The problem
A riding school's lessons are limited by horses and instructors, so every empty place in a group lesson is money lost. With bookings by phone and Facebook message, late cancellations don't get refilled and some riders simply don't turn up. If a school runs 30 group lessons a week with 5 places at $47£35€42A$67C$66 and 6 places a week go empty, that's $279£210€250A$403C$395 a week, about $1,197£900€1,071A$1,728C$1,692 a month.
What the AI does
Bookwhen is an online booking system for classes and courses. Its pricing page lists payments and discounts from the Lite plan, and a waiting list, reminder emails, passes and vouchers on Standard. Riders book and pay for a lesson on your booking page, those who find it full can join the waiting list, and reminder emails cut forgotten lessons. Passes suit riders who buy a block of lessons. Bookwhen takes the booking; the instructor still decides which horse each rider has and whether a new rider is ready for a group.
A worked example
A riding school in Essex runs 30 group lessons a week with 5 places at $47£35€42A$67C$66 taught on 12 school horses. Bookings come by phone and Facebook message, and about 6 places a week go empty through late cancellations and no-shows.
Before
About 6 empty places a week: $279£210€250A$403C$395 a week, about $1,197£900€1,071A$1,728C$1,692 a month
After
Paid online booking with a waiting list and reminders, with an assumed 4 of those 6 places a week filled
What it's worth
About $480£361€430A$693C$679 a month in profit, at an assumed 60% margin on $801£602€716A$1,156C$1,132 of lesson places filled (4 places a week at $47£35€42A$67C$66 $186£140€167A$269C$263 times 4.3); the horse and instructor are already booked, so most of it is profit. Bookwhen Standard, which adds the waiting list and reminder emails, is €19 (about $21£16€19A$31C$30) a month plus VAT; card payment fees are separate. The 4 places a week is an assumption, so count empty places before and after.
How to set it up
- Sign up for Bookwhen Standard and set up each regular lesson with its level, number of places and price.
- Connect a payment option (Bookwhen Payments, Stripe or PayPal) so riders pay when they book.
- Turn on the waiting list and reminder emails, and set up passes for riders who buy blocks of lessons.
- Write your cancellation terms on the booking page and tell regular riders the date phone bookings stop.
- Check the next day's bookings each evening and allocate horses yourself.
What goes wrong
- Bookwhen shows prices in local currency plus VAT; check the price in pounds on its page before signing up.
- Standard allows 800 bookings a month. 30 lessons × 5 places × 4.3 is 645, but private lessons and pony days on top can pass the limit; Plus is €39 (about $45£34€40A$65C$64).
- New riders still need an assessment before joining a group. Don't let the booking page put a beginner in a jumping lesson.
- Riders' medical conditions are special-category data. Collect them on your own secure forms, not in booking notes.