Tidewell Kayak and paddleboard hire, Khor Kalba

The business keeps going when you can't be there.

A customer enquires about hiring two paddleboards at 9.47pm on Thursday night.

Noura, who runs the business, is asleep. Her phone is face down on the kitchen counter.

A concept with made up data, built to show how it works.

Here's what happens next. Skip to Monday morning

What happens next, from Thursday night to Sunday

  1. 9.48pm

    The enquiry is answered

    Tidewell replies with available times and prices, ready for Laila to make a decision.

    Noura is asleep.

    Hi, do you have two paddleboards free on Saturday morning? How much for two hours?

    Hi Laila, yes we do. Saturday has boards free at 7.30am and 9.30am, before the wind picks up. Two hours is AED 150 a board. Choose a time

  2. 10.06pm

    The booking is confirmed

    Laila books, pays her deposit and the appointment appears in the calendar automatically.

    Still asleep.

    Laila booked two boards for Saturday at 7.30am and paid the AED 100 deposit by card.

    That's booked. Two boards on Saturday at 7.30am, from the slipway by the mangroves. The AED 200 balance is due by Friday.

  3. 9.00am

    The outstanding balance is collected

    An automatic payment reminder goes out and Laila pays before her booking.

    Noura is at the slipway, unloading boards.

    Morning Laila. A quick reminder that the AED 200 balance for Saturday is due today. Pay the balance

    Done, thanks!

  4. 6.00pm

    The customer gets the information they need

    A reminder arrives with the booking details and high tide time.

    Noura is out on the water with a sunset group of eight.

    See you tomorrow at 7.30am. High tide is at 8.12am, so the mangrove channels will be open. Bring water and a hat. We have the buoyancy aids.

  5. Sunday

    The follow up happens automatically

    A review request is sent after the hire. Laila leaves a review.

    Noura is watching her daughter's school play.

    Thank you for coming out on Saturday. If you enjoyed it, a short review would really help a small business like ours.

    Loved it. Review done, we'll be back with the kids.

Then it's Monday morning.

This is the screen Noura opens with her first coffee. The routine work from last week is already done. The two things that actually need her are at the top.

TGood morning, Noura.

Monday 26th October, 7.40am

Made up data

Needs you today 2

  • A group of 12 from an office in Dubai wants a private sunset paddle on Thursday. They have asked for a quote.

  • Omar wants to move Saturday's booking because of the wind forecast. Two boards are free on Sunday at 8am.

Everything else was handled automatically.

Last week

Enquiries
38
Bookings confirmed
27
Replies sent automatically
31
Reminders sent automatically
24
The day before each booking
Payments chased automatically
6
5 paid without a message from Noura
Hours given back in October
36.5
About 23 minutes for every booking
The week ahead on the water The line is the tide. Yellow sessions were booked automatically. The open circle on Thursday is the group of 12 still waiting for Noura's quote.
  • Monday: 2 sessions, 6 boards
  • Tuesday: 1 session, 4 boards
  • Wednesday: 2 sessions, 5 boards
  • Thursday: a private group of 12, waiting for Noura's quote
  • Friday: 3 sessions, 11 boards
  • Saturday: 3 sessions, 14 boards, wind after 11am
  • Sunday: 2 sessions, 7 boards

Less time chasing people and more time for the work you actually enjoy.

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