Advance payment
Advance payment means the client pays when they book, not after the session. A paid slot is far less likely to be skipped, so advance payment is the single biggest lever against no-shows. On Book A Sloth clients pay upfront over UPI or card through Razorpay, and the money settles to your account.
Why advance payment matters
Advance payment turns a booking from a promise into a commitment. A client who has already paid ₹1,000 by UPI is far more likely to turn up, or at least to reschedule in time. It also removes the awkward end-of-session moment of asking for money, sharing a QR code and waiting for the "payment done" screenshot.
For Indian professionals it helps cash flow too. The money is collected before you spend the time, you are not chasing pending dues at month end, and every payment has a record you can match to an invoice.
Show the full fee on the service before checkout, state your cancellation policy next to it, and send an automatic receipt. On Book A Sloth the client pays your price plus a ₹10 booking fee and GST on that fee at checkout, through Razorpay by UPI, card or netbanking. The booking confirms the moment the payment succeeds, and your payout is released about 24 hours after the session ends.
Example
A Mumbai lawyer charges ₹2,500 for a 30-minute first consultation, collected by UPI when the client books, so the call starts on time and nobody discusses fees on it.
Related terms
Book A Sloth turns these into one link: a booking page with upfront payment over UPI, GST invoices and automatic reminders.