A cancellation with enough notice can often be rearranged. The problem comes when the message arrives after the working day has started or the client does not turn up. That time was reserved for them and, in many cases, there is no longer a chance to offer it to someone else.
Protecting an appointment does not mean making it harder to book. It means agreeing in advance what happens if the client cancels late or does not attend.
With Apúntalo, you can work with no guarantee, ask for a deposit or request a card guarantee. The difference is when the client pays and what the business can do afterwards.
Three ways to protect a booking
Each service can use one of these policies:
- No financial protection. The client books without paying or leaving a card as a guarantee.
- With a deposit. The client pays part or all of the price when booking.
- With a card guarantee. The client leaves a card, but nothing is charged at that point.
Ask for a deposit when the client books
A deposit turns the booking into a confirmed payment. You can charge part of the service price or the full amount in advance.
The client sees the amount before confirming. If they cancel within the free cancellation period shown when booking, Apúntalo starts the refund. Outside that period, the business decides whether to keep or return the deposit, in line with the stated policy and applicable law.
This option works well for long appointments and services that require preparation or materials to be reserved in advance.
Use a card as a guarantee
With a card guarantee, nothing is charged when the client books. Stripe handles the full card details and Apúntalo does not store them.
The business sets the maximum guarantee amount, which cannot be higher than the service price. The client sees this limit and the free cancellation period before confirming.
If the client does not attend or cancels outside the free period, the business can decide whether to take the payment. This is a manual action. Marking a booking as a no-show does not charge the card automatically.
The guarantee can be charged from the start of the late cancellation period until seven days after the appointment.
Set terms that work for your diary
Every business needs a different amount of notice to rearrange an appointment. A short service may be fairly easy to fill again, while a long slot or a service that needs preparation may require more time.
In Apúntalo, you choose how long the client has to cancel free of charge. The client sees this condition before confirming, together with the deposit amount or the maximum card guarantee.
Choose a period that gives you a real chance to fill the slot again and remains reasonable for the client. Both sides should know in advance what will happen if plans change.
Which fees apply
Apúntalo charges 1.44% of the amount actually captured, including tax. Stripe’s processing fees are separate.
A deposit means taking a payment when the client books. With a card guarantee, Apúntalo’s 1.44% only applies if the business decides to make the charge. If the guarantee expires without a charge, there is no captured amount on which to calculate that fee.
The initial version of Payments is available to entities established in Spain that operate in euros and have an active Apúntalo subscription. The payment terms contain the full details.
Which option suits your business
A deposit gives protection from the point of booking. A card guarantee avoids an upfront payment and lets the business decide whether to charge if the terms are broken. You can also keep bookings unprotected when the risk is low.
WhatsApp reminders and confirmations help stop forgetfulness from turning into a no-show.
If a cancellation frees a slot, a waiting list can help you find another interested client.
The best policy is not the strictest one. It is the one you can explain in a sentence and apply consistently. The client knows what they are accepting and you know what to do if they cancel late or do not attend.
