The problem
Most marquee quotes over a few thousand pounds need a site visit to check ground, slope, access and power, and arranging a time with a couple who both work takes calls, texts and voicemails. A firm doing 12 site visits a month that spends about 25 minutes arranging each, plus 1 wasted trip a month to a host who forgot, loses 5 hours of arranging and 2 hours of driving.
What the AI does
Calendly is a scheduling tool: people pick a free slot from your calendar through a link. Standard adds unlimited event types and automated meeting reminders, and connects Stripe or PayPal if you charge for visits. Make a 'Site visit' event, offer only the days you're happy to drive out, block your build and take-down days, and send the link once a quote looks likely. In your email, ask for the post code, a map pin for the field and whether the landowner or venue contact will be there.
A worked example
A marquee firm in Gloucestershire does about 12 site visits a month in spring. The owner sends a Calendly link for weekday visits, with reminders turned on, instead of arranging each by phone.
Before
About 25 minutes arranging each visit (12 × 25 = 300 minutes, 5 hours) and 1 wasted 2-hour trip a month
After
About 5 minutes per visit to send the link and check the booking (1 hour), and the wasted trip avoided
What it's worth
About $200£150€179A$288C$282 a month saved, against about $11£8€10A$15C$15 to $12£9€11A$17C$17 for Calendly Standard. That's 6 hours at an assumed $33£25€30A$48C$47 an hour: 4 hours less arranging (300 minus 60 minutes) and one 2-hour wasted trip, assuming reminders prevent it. Standard is $10 (about $11£8€10A$15C$15) a seat a month billed yearly or $12 (about $12£9€11A$17C$17) monthly; the free plan has no reminders. Fuel for the wasted trip isn't counted.
How to set it up
- Connect the calendar you use for builds and visits to Calendly Standard.
- Create a 'Site visit' event with the length you need plus travel time, and only offer the days you're willing to drive out.
- Block build and take-down days so visits can't be booked over them.
- Turn on reminders and read what the host receives.
- Send the link with your first ballpark price, asking for the post code, a map pin and whether the landowner will be there.
What goes wrong
- Calendly doesn't know where your visits are. Group visits by area yourself, or two free slots may be two hours' drive apart.
- Hosts' names and addresses are personal data under UK GDPR. Use them for the quote, not for marketing without consent.
- Standard is priced per seat. If two people do site visits, that's two seats.
- A booked visit isn't a booking. Confirm the date, price and deposit in writing afterwards.