Baseline and Customer Changes: FAQS

Why did you make these changes?

• Data Integrity: Centralizing customer records and limiting who can edit them helps prevent duplicate, conflicting, and corrupted customer data. It also allows us to have more accurate information surrounding our customers and their shop/vend habits.
• Customer Privacy: Restricting edit access protects customer information and helps ensure we are only changing records through channels that keep data accurate and secure.
• Foundational Work: This lays the groundwork for upcoming tools like a customer-facing app or mobile check-ins. 

Other Information

These articles can provide you more specific information on changes that were made:

• How to Set Up Check In Kiosk
• Check Ins 2.0 Overview
• Baseline Vends: Vend Card
• Customer Card

Customer Records

• Why can’t I update customer information?
  • To maintain accurate and secure customer records, updates to customer information are handled by the customer themselves, through an authenticated flow that confirms they are the owner of that information.
• How does a customer update their information? 
  • On the kiosk, customers can tap “Edit” in the top right corner. They’ll verify their identity with a text code, then update their information directly. In the future, we will offer an online profile so customers can make updates from anywhere. 
• What happens if two customers have the same name?
  • No issue. Customers are uniquely identified by phone number, not name, so duplicate names don’t cause conflicts.
• Can I merge a customer?
  • Not currently. If you have a situation where two customer records need to be merged, reach out to us with the details so we can figure out the best path forward.
• Can I create a new customer?
  • New customers can only be created through the check-in flow, not manually. This prevents duplicate records. When a customer checks in, the system checks their phone number (our unique identifier) against existing records before creating a new one. 
• What if a customer’s info is wrong? How do I get it corrected?
  • The customer will need to correct it themselves: at the kiosk, they enter their phone number, tap “Edit,” verify with a text code, and update their information.
• Can I delete a customer?
  • Not currently. If a customer requests that their information be deleted, please reach out to tech support. 
• What happens to my duplicate contacts in Baseline?
  • Duplicate contacts will remain in Baseline. If you have duplicate contacts in Baseline and are trying to figure out how to manage them, please reach out to us. We are trying to understand more about duplicates and how that has happened so we can provide appropriate merging capabilities.

Check-in Flow/Kiosk

• Does the kiosk work without internet?
  • No. Kiosks do not work without internet. We strongly recommend having an internet backup so that this is not a concern. Please reach out to Tech Support if you are interested in an internet failover/backup device. Internet Backups/Failovers 
• Can I create invoices or vends while offline?
  • Yes, you can find customers within your database using the “Create” Vends button or “Manual Entry” on Invoices. However, if this is the customer's first time at your store, you will not be able to check them in while offline. We strongly recommend having an internet backup so that this is not a concern. Please reach out to Tech Support if you are interested in an internet failover/backup device. Internet Backups/Failovers 
• What happens if a customer changes their phone number?
  • At this time, we do not support transferring a customer’s history to a new phone number. If you run into this situation, please reach out to Tech Support and let us know. There are a few things you can do to handle it in the moment:
    • The customer can continue using their old phone number while our tech team completes the update request. 
    • The customer can sign in using the new number (they will not have any historical points or information) and the tech team can merge the two accounts.
• I don’t want a customer waiting while I call tech support to update a phone number.
  • An outdated phone number will not stop anything at the counter. The customer can proceed forward with the old phone number until it has been resolved. They just will not be able to update their contact information without the phone number to verify.
• Can a staff check-in a customer instead of using the kiosk?
  • Yes. Staff can use the “Create” Vends button and the “Manual Entry” button on Invoices to search the customer database and start a vend or invoice that way. Staff cannot create new customer records outside of the check-in flow. 
• What do I do if my store is offline and I have a new vendor?
  • First: Get your internet working
  • Second: Get a failover for the internet: Internet Backups/Failovers 
  • Lastly, accept drop-offs, write down the customer’s information and check them in to complete the vend when the internet is back up.

Kiosk - Information Requirements/Settings

• I need to require address; how do I do that? 
  • You can set address as required under Settings > CHECK-IN
• Can I require other fields (email, birthday, etc.)
  • Currently, fields like email and birthday are controlled at the BaseCamp level to ensure a consistent customer experience across all locations.
• Can I hide the donation option from Vendor check-in? If so, how?
  • Yes, if you do not accept donations at  your location, you can hide this option under Settings > CHECK-IN
• Can I update the vendor contract?
  • You can update the return window (how long a customer has to return after dropping off items) and the donation partners. All other elements are standardized for a consistent customer experience. If there’s something specific you’d like to see editable, submit feedback at software.bcfranchise.com

Invoice Quick Start

• What is this? How does it work?
  • Invoice Quick Start is a faster Invoice process that removes multiple steps and allows employees to begin scanning items immediately, even before a customer finishes checking in. Once the customer checks in, their name will appear on the invoice and they can be added to it. Learn more here: Invoice Quick Start

Loyalty/Shared Customers

• What if my store shares loyalty points?
  • Right now, if your store is sharing loyalty points, existing customers will continue to have their points shared. New customers will not currently be able to share points. However, that is something we are actively working on and will be able to update your customers’ points when that work is complete.
• I’ve heard there is a new loyalty program coming; what is that looking like?
  • Marketing is leading the effort on the new loyalty program, and we are working closely with them as it takes shape. We likely won’t see changes until early next year, and we’ll share more details as soon as we have them. 
• Are these customers shared across stores? How does that work? 
  • Yes, in a limited way. If a customer checks in at your store for the first time, but has shopped at another location, their information will already be loaded into the check-in to speed up the process. Customer data isn’t shared store-to-store until a customer checks in; at that point, ONLY their basic contact information is shared.

Why are my customers being asked to provide address again?

• No addresses have been pulled over, so every customer will need to enter their address. Our old system was not validating that addresses were real; we need customers to re-enter it because we cannot verify their original address. This only applies to stores that have address enabled.