At a Glance • Key Takeaways
- Automated Efficiency: Streamline online bookings, live availability scheduling, and customer communication without manual intervention.
- Live Capacity & Conflict Prevention: Prevent double-booking across staff, rooms, activity sessions, or rental fleet assets in real time.
- 0% Platform Booking Fees: SmartBookings does not charge transaction fees or take percentage cuts of your ticket sales or customer payments.
Why Logistics Questions Prevent Delivery Disasters!
Nothing is more frustrating for hire delivery drivers than arriving at a customer's address with a 150kg bouncy castle or a mini digger only to discover:
- The customer wants it set up on sharp gravel or tarmac without anchor points.
- There is no side gate and the only access is up two flights of spiral stairs.
- The community hall hire starts at 13:00, but the party started at 12:00.
- There is no outdoor electrical socket and no generator was ordered.
SmartBookings solves this by capturing all critical logistics questions right on the checkout form in ResourceQuestions.aspx.
Configuring Standard Hire Questions
1 Go to Booking questions in the left admin menu (opens ResourceQuestions.aspx).
2 Configure the core logistics options:
Core Questions Available:
- Show event from / to times: Asks customer when their party or event actually starts and finishes (e.g. 13:00 to 17:00).
- Show access from / to times: Crucial for venue and church hall hires! (e.g. "Hall opens for setup at 11:30 — Hall must be cleared by 18:00"). Drivers use this to schedule deliveries!
- Show surfaces question: Ticking this forces the customer to declare their surface:
• Outdoors on Real Grass (pegged into soil)
• Outdoors on Artificial Astroturf (sandbags)
• Indoors on Hard Floor (gym mats & sandbags)
• Concrete / Tarmac (bolt anchoring / heavy weights)
- Show locations question: (e.g. Private Back Garden, Front Garden, Indoor Community Hall, School Grounds, Commercial Work Site).
- Show occasions question: (e.g. Children's Birthday, Wedding, School Fete, DIY Landscaping).
Adding Custom Delivery & Site Access Questions
In ResourceQuestions.aspx, you can define custom text or multiple-choice questions:
- Side Access Clearance: "Do you have a clear side entrance of at least 85cm width with no steps?" (Answers: "Yes - clear side access", "Steps involved", "Access through house only").
- Electrical Power: "Is there a 13-amp domestic plug socket within 25 metres of the setup point?" (Answers: "Yes - power available", "No - I need a petrol generator").
- Site Contact Number: "Driver contact mobile number on delivery day".
Printed on Driver Delivery Run Sheets:
All answers are automatically displayed on the booking summary, printed delivery driver sheets, and emailed to customers in their confirmation!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why are custom logistics questions vital for bouncy castle and marquee deliveries?
Custom booking questions prevent wasted delivery journeys by collecting essential venue information before drivers dispatch, such as ground surface types, power availability, and side gate access widths.
How do I configure ground surface options like grass, astroturf, and indoor halls?
In ResourceQuestions.aspx, create a dropdown question for 'Setup Surface'. Inflatables on grass require 380mm anchor stakes, while hard standing or concrete requires heavy sandbags or drilling bolts.
Can I require customers to confirm their side gate clearance width?
Yes. Large obstacle courses and diggers require at least 1.0m to 1.2m clear width without steps. Making this question mandatory ensures customers verify path access before drivers arrive.
How do event start and finish times assist delivery route dispatch?
Asking for 'Party Start Time' and 'Party Finish Time' allows logistics dispatchers to schedule drop-offs at least 60-90 minutes before guests arrive and plan efficient collection routes.
Where do answered booking questions display for van drivers?
All answered questions print directly on the driver's delivery manifest and display on the mobile Dispatch Calendar (RentalCal.aspx).
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