Reserve with Google - Frequently asked questions

What is Reserve with Google?

Customers searching for your venue on Google or on Google maps will see the option to ‘Reserve a table’ where they can then view your availability and complete a reservation that goes directly into your diary.

Is this going to be available in all countries?

No, RWG is currently not supported in the following countries; China, Jersey, North Korea, Macao, Guernsey, Maldives, Cyprus, Cambodia, Nambia, Saudi, Fiji, Myanmar, Egypt, Lao, Lebanon, Georgia, Bermuda, Cabo Verde, Doha.

Are there any associated costs with the Reserve with Google integration?

ResDiary will not be applying any charges and our integration with Google will be completely commission-free.

What if I have other booking systems already offering availability via Reserve with Google?

Although other booking systems may be offering availability for your venue on Reserve with Google, ResDiary will not charge you commission on bookings made. The only way of avoiding unecessary commission charges for customers who have searched your venue is to contact the booking system directly to request that they turn it off.

Do I need to register in order to be eligible for Reserve with Google?

There is no need to register, if your ResDiary account details match a Google maps location then you will already be eligible. 

What if my venue doesn’t have a Google Maps location?

If you don’t happen to have a location on Google maps, then the easiest way to ensure you have one is to get yourself a Google my Business listing – if you don’t have a listing yet, see a guide here.

My restaurant is part of a Hotel, will I still be eligible?

As Google can have only one single maps location for your venue, you will need to register a separate Google my Business account for both Hotel and Restaurant see a guide here.

Other than a maps location, what else does I need for availability to show on Reserve with Google?

Venues with online bookings activated will need to be able to accept standard availability reservations. Non-standard availability reservations are those which require customers to first select a promotion or provide their card details or payment to continue to complete their reservation.

How do I customise the information shown in the 'Overview' tab on my venues listing?

The information shown in the 'Overview' tab is only available to edit via your Google my Business dashboard. If you do not have access to this page, see the guide here.

Will availability show at all if I always require promotions to be selected or card details entered?

The integration will not display any availability for timeslots associated with a requirement for a promotion to be selected or card details / payment to be provided.

Can I offer availability on RWG despite having requirements for a promotion to be first selected?

If you are happy to bypass the requirement for a promotion to be selected, then it is possible to exclude the Reserve with Google channel from any promotions you have set in place. This will allow standard availability to be offered on Google where you would ordinarily require the promotion to first be selected.  

Can I offer availability on RWG despite having requirements for card details / payments?

As there isn’t currently any means by which a customer can submit card details on Reserve with Google then any availability with a requirement for card details / payment will not be displayed. If your card policy, for example, is only for parties of 5+ then availability searches for 1-4 guests can show time slots but anything above will not be selectable.

How far in advance will customers be able to book on Reserve with Google?

Google will offer a maximum of 30 days advance reservations but will correspond to your diary settings if you have this set lower.

Will the same advance restrictions on online bookings apply as they do elsewhere online?

Google won't reference your advance booking restrictions but will inform customers that the time isn't available. 

Will my minimum/maximum party size rules still apply?

All diary settings on availability will be reflected on the availability offered on Reserve with Google but a maximum of 10 guests can be searched and this limit is set by Google.

Who can complete bookings on RWG?

Anyone can view availability that you have with only those with a verified Google account being able to complete a reservation.

Will customers be able to view the terms & conditions that I have configured in ResDiary?

Yes, the same content that you have set in your T&C’s will also show in the Reserve with Google booking process below the booking summary.

What customer fields and custom fields will show?

Google will not reflect your preferences for customer fields e.g. for ‘Title’ to show nor will they display your custom fields. The information on ‘First Name’, ‘Surname’ ‘Telephone Number’, ‘Email’ and ‘Special Requests’ are all that will show.

Will customers be able to input 'Special Requests'?

Yes, there is an option for customers to type in their special requests

Will customers be able to choose the 'Area' in which they would like to book?

Yes, you can activate this if you wish to.
Google will pick up the same name of each online area in your diary.
The areas customer choose at time of booking will also be visible in their google confirmation email. 

Will customers be informed of the 'Leave Time' associated with their booking?

Yes, if you have any rules in place to display the time at which you require a table back by, then these will show. Please note with the google integration the leave time will show on customers confirmation email even if you do NOT have a leave time rule set up. 

Does Google send their own email notifications?

Yes, Google generate their own email notifications to confirm the reservation or confirm the cancellation of a reservation. They also deliver a modification email whenever any booking is changed in size or time and deliver a follow up ‘Post-dining’ email. None  of these emails are available to edit or customise.

Can I stop Google sending out email notifications?

This isn’t possible at present.

Does Google capture the opt-in preferences of my guests?

Google doesn't support the selection of opt-in preferences at present. The integration will assume an 'opt-out' as no explicit permission is available to select. 

Do Customers receive my email/SMS notifications?

Yes,  all email confirmations that you have configured to be sent will still be delivered to customers.

Can customers edit/cancel their booking via Google?

Google do allow for reservations to be edited/cancelled.

Will the same rules for online edit/cancellations to bookings apply as they do elsewhere?

Yes, the rules restricting whether customers can edit / cancel their reservation online and the timeframe in which this can be allowed will still apply

Will I be able to opt-out or in of accepting bookings on RWG?

Although all ResDiary customers will be automatically opted-out, you can choose to  opt-in or out at any time by sending a written request to support@resdiary.com and we will process this request within 1-3 working days.

What will RWG do with our customer data?

Please refer to Google Privacy and Terms for more information