The Complete Guide to Managing Group Bookings

Introduction

Running group bookings can be one of the most rewarding and most chaotic parts of running an activity centre. Whether it’s a school trip, corporate event, or just a large family group, managing multiple participants, payments, and forms can quickly become a logistical headache.

With Sailia, group bookings don’t have to mean more admin. This guide walks through how to handle them strategically balancing flexibility for customers with clarity for your team.

Understand the Different Types of Group Bookings

Not all groups are created equal. The first step is knowing what kind of group you’re dealing with because each needs a slightly different approach.

• Casual groups: A few friends booking together - they just need a simple checkout.

• Organised groups: Clubs, parties, or family events - often with one lead booker managing details.

• Institutional groups: Schools, corporate events, or youth organisations - usually booked by someone on behalf of others.

The key is to decide when and how you collect participant details.

Decide When to Collect Participant Information

This is where most systems get messy. Do you take everyone’s details at the point of booking - or later?

Option 1: Take details upfront

• Ideal for small or ad-hoc groups.

• Keeps your records complete from day one.

• Useful when the activity requires pre-checks or waivers before payment (e.g., medical forms, ability levels).

• But it can make taking payment quite long and cause high abandonment rates for groups booking online

Option 2: Take details after payment

• Better for larger or more complex groups.

• Reduces friction during checkout - faster conversions, fewer drop-offs.

• The lead booker can fill in everyone’s details later or share a link with participants to do it themselves.

• But this can lead to issues if the participants ignore reminders to complete their information

Set a threshold:

Many centres set a simple rule like:

“If there are fewer than 6 participants, collect details at booking. If 6 or more, collect later.”

That’s easy to automate in Sailia and it means your staff spend less time chasing paperwork mid-season.

Empower the Lead Booker

Every group has a “captain”, the person who actually gets everyone organised. Sailia builds around that.

Once a group booking is made, the lead booker can:

• Add, edit, or remove participant details.

• Share the secure link with other members to complete their own details.

• Upload any required documents (e.g., consent forms, dietary info).

• Track which participants have completed their forms.

This keeps accountability clear, your team isn’t stuck emailing 20 parents for missing details. Sailia can also chase the lead booker to make sure that they’ve sorted out everyones details before the day arrives, automatically.

Make It Work for Schools and Organisations

School and youth group bookings have unique needs, they’re often managed by teachers or coordinators who aren’t attending.

With Sailia:

• The teacher can book the full group in one go.

• After payment, they receive a shareable link to send to parents or guardians.

• Each parent fills in their child’s details, consents, and emergency contacts directly.

This system keeps data secure, reduces admin for teachers, and ensures every child’s form is completed accurately.

Automate Your Follow-Ups

Group bookings often stall because not everyone completes their details on time.

Sailia automates the chasing:

• Reminder emails go out to incomplete participants after X days.

• Staff can see the completion rate in real time.

• You can add manual nudges when needed - all tracked in the booking view.

Result: less manual follow-up, fewer last-minute panics.

Final Thought

Most systems treat group bookings as an afterthought, but they’re where the biggest opportunities lie.

By designing your process strategically, taking the right info at the right time you can make the experience smoother for everyone: your team, the lead booker, and the participants themselves.

With Sailia, the complexity disappears behind a clean, simple flow.

Groups stay organised. Parents stay informed. And your centre stays in control.