The problem
A photo booth firm with 3 booths, several backdrops and props kits answers the same question all day: 'Are you free on the 14th, and how much?' Checking a spreadsheet, quoting and taking a deposit by bank transfer takes about 20 minutes an inquiry. With 40 inquiries a month that's over 13 hours, and two people answering at once can double-book a booth.
What the AI does
Booqable is rental software with an online booking page, live availability, security deposits, contracts and invoices. Its pricing page lists website integration with live availability and product bundles on every plan. Set up each booth, backdrop and add-on, such as a guest book or red carpet, as a product, bundle them into packages, and add the booking page to your website so clients see what's free on their date and book and pay without waiting for a reply. Deliveries, with flat or mileage-based charges, are a paid add-on on every plan.
A worked example
A photo booth hire firm in the West Midlands with 3 booths and 4 backdrops gets about 40 inquiries a month. They put a Booqable booking page on their website with live availability for each booth and package.
Before
About 20 minutes per inquiry checking dates, quoting and chasing the deposit: 40 × 20 = 800 minutes, over 13 hours a month
After
About half of clients book online; the other 20 take about 10 minutes each: 200 minutes, about 3.3 hours a month
What it's worth
About $333£250€298A$480C$470 a month saved, against about $29£22€26A$42C$41 to $35£26€31A$50C$49 for Booqable Start. That's 10 hours (800 minus 200 minutes) at an assumed $33£25€30A$48C$47 an hour. Start is $29 (about $29£22€26A$42C$41) a month billed yearly or $35 (about $35£26€31A$50C$49) monthly, for one user; e-signatures and extra users need Grow.
How to set it up
- Start the 14-day trial and add each booth, backdrop and add-on with its price and quantity.
- Bundle them into packages, such as 'booth, backdrop and props, 3 hours', so a booking reserves every part.
- Enter the bookings you already have so the calendar starts accurate.
- Add the booking page to your website and set the deposit you need to confirm a date.
- Test a booking yourself, including what the client receives.
What goes wrong
- Live availability is only right if every booking goes through Booqable, including those taken by phone.
- Set-up and travel time aren't the same as hire time. Allow for them, or the page will show a booth free while it's still being packed down 60 miles away.
- Start has one user. A second person taking bookings needs Grow, at $69 (about $69£52€62A$100C$98) a month billed yearly.
- Booqable charges no commission on bookings, but your payment provider charges its own card fees on deposits and payments.