The problem
Between a wedding or party inquiry and a paid deposit, a caterer writes a proposal, emails a contract, raises an invoice in another program and chases each piece separately. If a caterer books 8 events a month and each takes 75 minutes of that admin, that's 600 minutes, 10 hours a month, and a slow reply can lose the booking.
What the AI does
Dubsado is client management software for service businesses. Its site says a lead capture form on your website brings inquiries in, and that one send gives the client the proposal, contract and invoice together, with e-signature and payment plans whose reminders chase the payments. Premier adds automated workflows, triggered by steps such as an inquiry, a signed contract or a cleared payment, and lets you review important emails before they go. Card payments go through Dubsado Payments, which its help center prices at 1.5% + 20p for standard UK cards. Menu descriptions in a proposal are only what you type: allergen and dietary information comes from your recipe and supplier records and the head chef.
A worked example
A two-chef wedding and event caterer in Shropshire books about 8 weddings, parties and corporate events a month. The owner moves inquiries, proposals, contracts and deposit invoices into Dubsado Premier, with one reusable proposal per menu package.
Before
75 minutes of admin per booking from inquiry to paid deposit: 8 x 75 = 600 minutes, 10 hours a month
After
About 30 minutes per booking to tailor and check the proposal: 8 x 30 = 240 minutes, 4 hours a month
What it's worth
About $200£150€179A$288C$282 a month saved, against $44£33€39A$63C$62 to $55£41€49A$79C$77 for Dubsado Premier. That's 6 hours (600 minus 240 = 360 minutes) at an assumed $33£25€30A$48C$47 an hour. Premier is $525 (about $524£394€469A$756C$741) a year, about $44£33€39A$63C$62 a month, or $55 (about $55£41€49A$79C$77) month to month. Card fees on deposits are extra: 1.5% + 20p on a standard UK card is about $10.24£7.70€9.16A$14.78C$14.48 on a $665£500€595A$960C$940 deposit. Faster replies may win more bookings, which isn't counted.
How to set it up
- Start the free trial, and set your country to the UK and your currency to pounds before you connect Dubsado Payments, as the help center says they lock once connected.
- Build a website inquiry form asking for date, venue, guest numbers and type of event, and embed it on your site.
- Make one proposal per menu package, linked to your contract and a deposit invoice with a payment plan for the balance.
- Set up a Premier workflow so a signed contract and paid deposit send your welcome email, and review important emails before they go.
- Have the head chef check every menu description in your proposals against your recipe records before you use them.
What goes wrong
- Workflows, public proposals and more than one lead capture form need Premier. Starter, at $35 (about $35£26€31A$50C$49) a month, has invoices and payment plans but no workflows.
- Dubsado gives you the tools, not the terms. Have your contract, cancellation and postponement terms checked for UK law.
- Prices are in dollars, so the sterling cost moves with the exchange rate.
- A proposal copied from an old event can carry the wrong dish details. Allergen and dietary information must come from your current records, confirmed by a trained person.