SmartBookings Documentation Portal - User Guides & Knowledge Base

Visitor Attractions & Leisure

Designed for leisure facilities, family entertainment centres, visitor attractions, and venues operating scheduled time slots, open admissions, or birthday parties.

10 Example Business Types:

1. Soft Play Centres 2. Trampoline Parks 3. Mini Golf Courses 4. Laser Tag Arenas 5. Clip 'n Climb Centres 6. Farm Parks & Zoos 7. Santa's Grottos 8. Role Play Towns 9. Escape Rooms 10. Water & Splash Parks

Core System Functionality:

Session Scheduling: Standard fixed sessions (recommended), Dynamic Slots (grottos), and Party Packages.
Attendee & Capacity: Places-used rules, adult/child ratios, toddlers, and family tickets.
Digital Ticketing: Barcode/QR ticket generation, 1-click email confirmations, and front-desk check-in.
Marketing & Loyalty: E-gift cards (90-day report), prepaid multi-visit passes, and promo codes.
Terms Library: 52 ready-to-use policy templates covering leisure and play.

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Children's Birthday Parties

Engineered for soft play centres, trampoline parks, laser tag arenas, sports coaching, and kids entertainers managing party rooms, packages, and deposits.

10 Example Party Types:

1. Soft Play Parties 2. Trampoline Jump Parties 3. Laser Tag Missions 4. Gaming Van & VR 5. Football Coaching 6. Roller Disco Parties 7. Slime & Mad Science 8. Clip 'n Climb Parties 9. Pottery & Junior Chef 10. Nerf Battle Commander

Core System Functionality:

Base Packages: Enforce minimum 10 children headcounts with tiered per-child extra pricing.
Shared Capacity Sync: Places Used dynamically deducts party guests from public play sessions.
Online Card Deposits: Secure upfront card deposits (e.g. £50) via Stripe with 7-day balance collection.
Party Food & Extras: 1-click upsells for adult sandwich platters, coffee flasks, and party bags.
30 Party Terms: Natasha's Law food allergen rules, external cake waivers, and deposit policies.

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Sports & Fitness Sessions

Sports, Fitness & Martial Arts

Engineered for martial arts dojos, boxing gyms, yoga/pilates studios, CrossFit boxes, and sports clubs operating recurring weekly class timetables.

10 Example Business Types:

1. Karate & Martial Arts 2. Boxing & Muay Thai 3. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 4. Yoga & Pilates Studios 5. CrossFit Boxes 6. Spin & Indoor Cycling 7. Padel & Tennis Clubs 8. Swim Schools & Lessons 9. Football Academies 10. Bouldering Gyms

Core System Functionality:

Recurring Timetables: Publish full-year weekly schedules in seconds via Timetable Templates.
Studio Mat Caps: Strict maximum attendee caps prevent overcrowding on tatami mats or bikes.
Drop-Ins & Punchcards: Casual drop-in rates, 10-class punchcards, and member tokens.
Mat-Side Run-Sheets: Live coach registers, emergency contacts, medical notes, and check-in.
50 Sports Terms: PAR-Q medical waivers, sparring safety, and 12-hour cancellation rules.

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Appointment & Service Scheduling

Clinics, Salons & Appointments

Engineered for medical aesthetic clinics, physiotherapy practices, beauty salons, dog groomers, barbers, and mobile trades managing 1-to-1 appointments.

10 Example Business Types:

1. Dog Grooming Salons 2. Physiotherapy & Rehab 3. Aesthetics & Anti-Wrinkle 4. Hairdressing & Color 5. Traditional Barbershops 6. Day Spas & Massage 7. Nail & Lash Bars 8. Custom Tattoo Parlours 9. Ear Wax Microsuction 10. Car Detailing Studios

Core System Functionality:

Dynamic Slot Engine: Hands-on treatment durations plus clean-up turnaround buffer padding.
Staff & Room Allocations: Multi-therapist rosters, specialist skills, and "Any Available" balancing.
Shift Rosters: Opening hours, working shifts, lunch breaks, and holiday blackout days.
Automated SMS Alerts: 24hr pre-appointment text reminders slash no-shows by 80%.
50 Service Terms: Medical consultation consent, 48hr patch test rules, and dog matting fees.

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Equipment Hire & Rental Fleets

Resources & Equipment Hire

Engineered for rental businesses, plant hire depots, marquee companies, and mobile entertainment operators delivering physical assets with mileage-based transport.

10 Example Business Types:

1. Bouncy Castle Hire 2. Mobile Soft Play Hire 3. Wedding Marquee Hire 4. Event Furniture Hire 5. Mini Digger & Plant 6. Tool & Groundcare 7. Sound & PA Hire 8. LED Dancefloor Hire 9. Hot Tub & Spa Hire 10. Van & Trailer Hire

Core System Functionality:

Fleet Stock Control: Track physical inventory quantities per product to prevent double-booking.
Delivery Calculator: Automated mileage bands from your depot postcode or specific postal areas.
Rental Durations: Hourly, daily, weekend, and weekly rates with turnaround changeover buffer days.
Themed Products (Velcro): Interchangeable artwork banners locking out the shared base.
50 Hire Terms: PIPA 24mph wind rules, site access clearance, and damage deposits.

Explore Hire Guides

Shared Infrastructure & Technical Setup

All booking models seamlessly connect to your choice of payment acquirers and website builders without software lock-in:

Payment Gateways (17 Providers)

Connect directly to your existing acquiring bank contract or GoCardless Direct Debit for low transaction rates. Includes complete setup guides for Stripe, GoCardless, Worldpay, Opayo, Square, SumUp, PayPal, Global Payments, CyberSource, and 8 more.

View 17 Payment Gateways →

CMS & Website Integrations (Top 15 Platforms)

Add 'Book Now' / 'Check Availability' buttons or embed live booking forms and delivery calculators into WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, GoDaddy, Umbraco, Webflow, and 8 other website builders.

View 15 CMS Integrations →

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Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about setting up and scaling with SmartBookings:

What types of businesses can use SmartBookings?

SmartBookings powers four primary operational models: 1) Visitor Attractions & Leisure (soft play, mini golf, trampolines), 2) Sports & Fitness Sessions (martial arts dojos, boxing gyms, yoga studios), 3) Clinics & Salons (physiotherapy, aesthetics, pet groomers), and 4) Resources & Equipment Hire (bouncy castles, marquees, plant machinery).

Does SmartBookings charge any percentage booking fees or ticket cuts?

No. SmartBookings operates on a transparent software subscription with 0% platform transaction fees. You keep 100% of your ticket sales, class dues, and hire revenues.

Can I take both online bookings and walk-in front desk payments simultaneously?

Yes. The system synchronizes in real time. When an online customer books a place, the capacity on your front-desk till and reception desk updates instantly, preventing any overbooking.

How long does it take to set up SmartBookings for a leisure venue, clinic, or hire company?

Most businesses launch within 10 to 30 minutes. Build your categories, define prices, generate your weekly timetables or fleet stock, connect your payment gateway, and start taking bookings.

Can SmartBookings connect to our existing website and merchant payment gateway?

Yes. SmartBookings connects to 15 top CMS website platforms (WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, etc.) and integrates with 17 major payment gateways (Stripe, GoCardless, Worldpay, Opayo, Square, SumUp, Dojo, and more).

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