The problem
Private clients planning a 50th birthday, a ruby anniversary or a big family party email the planner for every update: what's paid, what's left, whether the cake is confirmed. A planner with 6 live events, each sending about 8 status emails a week that take 5 minutes to answer, spends 240 minutes a week, about 17 hours a month (240 × 4.3 = 1,032 minutes).
What the AI does
Aisle Planner is planning software for wedding and event professionals. On its project plans, from Up to 15 Projects, each client gets a portal with budgets, checklists and timelines, plus guest management and messaging, and layouts and seating. Keep each event's budget, supplier payments due and checklist up to date in it, and point clients to the portal instead of answering each email. Invoicing, online payments and e-signatures are on every plan.
A worked example
A planner in Surrey running about 6 private parties and anniversaries at once moves each into an Aisle Planner project with the budget, a checklist from a template and the day's timeline, and asks clients to check the portal before emailing.
Before
About 8 status emails a week per event at 5 minutes each: 6 × 8 × 5 = 240 minutes a week, about 17 hours a month
After
About 2 emails a week per event, plus 30 minutes a week updating budgets: 90 minutes a week, about 6.5 hours a month
What it's worth
About $358£269€320A$516C$506 a month saved, against about $69£52€62A$100C$98 for Aisle Planner. That's about 10.75 hours (1,032 minus 387 minutes) at an assumed $33£25€30A$48C$47 an hour. Up to 15 Projects is $69.99 (about $69£52€62A$100C$98) a month; with more than 15 live events at once you move to the 16 to 25 plan at $109.99 (about $109£82€98A$157C$154).
How to set it up
- Start the 30-day trial (it needs a card) on Up to 15 Projects; Sales Essentials has no project tools.
- Build one template project with your standard checklist and budget headings, and copy it for each new event.
- Enter each supplier's quote, deposit and balance due date in the budget, and the day's running order in the timeline.
- Invite the client to their portal and tell them it's where they'll find the latest budget and checklist.
- Update each event's budget and checklist at a set time each week, so the portal is always current.
What goes wrong
- A portal that's out of date makes things worse. If you can't keep it current weekly, clients will email anyway.
- It's priced by live projects, not users. A busy season with more than 15 events at once moves you up a tier.
- Some clients will still prefer a call. Offer the portal; don't force it.
- Prices are in dollars, so the cost in pounds moves with the exchange rate.