Yelp has rolled out a nifty update to their platform, and will now allow users to schedule appointments from corresponding Yelp profile pages. The service is being rolled out to Spas and Salons first, but gives us the opportunity to schedule from within Yelp without making a call or migrating to another site. This is the latest step in Yelp’s Platform Partnership Program, and if successful, has a lot of implications and use.
In partnering with Booker, Yelp has brought in a heavy-hitter to manage the back-end solution of scheduling. Booker is a service for small to medium sized businesses, and provides everything from marketing solutions to creating a better online presence. Of course, they also handle scheduling, and have a dedicated service to meet the specific needs of salons and spas.
Currently, Yelp says they have “a select number of spas and salons are available for booking on Yelp Platform”. They plan to roll it out to other spas over the next few weeks, and note payment information can be saved as well — likely with Booker, not Yelp.
Better yet, Yelp is making the change effective across platforms. This change will be reflected on their website as well as mobile apps, so look for the update soon. As Yelp tries to regain their foothold as a review service, partnering with businesses for scheduling should bring in much needed revenue — for everyone.
Source: Yelp
