The durations specified on bookings are just estimates, and you can always negotiate with the customer for a different amount of time.
- After you claim a booking: We recommend that you reach out to the customer for more information if you cannot assess whether or not you’ll be able to complete everything in the time estimated.
- Before you start: It’s a good idea to be upfront with your customers and let them know they may need to add time to complete the job to your level of satisfaction. If you or the customer don’t want to add hours to the booking, you are not obligated to stay past the estimated duration.
When you negotiate adding time to a job, the customer must approve the addition. If you don’t confirm it with them, you won’t be eligible for additional hourly pay.
Note: bookings made through any of our retail partners (except Lowe’s & Google Nest Maintenance) allow the addition of up to 2 hours at no additional cost to the customer as long as the customer has confirmed the additional time. If more than 2 additional hours are needed beyond the original booking time, the customer must approve the additional time and accept any charges related to these added hours.
There are two options to confirm additional time with the customer:
Option 1: Reach out to the customer using the in-app chat feature and ask them to confirm the additional time in a message
- Step 1: Message customer to request extra time, i.e. “As we discussed, I will need an additional 2 hours to complete this task. Please respond to approve.”
- Step 2: Wait for a response from the customer. Any affirmative response is acceptable, i.e. “Yes, that’s fine”, or “I confirm”, or “I approve”, or even “OK”.
- Step 3: Use the chat feature in the bottom right corner of this page, or email partner@mysquard.com and let us know the customer confirmed a time extension via in-app chat.
Tip: Most pros find it easiest to have a quick verbal conversation at the same time they’re sending this message, so that the customer is ready to respond immediately.
Option 2: Request Additional Time in-app via the Job Support menu
For certain types of bookings, the MySquard vServices for Pros app will allow you to request additional time directly through the Job Support menu on the booking.
Step 1: After Checking In, navigate to the Job Support menu. It will show an option titled “I need more time to finish the job” if your booking is eligible to add time in-app.
Step 2: Select the amount of time you and your customer agreed to add, and submit the request.
Step 3: The customer will receive a text message asking them to confirm the extra time. Once approved, you’ll be notified via text message and your payment will be updated when the booking window ends.
Note: The customer has until the end of the booking window to accept or deny the request. If you don’t receive a confirmation text noting the approval or denial of your request, please discuss with the customer what tasks they’d like prioritized for the booking since the booking hours and payment will remain the same. Complete the booking to the best of your ability and check out of the job as you normally would.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I access the “I need more time to finish the job” feature?
Once you have checked in at a job and the booking time has started, you’ll be able to access this feature using the Job Support menu in the app, and selecting “I need more time to finish the job.”
Although you can request additional time at the end of the booking, we recommend asking about the full scope of the job after claiming or upon arrival to set expectations with the customer, understand if you’ll potentially need more time, and if so, request it as soon as possible to avoid confusion at the booking end time.
What if I don’t see “I need more time to finish the job” in the Job Support menu?
This feature is available on select jobs, but you can still add extra time by messaging the customer in-app, getting their approval, and reaching out to partner@mysquard.com to process the change.
How long does it take the customer to approve the additional time?
Once you request additional time through this feature, the customer will receive a text message with the request. You can ask them to be on the lookout for the text so they can respond quickly. Most customers approve within 30 minutes if they have already been informed. Once they reply, you will receive a notification if your request was approved or denied.
What happens if a customer does not approve the additional time?
Many Pros find it helpful to discuss how much extra time is needed with the customer before requesting additional time. If you or the customer don’t want to add hours to the booking, you are not obligated to stay past the estimated duration, but please work with the customer to prioritize and complete as much as you can.
If the customer does not approve your request for additional time and the job cannot be partially completed within the original time, please reach out to Pro Support live chat for further assistance.
How will I be paid for the additional time?
You will be paid for the additional time that the customer has approved the same way that you are paid for the job, in your weekly batch payment.
Need help? Contact us using the blue chat icon in the bottom right, or email us at partner@mysquard.com.