Online scheduling platform, Schedulicity, announced Sunday that it will waive all fees for existing and new businesses for the next three months. The company, which provides online appointment booking and class scheduling, launched the initiative to support service-based businesses that are struggling in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak.
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As a SaaS platform that offers business tools for hairstylists, barbers, yoga instructors, and fitness studios, as well as massage therapists, facialists, and nail artists, Schedulicity customers are some of the Americans hit hardest by quarantine measures. As restrictions get tighter, customers are inevitably canceling or rescheduling haircuts, fitness classes, and self-care appointments.
“‘Social distancing’ is the opposite of what we stand for,” says Jerry Nettuno, Schedulicity’s founder and CEO. “We made Schedulicity to help people who are in the business of being close to people. Their tremendous sense of community is what drives them — and suddenly they’re being told they can’t continue their calling.”
Over the last week, Nettuno spoke with friends, family, and longtime customers to ask what Schedulicity could do to help.
“I spoke to a barber who had all of his appointments cancel today last-minute,” says Nettuno. “My daughter, who started her career as an esthetician this year, watched her book empty out.”
Nettuno decided to take the lead on how SaaS businesses respond to the crisis. Schedulicity announced Sunday that it will waive all of its fees until July 1, 2020. The initiative applies to Schedulicity’s current businesses, Nettuno says, but also to anyone who would like to use Schedulicity. New businesses and returning businesses can set up accounts free of charge.
“We were built by small businesses,” says Nettuno. “Now we’re in the position to help them navigate difficult financial situations and uncertain times. No one should feel like they have to choose between the tools they need or falling behind on their lease or mortgage.”
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In addition to waiving membership fees, the company will offer all of its add-on features for free. Along with appointment and class scheduling, Schedulicity provides tools including automated email marketing, text reminders, and credit card payment processing. Customers can turn on any features they need to help them communicate with clients over the coming months.
Schedulicity’s support team is also offering extra one-on-one sessions via email and phone to help customers determine exactly how to use the platform for their business needs and walk them through concerns or questions. The team logged extra hours on Sunday to field thousands of messages from customers and expects to answer hundreds of thousands more in the coming weeks.
Nettuno believes this type of community support is what will carry businesses, and their customers, through this crisis. “This is a nation built by small businesses,” says Nettuno, “We want to do everything we can to support them so that they emerge from this stronger than ever.”
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