A Case Study with Mill Pond Estate

Hi, I’m Cait, a Dubsado expert with years of experience helping business owners streamline their operations. I had the privilege of working with Toni, the owner of Mill Pond Estate, an outdoor wedding venue for stylish dreamers and romantics located in Tampa Bay, Florida. Mill Pond Estate isn’t just any venue—it’s a family property, run with love and an eye for detail to make every couple’s wedding a dream come true. Here’s how we worked together to transform her business before the venue even officially opened.

Meet Mill Pond Estate

Mill Pond Estate offers a full-service floral studio and wedding decor rental alongside their breathtaking venue spaces. When Toni and I began working together, construction was still underway, and the venue’s grand opening was on the horizon. Toni’s dedication to detail and her vision for an unforgettable client experience made it clear that her Dubsado setup needed to:

• Create an interim waitlist process until the venue officially opened.
• Streamline tour booking to make it easy for leads to explore the property.
• Simplify venue rental bookings while integrating add-ons like florals and decor.
• Accommodate varied workflows for in-house or external catering.

The Plan: Turning Vision into Systemized Excellence

Toni came to our Process Mapping Session with a detailed understanding of her needs. Together, we translated her vision into a tangible, streamlined system in Dubsado. Here’s what we accomplished:

1. Interim Waitlist Workflow: While construction was ongoing, we created a workflow to manage leads who wanted to book tours and receive updates. This process ensured leads stayed engaged and received booking information the moment the venue opened.
2. Tours Made Simple: A branded inquiry form funneled leads directly into Dubsado, triggering automated responses with pricing guides and a scheduler link to book tours. This workflow eliminated the back-and-forth of manual scheduling and made it effortless for leads to explore the property.
3. Streamlined Booking Process: Once the venue launched, we set up workflows allowing couples to inquire, book tours, select spaces, and add extras with just a few clicks. A separate branch in the workflow handled add-ons like florals and decor, ensuring clients could easily customize their experience.
4. Catering-Specific Workflows: For couples choosing in-house catering, the workflow presented menu options directly in the client portal. For external catering, clients were asked to upload their caterer’s license. Automated reminders ensured the license was submitted on time, keeping Mill Pond Estate compliant with regulations.
5. Add-On Decor Catalog: Using Forms & Flows’ conditional logic, we created a decor catalog where clients could browse and select rental items. This intuitive form only displayed relevant options based on client choices, streamlining the process while increasing revenue opportunities for the venue.
6. Comprehensive Task Management: Automated task lists and reminders ensured that Toni and her team stayed on track, from event setup to teardown, leaving no detail overlooked.

Deep Dive into the Workflows

The setup included:

• 9 Workflows: Designed to handle every aspect of the client journey.
• 29 Email Templates: Saving 139 hours annually on communication.
• 9 Forms: Used 21 times across workflows, saving 63 hours on customization and data gathering.
• 3 Schedulers: Eliminating 3 hours of back-and-forth scheduling per year.
• 667 Miscellaneous Tasks Automated: Saving an additional 56 hours annually on project management tasks.

Challenges and How We Overcame Them

Every Dubsado setup has unique challenges, and Mill Pond Estate was no different:

• Creating a Seamless Pre-Launch Workflow: Toni needed a system that worked before the venue officially opened. The waitlist workflow provided an immediate solution, keeping leads engaged and organized.
• Handling Catering-Specific Needs: The dual catering workflows ensured all requirements were met efficiently, reducing manual follow-up and eliminating potential compliance issues.
• Customizing Add-On Options: The decor catalog used conditional logic to simplify decision-making for clients while increasing revenue potential for Toni’s business.

The Results: Transforming Mill Pond Estate & The ROI of Automation

The changes we implemented didn’t just make life easier for Toni—they delivered measurable results:

• 92% of Steps Automated: Out of 62 mapped steps, 57 are now automated, leaving only 8% of tasks manual. This ensures Toni can focus on high-value activities.
• 258 Hours Saved Annually: Automations in emails, forms, scheduling, and project management saved over 250 hours per year.
• $25,800+ Value in Saved Time: With Toni’s rate valued at $100 per hour, the time saved translates directly into increased profitability.
• $6,450 Annual Savings Compared to a VA: Automations replaced tasks that would have cost at least $6,450 annually if outsourced to a virtual assistant.

Lessons for Venue Owners

If you’re a venue owner, consider these takeaways to maximize your efficiency and client experience:

1. Understand Seasonal and Business-Specific Needs: Tailor your workflows to accommodate peak seasons, high-demand services, and client expectations specific to your industry. For example, Mill Pond Estate’s workflows for in-house and external catering ensured every client followed the correct path, simplifying compliance and reducing friction.
2. Leverage Automations Beyond Basics: Use automations not just for reminders or document collection but to upsell services, such as add-on proposals for decor and florals. This creates revenue-generating opportunities without extra manual effort.
3. Create Client Touchpoints That Reflect Your Brand: Ensure every form, email, and portal interaction feels cohesive with your venue’s branding. For Mill Pond Estate, branded forms and emails reinforced a luxurious and seamless client experience.
4. Use Data to Improve Operations: Once workflows are live, analyze them. Are clients completing forms promptly? Are tour bookings converting into contracts? Use these insights to refine processes further and enhance client satisfaction.
5. Make Pre-Launch Engagement a Priority: If you’re planning a new venue or launching a major service, a pre-launch waitlist or early engagement strategy keeps potential clients interested and ready to book the moment you open your doors.
6. Upsell Smartly with Automated Proposals: Automating add-on opportunities, like Mill Pond Estate’s decor catalog, can significantly boost revenue while offering clients a personalized and seamless experience.

By taking these steps, you not only streamline your operations but also position your venue as a professional, client-centric business that’s easy to work with.

Ready to Transform Your Venue?

Working with Toni was a fantastic experience, and I’m thrilled with the results we achieved together. If you’re ready to streamline your workflows and elevate your client experience, I’m here to help. Whether you’re managing a venue or running another type of business, I’ll help you harness the power of Dubsado to create a system that works for you. Let’s get started!