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Phase 2: Booking everywhere (good to have)

Goal

A client can book from the website, Instagram, WhatsApp, Google Maps, and AI chats (ChatGPT etc.). All channels write to one calendar, so there are no double bookings.

Architecture principle

 Website widget ─┐
 Instagram "Book"┤
 WhatsApp bot ───┼──► ONE booking backend (availability, services, staff, payments)
 Reserve w/Google┤
 AI chat (MCP/   │
  app/action) ───┘

Options to evaluate

  1. SaaS booking platform with integrations (e.g. SimplyBook.me, Fresha, Setmore, Square Appointments) [compare].
  2. Launch comparison and buy-vs-build estimate: Booking tool: buy or build?.
  3. Often already connects to Reserve with Google and the Instagram/Facebook "Book" button.
  4. Check that it has an API, supports DE/EN/FR/IT, CHF, TWINT, and has Swiss/EU data hosting.
  5. Custom backend (fits if the site is Rails): own API, with SaaS-like channel integrations built step by step.

AI chat channel

  • WhatsApp: needs the WhatsApp Business API (Meta verification, see 01-business-setup-ch.md). An AI agent answers in the client's language and books via the backend API.
  • ChatGPT / Claude / other assistants: expose availability and booking as a tool (e.g. an MCP server or app). This needs a backend with a clean API, which favours option 2 or a SaaS with a good API.
  • Rules: confirm before booking, collect the minimum personal data, no health advice, hand over to a human easily.

Phase-1 decisions that must not block this

  • Choose a stack and booking tool that have an API.
  • Use one phone number for WhatsApp that can later move to the API.
  • Keep services, durations and prices in business.yml with stable IDs.