Introduction

Before enabling the Customer Portal to your customers, there are a few settings that you should review and update if needed due to layout changes, the new booking workflow, and expanded shopping options in the Customer Portal.

Step 1: Review Booking Categories & Descriptions

You can customize the description that pet parents see for each booking category in the Customer Portal. This description appears when customers begin the booking process and helps them understand what each category includes.

1. Navigate to Configuration
   Go to Admin > Reservation Types & Services Configuration.
   
   

2. Select 'Edit Category Description'
   Click the Edit Category Description button to open the description editor.
   

3. Enter or Update the Description

   • Add clear, concise details about the services offered in this category.

   • Use this space to highlight important information such as requirements, special notes, or what pet parents should expect.
     

4. Save Your Changes
   Click Save to update the Customer Portal immediately.
   

Step 2: Review Services and Deposit Custom Text

You can add custom text to a few places to notify customers of important information and really promote your business and services!

To review and update the text options for the Customer Portal, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to Left-hand Navigation: Admin » Reservation and Appointment Requests.
   
   
2. Review Reservation Request Services Text. This text will appear in a pop-up if a customer requests a reservation, but does not select any additional services for their pet during their stay. This is a great place to try and upsell the customer some of the amazing services that you offer. Leave it blank if you do not want a pop-up message to appear.
   
   
   
3. Review Deposit Policies Custom Text. This text will appear as your customers go to submit payment for any deposits.
   
   

Step 3: Review New Portal Customization Settings

With the Customer Portal, there are new options for customization that were not available before. These new settings will allow you to enable or disable certain pages and actions on the Customer Portal like the ability to show Webcams, Rewards Points, and more.

Take a moment to think about which of these features you use for your business, and whether or not you want your customers to be able to view or complete these actions through their online Portal.

1. Navigate to Left-hand Navigation: Admin » Portal Customization.
   
   
2. Enable or disable the following settings depending on your business:

• Allow Membership Purchases from the Portal? This will hide the Shop Memberships page in the portal if you don't allow customers to purchase any memberships online.
  
  

• Allow Package Purchases from the portal? This will hide the Shop Packages page from the portal if you don’t allow customers to purchase any prepaid packages online.
  
  
• Allow Retail Purchases from the portal? This will hide the Shop Retail page from the new portal if you don’t allow customers to purchase any retail online for in-store pickup.
  
  
• Allow Subscription Purchases from the portal? This will hide the Shop Subscriptions page from the new portal if you don’t allow customers to start their own package subscriptions online.
  
  
• Show Rates section on the portal? This will hide the View Rates page from the new portal if you don’t want customers to see any of their rates for reservation types and services in the portal.
  
  
• Show Reward Points balance on the portal? This will hide the Reward Points page from the new portal if you don’t use the Gingr Loyalty Rewards feature.
  
  
• Show Webcams link on the portal? This will hide the Live Webcams page from the new portal if you don't use webcams with Gingr.

Related Resources

• Go Live with Customer Portal Topic Outline
• Test Customer Portal How-To
• Enable Customer Portal How-To
• Notify Customers of Customer Portal How-To