Running a valet service on Valeh

Valeh is software for running a valet service, the kind of counter where people hand over a bike, bag, or coat, get a ticket, and pick it up later. Your workers check items in and out on their phones, and your customers get their ticket by text. Valeh was originally built for bike valet services at events, but it works the same way for bags, coats, sports equipment, and anything else you look after for people. Valeh is operated by Caestudy.

Just your workers' own phones. Valeh is a web app built for mobile, so it runs in the phone's browser and there's nothing to install from an app store. Workers use the phone's camera to photograph items at check-in and to scan customers' ticket QR codes at pickup.

Each phone needs to be able to receive text messages, because workers sign in with a one-time code sent by text.

An administrator in your organization adds each worker to the event and sends them a text with a link to join. The worker opens the link and signs in with their phone number and a one-time code. There are no passwords to create or forget.

Canada and the US today, for both customers and workers. Most other countries, including much of Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia, can be switched on when you ask. If your event is outside Canada or the US, email hello@myvaleh.com.

Email hello@myvaleh.com to talk about trialing Valeh for your organization.

A worker photographs the item and enters the customer's mobile number. The customer gets their ticket by text right away: a link to a web ticket with a QR code and a ticket ID. The worker can also photograph the spot where the item is stored. Valeh records when each check-in starts and finishes.

Your organization confirms a contact before any check-ins on Valeh can happen, to ensure that customers always have a way to reach you. It appears on every customer's ticket. You can change it at any time, but you can't remove it until another contact is confirmed.

An uncollected item simply stays checked in: the customer's ticket keeps working and nothing expires on its own. You can send a pickup reminder to any customer who still has an item checked in, individually or to everyone still holding a ticket. An event can't be closed until every item is accounted for, so at wrap-up a manager confirms each remaining item as returned or marks it unclaimed. What your organization does with an unclaimed item after that is your own policy.

Valeh sends them, so you don't set up or manage any messaging.

A customer usually gets two to three messages per item: the ticket at check-in, a reminder if the item hasn't been collected before pickup closes, and a confirmation when it's returned. The first message explains how to opt out (STOP) and get help (HELP), and customers can reply either one to any message. See the SMS policy.

Consent is collected in person, at your counter: the customer provides their mobile number so the worker can text them their ticket, and the consent disclosure is shown on the worker's screen at that moment. Every message is then sent by Valeh, from Valeh's own registered number, and Valeh looks after the registration and compliance that text messaging requires. Your workers follow the on-screen flow; nothing more is required of your organization.

Customers' mobile numbers and photos of their items. Both are stored in Canada, on Amazon Web Services.

Twilio delivers the text messages, and Meta processes the number when a message is delivered by WhatsApp. See the Privacy Policy.

Customers' ticket pages stay up. You can send each affected customer one collection notice, asking them to contact your organization. Your contact details are on their ticket.

This only comes into play if your organization leaves Valeh entirely while items are still checked in. Wrapping up an ordinary event works differently; see What happens to items nobody collects?