The problem
A marquee firm quoting for a June wedding has to know that the 9m frame, the matting, 120 chairs and the heaters are all free that weekend, and the answer lives on a whiteboard, a spreadsheet and in the owner's head. Quoting 25 inquiries a month at about 45 minutes each is nearly 19 hours, and one double-booked frame on a Saturday means sub-hiring at short notice or letting a couple down.
What the AI does
Current RMS is rental software for event and party hire. Its site says its availability engine calculates how much stock you have now and in future, flags shortages in red on the order, and adds kits and packages to a job automatically. Proposals go out online for clients to accept, decline or comment on, with e-signatures, deposits as a percentage or a fixed amount, and part-invoices that work out the remaining balance. Invoices and payments post across to Xero. Set up each marquee size as a package with its frame, covers, flooring and lighting, so a quote pulls the right stock.
A worked example
A marquee and furniture hire firm in Herefordshire with two crews quotes about 25 weddings and parties a month. The owner and office manager move their stock list and packages into Current RMS and send every quote from it.
Before
About 45 minutes per quote checking stock and writing it up: 25 × 45 = 1,125 minutes, about 19 hours a month
After
About 20 minutes per quote from packages with live availability: 500 minutes, about 8 hours a month
What it's worth
About $346£260€309A$499C$489 a month saved, against about $138£104€124A$200C$196 for two Current RMS users. That's about 10.4 hours (1,125 minus 500 minutes) at an assumed $33£25€30A$48C$47 an hour. The first user is $83.13£62.50€74.38A$120C$117.50 a month and each extra user $54.86£41.25€49.09A$79.20C$77.55, plus VAT. Avoiding one double-booked Saturday isn't counted.
How to set it up
- Start the 30-day free trial and load your stock: each frame size, covers, flooring, lighting, heaters and furniture, with quantities.
- Build packages for your common marquee sizes so the right parts go on every quote.
- Enter your confirmed bookings for the season so availability starts accurate.
- Set your deposit rule and send proposals online for clients to approve and sign.
- Connect Xero so invoices and payments post across, and stop taking bookings on the whiteboard.
What goes wrong
- Availability is only right if every booking, sub-hire and damaged item goes in. One job kept on paper breaks it.
- It's priced per user, so a third person in the office adds $54.86£41.25€49.09A$79.20C$77.55 a month.
- Loading stock and packages properly takes days, not hours. Do it in winter, not in May.
- A quote from stock isn't a site check. Ground, access and slopes still need a site visit before you confirm a big job.