Read this to learn how to set up and benefit from the Pre-scheduled Pickup Times feature in the Supplier Portal.
What are Pre-scheduled Pickup Times?
Pre-scheduled pickup times allow suppliers with location-based pickups to automate and streamline the pickup scheduling process. This feature is designed for suppliers with a consistent, "bus-like" schedule.
Access the Feature: Go to Supplier Portal > Products > Options > Meeting Point or Pickup.
Eligibility: Available for suppliers with location-based pickups and consistent schedules.
Setup: Define pickup times once, and they will apply to all future bookings.
Why Use This Feature?
Previously, suppliers had to manually enter pickup times for each booking. Now, by setting a standard schedule, you can automate this process, saving time and reducing errors.
Efficiency: Set it once, and it applies to all future bookings.
Customer Experience: Provides clear and consistent information to customers.
Setting Up Pre-scheduled Pickup Times
Navigate to the Supplier Portal: Access the Product.
Select Options: Choose Meeting Point or Pickup.
Define Pickup Times: Set your standard pickup times for each location.
First, choose a “Reference start time” that matches an actual start time that appears on our website. The reference start time is just a reference and it won’t change your actual start time that appears for customers on the website. However, it’s important that it’s an accurate time because we’ll use this to calculate the offset between the start time and the pickup time.
Next, enter your pickup times for each location. You’ll notice that below each pickup time, we show you the offset between the start time and pickup time. For example, “Pickup: 30 min before start”. This offset between the start time and the pickup time is the key data we store and use.
If you have multiple schedules, let’s say a weekend schedule and a weekday schedule, you can still use prescheduled pickup times as long as you always have the same offset. For example, if on weekends your actual start time is 10am, but on weekdays your actual start time is 11am, but regardless you always pick up customers 30 min before, we’ll dynamically calculate this. On Weekdays, customers will see 10:30am for that location, and on weekends they will see 9:30am, always 30 min before the start time.
This feature also works if your start times are connected over API or manually entered into our systems. We always take the offset and apply it to the actual start times.
Important Tips
Consistency: Use this feature only if pickup times are the same across all schedules.
Reference start time: This data isn’t used, but it’s still important to choose a real start time that appears on our website to get accurate offset times between the start time and pickup time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does it apply to previous bookings?
A: No, it applies to future bookings after setup, not retroactively.
Q: Is this available for area-based pickups?
A: No, this feature is currently only available for location-based pickups. If your tour includes multiple specific pickup locations with consistent pickup times, this feature is ideal for your needs.
Q: Can suppliers update multiple tours at once?
A: Unfortunately, this is only possible for one tour at once.
Q: If I need to change the pickup time for an existing booking, how do I do this?
A: The good news is that it’s very simple to change the customer’s pickup time after they made a booking in the Supplier Portal. Simply go to the Bookings List or the Pickup Planner and edit the time there. Once you change the time, customers will immediately get notified over email and in their booking summary on our app and website.