booking tool before offering a time.

What should you note before offering an appointment time?

For each request, record enough of a client reference to find the conversation, the requested service, the preferred day or time range, the proposed location and the next action. If something is missing, write down what you need to ask instead of assuming a service or duration.

Keep notes to what is useful for the appointment and do not put them in a public document. Avoid making extra copies of photos or personal conversations. A simple reference to the original exchange can let you return to it when a detail needs checking.

How do you separate an enquiry from a confirmed appointment?

Use simple labels in your own list. ‘Needs clarification’ means information is missing. ‘Proposal sent’ means a time has been discussed but the next step still needs checking. ‘Confirmed’ should mean an appointment has actually been accepted and appears in your reference schedule. These are personal working labels, not claimed BabaCoiffure statuses.

Before saying ‘confirmed’, check the day, time, service and location in your schedule. If someone books online after an initial conversation, find the resulting appointment before closing the request. Sending a link or receiving a ‘yes’ in a message does not by itself prove an online booking is complete.

What if the same person contacts you in two places?

Match the conversations only after checking that they concern the same person and request. A matching first name is not enough. If you are unsure, ask whether the new message concerns the appointment already discussed. Keep one next action in your list, with enough references to find both exchanges.

If two people ask for the same time, check the commitments you have already made first. Do not confirm both and expect to resolve the conflict later. If a time is no longer possible, explain this in the conversation and offer only an alternative you have checked. That check remains your responsibility.

When should you direct a request to your booking link?

Once the service and location are clear, you can direct someone to your public profile if that offer is actually available there. Check the visible information and the times offered before sharing the link. If a request falls outside your offer, clarify it before directing someone to a service that does not fit.

BabaCoiffure’s current product presentation describes the public profile, services and selection of an available time. It does not turn this method into a shared inbox: this guide promises no message import, automatic matching of requests or confirmations sent to your other channels. Check your actual configuration and the displayed terms.

Fictional example: one request received twice

A client calls about a Saturday appointment, then sends you an Instagram message. You find the first conversation and ask whether the message concerns the same request. The service still needs clarifying, so you keep one ‘needs clarification’ entry. After checking your offer and schedule, you explain the next step. You mark the request ‘confirmed’ only after checking the appointment that was actually accepted.

Before your next reply

• Find the original exchange and check whether a request already exists.
• Clarify the service, preferred day and location without guessing missing details.
• Check appointments already accepted before offering or confirming a time.
• Record one next action and separate a pending proposal from a confirmation.
• After an online booking, check the actual appointment before closing the request.

How do you set booking availability when you work alone?

Frequently asked questions