Flynn Audio (Sam) needs a way to collect an additional $300–$400 deposit when a booking involves high-value special order parts. The existing Bookly booking system only supports a standard service deposit; this enhancement protects against inventory risk when Sam must pre-order expensive parts (e.g., a $900 part) before a customer's appointment.
The core question is whether to implement this as a Bookly add-on (preferred UX) or as duplicate service tiers (fallback).
Related client: [1]
Related meeting: [2]
Sam directs customers to the Bookly booking page via email after quoting them — it is not a self-serve discovery page. He sends a link along with quoted options and available time slots, so customers arrive with intent. Because of this, the service list is intentionally kept simple (3 tiers by labor hours) rather than listing every individual service.
The problem arose from a recent job requiring a $900 special order part. Sam will not order high-value parts without a deposit that at least covers the part cost if the customer no-shows. A standard service deposit (covering labor only) is insufficient in these cases.
Add a multi-select "Special Order Parts Deposit" add-on to the existing booking flow. The customer would select their service tier as normal, then optionally (or as directed by Sam) add the parts deposit on top.
Pros:
- Cleaner UX — one booking flow, no confusion about which tier to pick
- Flexible amount — Sam could theoretically set different add-on values for different part costs
- Fewer items to maintain when prices change
Cons:
- Requires investigation into whether Bookly supports multi-select add-ons in the current configuration
- May require a plugin or plan upgrade
Action: Karly to investigate Bookly add-on capability and report back.
Create a second "Deposit + Special Order Parts" category in Bookly, mirroring the existing 3 service tiers but with $300–$400 added to each price.
This would result in 6 total booking options (3 standard + 3 with parts deposit).
Pros:
- No plugin changes required — implementable immediately
- Sam confirmed he can set this up himself if needed
Cons:
- More items to update when labor prices change
- Slightly more cognitive load for customers choosing between tiers
- Category selector becomes more meaningful (and currently redundant — see cleanup notes below)
Deposit amount: $300–$400 on top of the standard service deposit. Sam noted $300 would cover most special order scenarios; $400 provides more buffer.
During the same discussion, several other Bookly improvements were identified:
| Issue | Action |
|---|---|
| Category selector shows only one option ("Deposit") — not useful | Remove the category selector entirely |
| Facebook login option on the booking form | Remove — customers don't use real names on Facebook |
| Top content block on booking page feels like end-of-page on mobile | Move or remove; keep the form prominent |
| Step count discrepancy — Sam noted 5 steps previously, now 4 | Investigate; remove any redundant steps |
| Employee selector | Leave in place; defaults to Derek if no selection made |