The TIMIFY Reserve with Google App: how to use the app.
Reserve with Google is a service developed by Google. It allows anyone to self-schedule an appointment with service providers via Google Search, Google Maps, and Google Assistant.
Good to Know:
For the app to work, you need an active Google My Business account
Make sure to fulfil the pre-conditions listed below, otherwise Google won't approve your business
Reserve with Google accepts select business sectors only. To check whether your business sector qualifies, click here.
How this article is structured:
1. Pre-conditions and app setup
3. How the app works for customers
1. Pre-conditions and app setup
Below are the requirements you need to meet for the app to be approved and listed by Google.
Valid Company Name. Your TIMIFY company name and your Google My Business company name must be identical. You can update your TIMIFY company name from the Account section.
Valid Company Address. Your TIMIFY company address and your Google My Business company address must be identical. You can update your TIMIFY company name from the Account section.
TIMIFY Account Activated for Online Booking. Your TIMIFY account must meet all the requirements for online booking and be activated for online booking.
Validated TIMIFY Service(s). You must have at least one service - with a service description - activated for online booking. Service should be single service for single customer, not a group booking and If it has Online Payment, it should not be mandatory.
Keep in mind that Google accepts businesses from selected categories only. You can check the list during the app onboarding or by visiting this page.
Next, you will have to select which services you want to be bookable via Google, and activate the booking link, which will showcase a "Book now" button.
ℹ️ Note: The service needs to have a description.
Lastly, you can assign a booking tag to the reservations made through Google, so that you can easily keep track of them (this feature is only available for Enterprise plan users). This is useful if you want to track your bookings made from Google in the Statistics section.
Once you have installed the app and met these requirements, you can submit your request to Google.
2. Approval Process
Once submitted, it can take anywhere from 3-20 days for your request to be approved by Google. Once approved, your Reserve with Google App will be activated - you will not receive an email. If after 20 days your request hasn't been approved, contact our Support Team to find out why.
3. How the App Works for Customers
When someone searches in Google for your business or a service that you offer, your business will appear with a “book online” button in your Google My Business Profile.
…when the "book online" button is clicked, your services display via the TIMIFY Booking Widget, along with the description and a price…
…the customer can select their preferred service, date, and time:
The customer can then create a TIMIFY Booker account, book as a Guest, or log in via Facebook.
Once submitted, they'll receive an email from your TIMIFY account confirming their appointment. Meanwhile, the booking is added to your TIMIFY calendar, triggering notifications for resources included in the booking.
ℹ️ Note: On mobile devices, your customers will also see a Services tab, from which they can view the available services in Google and then book them via our Booking Widget.
4. How to Deactivate the App
You can temporarily disable the app anytime by clicking Deactivate Reserve with Google in the Status tab. This will take up to 24 hours to take effect. You can reactivate the app anytime - again, this can take up to 24 hours.
If you are sure you no longer wish to use the app anymore, you can uninstall it from your Apps.
5. FAQ
Q. Is it possible to show services without prices in Google Reserve?
Yes, it wasn't possible in the past, but after our latest update to the app, you can now show services without specifically assigning a price to them.
Q. Do the changes I make (e.g. regarding services) appear in Google immediately after I make them?
No, you need to wait up to 24 hours before they become visible in Google as well.