I think that the instant booking feature might be great for some locations. I just initiated it and will let you all know what kind of experience I have.
My location is a warehouse and I am present during bookings (I stay out of the shoot areas but am on site in my office or another area of the warehouse during shoots).
I feel like it will work for me - guests sometimes book without sending out an inquiry first and all has gone well so far.
*Depending on the details (or lack of) I sometimes ask questions before accepting.
For the right space and types of bookings I am sure that Instant Book can be wonderful. I personally don’t use it, here are a few thoughts:
I don’t have a definitive calendar for availability. Our space is a working photo studio, and I don’t mark my own session days as unavailable because I may be able to reschedule a portrait session to accommodate an attractive rental (all day or multiple days);
I like to get an idea of who is coming into my space and what they plan to do. I host a lot of events, and not all are a fit for us, which usually means they want to go late (past midnight) or get too loud;
Even without enabling the Instant Book feature, a potential guest can “instantly” send a booking request, and I can accept or ask a few clarifying questions. They can still book the space quickly as long as the host is responsive.
I’m using the instant book feature, and my guests really like be able to know that the space is available and booked instantly. My only concern is I would like it if they could only do instant booking three days out or so. I also use the space myself, and if a peerspace guest books themselves over something I’ve already planned it’s a hassle.
Can peerspace add an option to set aside bookings with less than 72 hours notice for host review? That would be awesome.
I have accidentally double booked my location I notify the person who booked second to choose another date. I would offer an hour free or some giveaway.
