Explain the amount due now, the remaining balance, and the booking terms with a clear example and an announcement you can adapt.
Explain the payment before the client chooses a time
For a salon or wellness studio introducing deposits, clarity starts on the service page. State the service price, how much is paid when booking, when the balance is due, and where the client can read your booking terms.
Apply your business’s actual terms to changes and cancellations, including what happens if you cancel the appointment. A short payment message should point to those terms, rather than leave the client to discover them after paying.
Show the deposit and balance together
Illustrative example in NGN: a facial is listed at ₦20,000. A 30% deposit is ₦6,000, leaving ₦14,000 of the service price to pay. Keep any additional booking fee visible separately so the client can understand the checkout amount.
Example: announcing deposits for a facial appointment
Illustrative announcement for the ₦20,000 facial above. The amount and wording are an example, not a notice about changes to Citruss pricing.
“We now ask for a 30% deposit when you book a facial. The appointment costs ₦20,000: you pay ₦6,000 when booking, leaving ₦14,000 to pay. At your appointment, we will use the PIN in your confirmation email to confirm the session. You will then receive an email link to pay the balance. Please read our booking terms before paying, and contact us if you have a question.”
For your own announcement, use your actual service, price, start date, and booking terms. Tell regular clients before their next booking and explain whether existing appointments are affected. Make the terms easy to find on your booking page.
Answer questions without making the process awkward
If a client asks why the payment has changed, explain your process plainly: “We now collect part of the service price when the appointment is booked, with the rest paid through the balance link.” Offer help finding the payment details or booking terms.
Keep a simple checklist: price visible; deposit visible; balance timing explained; terms available; confirmation checked. Use the same wording on your service page and in replies so clients receive one consistent explanation.
Understand what happens after the deposit
A deposit payment confirms the booking, but it does not mean the full service price has been collected. Keep that difference visible when checking your diary and money records.
At the appointment, open the booking and enter the PIN from the client’s confirmation email. Successful confirmation marks the session completed in Citruss and sends the deposit client an email link for the remaining balance.
| Stage | What happens | Your next action |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit paid | The client has paid part of the service price and the booking is confirmed. | Check the appointment details and the amount still due. |
| Appointment confirmation | You enter the client’s confirmation PIN in the booking. | Check the updated booking state and explain the balance-payment email. |
| Balance still due | The remainder has not yet been collected. | Ask the client to use their payment link; verify the payment state afterwards. |
| Balance paid | The record shows the completed payment. | Reconcile the payment record, fees, and service amount on the same basis. |
Agree changes directly with the client
If a client requests another time or a cancellation, use your stated booking terms and agree the next step with them. In the current booking flow, they contact your business to request the change; the request itself is not an automatic cancellation.
Check the appointment and payment records when agreeing what happens to the deposit. Confirm the agreed outcome in a short message, and make sure the visible records reflect it before treating the matter as finished.
Configure the payment rule and the details you need
In Citruss, this starts in Income, Payment. Choose one booking-payment rule: full payment upfront or a 30% deposit. Make your page and messages describe the rule you actually selected.
- Review the listed service prices in your account currency before announcing the change.
- Select the payment rule and check the client-facing amount due. Keep booking fees separate from the service deposit and balance in your explanation.
- Require a phone number when your reminder workflow needs it. WhatsApp appointment reminders on eligible plans depend on the booking having a phone number.
- Set the cancellation window available in Payment and explain how a client should contact your business if they need a change.
Check one complete booking journey
Before announcing the change widely, review the client-facing service, checkout details, confirmation, and balance-payment process. In Citruss, keep the booking and its payment status together so you can see what has been paid and what is still due.
After the first appointments, note which questions clients asked. Improve the explanation where people hesitated, and check any changed terms before using the announcement again.
See how Citruss can help.
Take full payment or a 30% deposit and keep the remaining balance connected to the booking.
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