The problem
Parents ring during the day, when a childminder is caring for children and can't answer. Calls get returned in the evening, by which time the parent may have booked elsewhere. A 3-day place at $80£60€71A$115C$113 a day is about $1,029£774€921A$1,486C$1,455 a month in fees, so a vacancy that stays empty for 2 extra weeks costs $479£360€428A$691C$677.
What the AI does
Calendly gives the childminder a booking link for visits, such as weekday evenings and Saturday mornings, connected to their calendar. The link goes on their childcare listing, website and social media, and in replies to messages. Parents pick a time and it appears in the calendar. The Free plan has one event type and one calendar connection, which is enough for visits; Standard adds reminder emails. The address is sent only after a quick call, not shown on the booking page.
A worked example
A childminder in Chelmsford has 2 vacancies and gets about 8 inquiries a month, mostly by phone during the day. They put a Calendly visit link on their listing and in their voicemail message.
Before
8 inquiries a month at 15 minutes of phone tag, some lost before call-back
After
Parents book visits themselves; about 4 minutes each to check and call
What it's worth
About $93£70€83A$134C$132 a month: about $67£50€60A$96C$94 in profit from filling vacancies sooner and $29£22€26A$42C$41 of time saved. The profit assumes the link fills a vacancy 2 weeks sooner twice a year: 4 weeks of $239£180€214A$346C$338 a week is $958£720€857A$1,382C$1,354 a year, about $80£60€71A$115C$113 a month, at an assumed 80% margin, since an extra child adds income but little cost. The time is 88 minutes at $20£15€18A$29C$28 an hour. The Free plan does the job; Standard is $10 (about $11£8€10A$15C$15) a month billed yearly.
How to set it up
- Sign up for Calendly's Free plan and connect the calendar on your phone.
- Create one visit event with times outside your care hours and a short gap after each.
- Ask only for the parent's name, phone number and child's age. Leave anything else for the visit.
- Don't show your home address on the booking page; send it after a quick confirming call.
- Add the link to your childcare listing, website and voicemail message.
What goes wrong
- Your home address is your setting. Keep it off public booking pages for your own and the children's safety.
- The Free plan has no reminder emails, so expect the odd no-show; Standard adds reminders.
- Don't book visits while children are in your care unless your ratios and routine allow it.
- Some parents still want to talk first. Keep a line on your listing saying when you return calls.