Choose the payment moment first
Before choosing a deposit amount, decide when payment makes sense for your service. Some appointments are straightforward to pay for on arrival. Others involve preparation or a longer block of time that you want the client to commit to beforehand.
Payment at the appointment, a deposit, and full payment at booking are different choices. A deposit is a part-payment toward the service, not a guarantee that a client will attend. Keep the policy proportionate to your work and explain it before the client confirms.
Put the expectation in plain language
Tell clients how much is due when booking, how the remaining amount will be paid, and what happens if they change or cancel. Avoid making clients piece the policy together from several messages.
A simple example is: 'A deposit is paid when you book. The remaining balance is due at your appointment. Please read the change and cancellation policy before confirming.' Add your actual amounts and rules rather than copying those of another business.
- State the amount or percentage due upfront.
- Explain when the balance is due.
- Make change and cancellation terms visible before booking.
- Keep your written policy consistent with your booking settings.
Use a payment link for a specific request
A payment link is useful when an appointment has been arranged in a conversation, or when a balance needs to be collected afterwards. It gives the client a direct way to act without asking them to interpret bank details in a message.
Check the client, appointment, amount, and destination before sending it. Add a short explanation of what the request covers. Send an invoice when the client needs a clearer breakdown of the service and amount.
Keep the balance connected to the booking
The important number is what is still owing, not just the amount in the latest message. Before asking for payment, check any deposit, previous payment, or refund already recorded against the appointment.
When a client pays by cash or bank transfer, record the payment after you have received it. A manual record is your record of a payment; it does not verify a bank transfer or move money. Checking your bank account remains a separate step.
Understand the processing fee
Payments processed through Aura use a rate of 1.4% + A$0.15 per transaction, including GST, for online and in-person payments. An A$100 payment costs A$1.55 to process. The payment processing fee is separate from software pricing.
The fixed part of a processing fee applies to each processed transaction. If a client pays an A$25 deposit and an A$75 balance as separate transactions, the combined processing fee is A$1.70, compared with A$1.55 for one A$100 transaction. Consider the whole payment journey when deciding how to collect a service's price.
Review before following up
Before sending a reminder, look at the current balance and transaction history. A client may have paid through another method, or you may have agreed on a change to the service. Checking first helps you send a message that matches the record.
Keep payment messages specific and courteous. Name the appointment or service, explain the amount due, and provide the next step. If a payment is disputed, review the booking, invoice, and policy together rather than repeatedly sending the same request.
- Confirm the request belongs to the right client and appointment.
- Check payments and refunds before stating a balance.
- Record payments received outside the online flow.
- Keep the invoice and conversation with the appointment context.