Prerequisites:
Introduction
Packages are part of your Online Plans. There are two types of Online Plans you can create: General and Membership (See Online Plan Types). The package setup is almost the same for both types - the only difference is that you do not need to set up package features and a pricing table for packages you create under a Membership Online Plan.
To create a package:
Go to Portal in the Operate main menu
Select Online Plans.
Find the plan for which you want to create the package and click on its name.
Next, scroll down to Packages and click New.
You are now going through the package configuration wizard. Follow the steps below to complete it:
Step 1 - Select the Locations where this Package is Available
Select the location(s) that the Package is available at by ticking the box next to the Location name.
Click Next to proceed to the next step.
Step 2 - Configure Your Package Pricing
Under Package Name, enter a name for your package, select the Product that you are creating it for and select the Client Type to which you would like to make it available. The selected Client Type will be set to any new customers who purchase an Online Plan and therefore are added to Operate as an Account. When the Plan is purchased by an existing customer, this setting does not apply, since the Account will already have a Client Type.
Under Pricing and Discounts: Select your price for each billing schedule (leave blank if a specific billing schedule is not required). Check the box if you want to set up discounted internal pricing. If you do so, a separate area appears, where you can configure prices for Internal Customers.
Configure your Setup Fees if you charge any - First make sure to check the "Is there a setup fee?" box to reveal the options. Next, add a fee name, select the product you've created as a setup fee then add the price.
Set up your Deposit - First, check the "Is there a deposit" box, then add a name, select the deposit product, then add the price.
Click Next to proceed.
Please note: You need to preconfigure the client types and products, so that they become available to select here. For details, please see Client Types in essensys Operate as well as Products and Managing Deposits with essensys Operate.
Step 3 - Select Your Add-ons for Upsell
Add-ons allow you to upsell additional services alongside the main product of the Package. Here is where you can add recurring services to each package. These will be added to the agreement created and billed as a recurring charge alongside the main product.
Enter an Add-on Name that the customer will see, select an Associated Product from the dropdown menu and enter a Price Per Month, Per Quarter, Per Half Year or Per Annum:
You can add as many Add-on services as you like by clicking the Add Another Add-on button (at the bottom left of the screen).
After creating your Add-ons, click on the Next button (at the top right of the screen) to continue building your Package.
NOTE! - Things to watch out for with Add-Ons!
If you are creating a Membership Plan and you intend to include the same Add-ons for all Packages in that Plan, take care to make sure the Add-on Name is identical in each Package. This will avoid the Add-on from being listed twice on the Purchase page.
E.g. If you have 2 packages both with 'Locker' it will only be shown once on the Purchase page.
If you have 2 packages, one with 'Locker' as the Add-on name, and the other with 'Lockers', both will be listed on the Purchase page, even if they are both associated with the same product.
Click Next to continue.
Step 4 - Apply a Meeting Plan
If you want your package to include a meeting plan, then you can select it here. Simply check the box to enable the option, then choose the plan using the dropdown. This willl be listed on your portal when customers purchase your Online Plan. Read more about creating meeting plans!
Step 5 - Apply Credits
This allows you to include essensys Credits into the Online Plan. (Read about Using Essensys Credits within Operate for details).
Simply check the "Do you want to apply credits?" checkbox to get started, then select a credit pack and enter a quantity. The quantity represents how many credit packs you would like to apply. For example, if you want to give customers 20 credits, you can either select a 20 credits pack and enter a quantity of "1" or select a package of 1 credit and enter "20" as the quantity. .
If you want to charge for these credits, you can factor them into the package price you configure in Step 2. Otherwise, these credits are free.
Step 6 - Apply printing discounts?
This option allows you to provide customers with ezeep printing credits. (Please read these guides to learn more about how Operate works with ezeep!)
To get started, check the "Do you want to apply printing discount?" checkbox, then enter the quantity of color and black & white prints that you want to provide.
The prints are provided for free - you can factor them into the package price as well if you like.
Please note: If you decide to charge for either essensys Credits or ezeep printing, Operate will not be able to generate a charge sheet since these are designed to be free. You will need to keep in mind that you've factored them into the package price. However, if a customer uses their free prints allocation, they will be charged for any further prints and a charge sheet will be generated. To use more essensys Credits, the customer will need to buy a separate pack from your Portal.
Step 7 - Set Up Future Billing Patterns
Add a Notice and/or Renewal - Check the box for ‘Is there a notice period’ and enter the number of months’ notice that you require from a customer to terminate their agreement. If you want to autorenew the licence, check the corresponding box, then enter the number of month with which it will extend after renewal.
Step 8 - Configure Escalations
Escalations refer to price increases after a certain amount of time.
If you would like to increase the pricing of the products included within the package, you can set up escalations. These will increase each type of product/service you configure by the percentage and after the amount of time you set.
Enable "Do you want to escalate licence?" to get started. Next, enter how often ou would like prices to increase (in months). Below, you can choose to escalate rent, virtual and contract services - simply enter the percentage by which you would like to increase the price.
Click Next to continue.
Skip to Step 8 if your package is for a Membership plan.
Step 9 - Create Your Product Features (General Plans only)
You can list key features of your package and showcase them by ticking Featured Product – it applies a ‘Hot’ strap to highlight the package:
Showcasing a Package makes it stand out from your other Packages, perhaps one that you have a current promotion running for or the one that represents the best value purchase.
Tick the Featured Product check box and enter up to 8 features for your package:
Click Next to continue.
Step 10 - Create Your Pricing Table (General Plans only)
As well as making the individual Package stand out as a Featured Product, you can also apply this to a period on the Pricing Schedule, if you are using more than one pricing period.
Tick the Featured Product check box to apply the hot strap and make one Pricing Schedule period stand out from the others.
You can also add up to 8 features to showcase what is included in the Package for that pricing schedule.
Once a customer has selected their Package, they will then see the choice of Pricing periods to select from.
Click Next to proceed!
Step 11 - Create The Email Template for the Purchaser
The next thing you need to create is the email template that will go to the purchaser of the plan.
This should confirm what they have purchased, welcome your new customer. It should contain a link to your Portal and the purchaser’s login details.
It’s also a good idea to explain to your new customer what they can expect to find and what they can do in your Portal.
Use Merge Fields in all boxes, except for the Subject line. This will ensure that the system pulls up the correct information automatically, for each customer who purchases your plan Click on the Merge Field picklist to see all the available fields. Select the field that you want to use, then copy and paste the merge field value into From, To, CC, BCC, as well as the email message body, within the text editor.
Important Merge fields
Fields that should always be included are:
Email – this will be the member’s username for the Portal
Password – this will be the member’s password for the Portal
URL – this will give the new member the link to the Portal login
There are all the usual editing tools for you to customize the template to look and feel how you would like it to. You can add images or even click on Source to cut and paste some HTML directly into the template.
The screenshot below contains an example template that you could use:
Scroll down to continue.
Step 12 - Add Package Terms and Conditions
As with the email template there are editing tools to customize the Terms and Conditions that are displayed on your Portal, in association to the Package you are setting up.
Terms and Conditions should be applied to all Packages that you create.
How it works:
Just as when a customer signs your T&Cs on a regular agreement, the same applies when purchasing online. Copy the relevant T&Cs into the T&Cs area in the Package. When a customer goes through the Check Out process they will need to tick the Terms & Conditions box to show that they have agreed to them; otherwise, they will not be able to finalize their purchase.
Making a customer tick that they accept your Terms & Conditions ensures that the customer agrees to conditions applicable in order to use your products and services.
Clicking on the Terms and Conditions link will open a new browser tab and display the Terms and Conditions text that you have entered.
Scroll down to continue.
Step 13 - Add ID Requirements Information
Scroll down from the Terms and Conditions template to find the ID Requirements area.
As with the email and T&Cs template, there are editing tools to customize the ID Requirements.
It is not mandatory to complete an ID Requirements sections. It will depend upon the requirements your organization has for purchasers of the particular product.
However, informing your customers regarding ID Requirements is essential when your organization requires the completion of Money Laundering Forms, or proof of identity etc.
How it works: Filling in this section provides a validation box on the purchasing page. The purchaser must confirm that they have read and agreed to the ID Requirements by checking the ID Requirements box before they can proceed with their purchase. Clicking on the ID Requirements link will open a new browser tab and display the ID Requirements text that you have entered.
If you don't want ID Requirements to display, simply leave this section blank and the validation will not display on the purchasing page
Now click Save to save your Package.