The problem
Drop-off booths, hired without an attendant for house parties and birthdays, are cheaper to run but come back with cracked screens, missing props and jammed printers. If 1 hire in 10 comes back damaged at an average of $200£150€179A$288C$282 a firm doing 20 drop-off hires a month absorbs about $399£300€357A$576C$564 a month, and without a signed agreement there's little to argue with.
What the AI does
Booqable's Grow plan adds e-signatures, per-product deposits, which apply the security deposit set for each product automatically, downtime scheduling and 5 extra users. Set a security deposit on each drop-off booth and expensive add-on, and have the client e-sign a hire agreement listing what's included, how damage is assessed and when the deposit comes back. Schedule downtime when a booth is in for repair, so it can't be booked while it's out.
A worked example
A photo booth firm in Hampshire does about 20 drop-off hires a month with a selfie pod and printer. On Booqable Grow they add a $200£150€179A$288C$282 security deposit per booth and an e-signed agreement to every drop-off booking.
Before
About 2 damaged returns a month at $200£150€179A$288C$282 each, mostly absorbed: about $399£300€357A$576C$564 a month
After
Damage covered from the deposit under a signed agreement, with 2 in 3 claims recovered: about $266£200€238A$384C$376 a month
What it's worth
About $266£200€238A$384C$376 a month recovered, against about $69£52€62A$100C$98 to $86£65€77A$125C$122 for Booqable Grow. That assumes 2 of every 3 damage claims are covered from the deposit, recovering $266£200€238A$384C$376 of the $399£300€357A$576C$564 a month now absorbed; it's counted in full because it's money already lost, not new sales. Grow is $69 (about $69£52€62A$100C$98) a month billed yearly or $87 (about $86£65€77A$125C$122) monthly; if you're already on Start, the extra is about $40£30€36A$58C$56 a month.
How to set it up
- Move to Booqable Grow and set a security deposit on each drop-off booth and expensive add-on.
- Write a hire agreement covering what's included, how to use and pack the booth, how damage is assessed and when the deposit is returned, and have it checked.
- Set the agreement to be e-signed with every drop-off booking.
- Photograph the booth and props before it goes out and when it comes back, and note any damage on the order.
- Schedule downtime for any booth in for repair, and return deposits promptly when nothing's wrong.
What goes wrong
- A deposit can only cover a fair estimate of real damage. Keep repair quotes or receipts for anything you deduct.
- Unfair terms aren't enforceable against consumers under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Have the agreement checked.
- How a deposit is held and refunded depends on your payment provider; check its rules before you take one.
- Grow is a big step up from Start. If damage is rare, a deposit line on your invoice may be enough.