The problem
In September and January parents inquire at three centers at once and often go with whichever replies first. A center getting 40 web inquiries a month that replies the next evening loses some of them. If 2 more a month would have joined with a quick reply, at $200£150€179A$288C$282 a month each, that's $399£300€357A$576C$564 a month of fees going elsewhere.
What the AI does
Put a Tally form on your website asking for the parent's name, email, phone, the child's year group and subjects. Tally's free plan includes unlimited forms and submissions and the Zapier integration, but only emails you, not the parent. So add a Zapier automation: when a new Tally form arrives, send the parent an email from your business email account with your timetable, prices and a link to book an assessment. Tally keeps every inquiry in its results table and its free self-notification emails you each one.
A worked example
A tutoring center in Harrow gets about 40 website inquiries a month, mostly in September and January, and the owner replies to them each evening after teaching.
Before
40 inquiries a month answered the next evening; some parents have already booked elsewhere
After
All 40 get an automatic reply with timetable, prices and booking link within minutes; the owner follows up the next day
What it's worth
About $160£120€143A$230C$226 a month in profit, at an assumed 40% margin on $399£300€357A$576C$564 of extra monthly fees from 2 more families joining (2 x $200£150€179A$288C$282). That's an assumption; count conversions for a term. One two-step Zap uses one task per inquiry, so 40 inquiries fit Zapier's free 100 tasks a month; Pro is $29.99 (about $29£22€26A$42C$41) a month billed monthly if you need more.
How to set it up
- Build a short Tally form: parent's name, email, phone, the child's year group and subjects. Don't ask for the child's name.
- Embed the form on your website's contact and fees pages.
- In Zapier, connect Tally to your business email (Gmail or Outlook) and set the reply: thanks, timetable, prices and the assessment booking link.
- Send a test inquiry and read the reply as a parent would.
- Call or email each inquiry personally the next working day; the automatic reply buys time, it doesn't replace you.
What goes wrong
- Zapier's Free plan only runs two-step Zaps. Adding a spreadsheet row as well needs a second Zap or the Pro plan.
- If the Zap breaks (a changed password, a renamed form) replies stop silently. Check Zapier's history weekly.
- Send replies from the center's business email account, not a personal one, and keep inquiry data out of personal free spreadsheets.
- An automatic reply that reads like a robot puts parents off; write it as you would speak.