Hi, I’m Cait, a Dubsado expert with years of experience helping business owners streamline their operations. Recently, I worked with Renee, the owner of a brick-and-mortar sewing studio in Minnesota, to implement a streamlined Dubsado system for her Kids Summer Camps. Renee’s studio has been a local hub for sewing, fitting, and dressmaking classes, and her kids’ programs have grown immensely since the pandemic sparked a renewed interest in sewing. Here’s how we tackled the challenge together.

Meet the Client: A One-Woman Sewing Studio

Renee began her journey teaching sewing informally, progressed to leading community education classes, and eventually opened her own studio. Her Kids Summer Camps, focused on themed sewing projects, have become wildly popular. However, managing camp registrations, payments, and client communication manually left Renee feeling overwhelmed. With no time to spare, she turned to Dubsado to automate her admin tasks and reclaim her life outside the studio.

The Plan: Streamlining Sewing Camp Management with Dubsado

In our live workflow mapping session, we aimed to simplify Renee’s camp registration process while ensuring she retained control over class capacities and personal touchpoints with parents. Here’s what we planned:

1. Registration via Proposals:
   • Create a proposal allowing parents to select from four themed camps: Make It Sweet, Unicorn Dreams, Sewing Tools, and Pajama Party.
   • Automatically capture project details while triggering appropriate workflows.
2. Manual Approval for Capacity Control:
   • Use project statuses and automated task reminders to allow Renee to confirm registrations manually, ensuring no class exceeded its limit.
3. Client Portal Access:
   • Provide parents with a portal for updates, forms, and invoices to centralize communication.
4. Automated Communication:
   • Set up email templates for registration follow-ups, confirmations, and payment reminders.
   • Integrate a branded client portal guide to help parents navigate the system.
5. Waitlist Management:
   • Add processes to handle waitlisted families efficiently without overwhelming Renee’s workload.

Challenges and How We Overcame Them

Every setup has its hurdles, and this project was no exception. Here’s how we navigated them:

1. Unfamiliarity with Dubsado’s Tools

Renee initially struggled with the proposal and scheduler tools. By walking her through the process live, we demystified these features, ensuring she felt confident using them.

2. Balancing Automation and Personal Touch

Renee didn’t want her communication to feel “robotic.” To address this, we built delays between automated emails and crafted warm, personable templates that reflected her brand.

3. Handling Multi-Class Registrations

Parents often enrolled their children in multiple camps. To streamline this, we explored the potential of schedulers but ultimately tailored the proposal and manual review process to meet her needs better.

The Results: Transforming Renee’s Admin Workflow

Our work together resulted in significant improvements for Renee’s summer camp operations:

• 81% Automation: Of the 16 steps in her process, 13 are now automated, saving her hours of repetitive admin work.
• 100+ Hours Saved Annually: Between automated emails, forms, and task management, Renee has reclaimed over 100 hours per year.
• Improved Client Experience: Parents now enjoy a seamless registration process, clear communication, and easy access to essential documents through the client portal.
• Increased Capacity for Growth: With administrative tasks handled, Renee has the bandwidth to focus on expanding her studio offerings and planning for the next camp season.

Lessons for Small Business Owners

If you’re running kids’ programs or similar classes, here’s how you can implement similar strategies to streamline your operations:

1. Map Out Your Workflow:
   • Break down your processes step by step, from client inquiry to service delivery. Identify tasks that are repetitive and time-consuming.
   • Use tools like Dubsado’s Workflow Builder to visualize and automate these steps.
2. Utilize Proposals for Registration:
   • Create a proposal template with clear options for clients to choose services or packages. Enable automatic workflow triggers to kickstart the process immediately.
   • Test your proposal settings to ensure smooth functionality before launching.
3. Add a Manual Review Step for Critical Decisions:
   • For tasks like capacity control or personalized follow-ups, use project statuses and task reminders. This allows you to maintain oversight without sacrificing efficiency.
4. Enhance Communication with Templates:
   • Develop email templates that cover every stage of your process—from inquiry follow-ups to payment confirmations and reminders. Write them in your voice to keep the communication personable.
   • Build in delays between automated emails to simulate real-time communication.
5. Simplify Client Access with a Portal:
   • Use a branded client portal to provide clients with all their documents, forms, and invoices in one place. Share a guide to help them navigate the portal effectively.
6. Incorporate a Waitlist System:
   • Set up a waitlist workflow to manage overflow inquiries. Automate follow-ups to ensure clients know when spots become available.
7. Analyze and Adjust:
   • Monitor your workflows regularly to identify bottlenecks or areas for improvement. Use client feedback to refine your processes further.

By taking these steps, you can not only save time but also improve the client experience, positioning your business as professional, organized, and client-focused.

Ready to Streamline Your Business?

Working with Renee was an inspiring reminder of how powerful a well-designed system can be. If you’re ready to take control of your business processes and create an exceptional client experience, I’d love to help. Let’s create a system tailored to your needs and get you back to doing what you love most.