The problem
Popular classes fill, then someone cancels late and the place goes empty while others wanted it. If a studio has 4 empty places a week at a £9 drop-in, that's £36 a week, about £155 a month (x 4.3).
What the AI does
Bookwhen's pricing page lists a waiting list, reminder emails and attendance tracking on its Standard plan and above. Put your classes on Bookwhen so students book and pay online. The waiting list gives full classes a queue, and the plan also lists reminder emails. The page doesn't say how places are offered to people on the waiting list, so check that in the settings and in a trial before you rely on it. Free and Lite plans don't include the waiting list or reminders.
A worked example
A Pilates studio in Bath runs 15 classes a week with about 10 students each, 645 bookings a month. About 4 places a week go unfilled at a £9 drop-in.
Before
4 empty places a week x £9 = £36 a week, about £155 a month
After
If the waiting list refills 2 of the 4: 2 x £9 = £18 a week, about £77 a month kept
What it's worth
About £77 a month, if the waiting list refills 2 of the 4 empty places a week at £9 (an assumption): 2 x £9 x 4.3. Cost is Standard at €19 a month (about £16) excluding VAT. Bookwhen shows prices in your local currency, plus VAT, so check the price in pounds on its page and add VAT if you can't reclaim it. Standard allows 800 bookings a month and 5 team members, so 645 fits. Card payments carry separate processing fees.
How to set it up
- Check Bookwhen's pricing page for the price in pounds plus VAT, and start on Standard, since the waiting list and reminders are not on Free or Lite.
- Set up your classes, capacities and prices on Bookwhen.
- Turn on the waiting list and reminder emails, and book a test place to see exactly what a student receives.
- Add your cancellation and late-change terms to your booking page in plain words.
- After a month, count refilled places against empty places.
What goes wrong
- Standard allows 800 bookings a month and 5 team members; a bigger studio needs Plus at €39 a month or more.
- If students can't tell how the waiting list offers a place, they get confused. Test it and write down how it works.
- Payment processing fees are separate from the plan price.
- Collect only the student details you need. Health information belongs on your own form, not in the booking.