The problem
In August and at Christmas a cattery turns families away, then a cancellation leaves a pen empty because nobody kept a list of who asked. If a 12-pen cattery has 3 pens a peak week freed by cancellations that stay empty, each a 7-night stay at $20£15€18A$29C$28 a night, that's $419£315€375A$605C$592 a peak week, $3,352£2,520€2,999A$4,838C$4,738 over 8 peak weeks.
What the AI does
Revelation Pets' features page lists a waitlist with automated notifications, alongside online booking, booking confirmations and reminders, and a customer portal where owners check availability. Turn the waitlist on for peak dates so families who couldn't get a pen go on it, and when a pen frees up the waitlisted owners are notified. The page doesn't say exactly how the notifications work, so test it with a dummy booking. Silver, at $67£50€60A$96C$94 a month, includes cattery, the online booker and vaccine management.
A worked example
A 12-pen cattery near Norwich is full for about 8 weeks a year and turns away several families a week. About 3 pens a peak week are freed by late cancellations and stay empty.
Before
3 empty pens x 7 nights x $20£15€18A$29C$28 = $419£315€375A$605C$592 a peak week, $3,352£2,520€2,999A$4,838C$4,738 a year
After
If the waitlist refills 2 of the 3: $279£210€250A$403C$395 a peak week, $2,234£1,680€1,999A$3,226C$3,158 a year, about $186£140€167A$269C$263 a month averaged
What it's worth
About $130£98€117A$188C$184 a month in profit, averaged over the year, at an assumed 70% margin on $186£140€167A$269C$263 a month of refilled stays ($2,234£1,680€1,999A$3,226C$3,158 a year, divided by 12), since staff and heating are there anyway. Silver is $67£50€60A$96C$94 a month, or $658£495€589A$950C$931 a year (about $55£41€49A$79C$77 a month).
How to set it up
- Start the free trial on Silver, which includes cattery and the online booker.
- Turn on the waitlist for your peak dates and test what a waitlisted owner receives when a pen frees up.
- Say on your website that families can join the waitlist when you're full.
- When a cancellation comes in, check the waitlist the same day and phone the first family if no reply arrives.
- Count refilled pens across one peak period.
What goes wrong
- A waitlisted family may have booked elsewhere by the time a pen frees; offer it to the next one quickly.
- Check vaccination records for a waitlisted cat before confirming, as with any booking.
- SMS is an add-on with no price on the page; email comes with the plan.
- Card processing fees for deposits aren't shown on the pricing page; ask before you sign up.