Class capacity and waitlists

Capacity is the number of people who can book a session. Once it is full, further customers can join a waitlist instead of being turned away.

Setting capacity honestly

Set it to what the room, the equipment or the instructor can genuinely handle. A class oversold by two is a class where two people have a bad time and do not come back.

Why the waitlist matters

Somebody always drops out. Without a waitlist that space stays empty, so you have lost the revenue and disappointed somebody who wanted to come. With one, the space refills itself.

Watch the waitlist as a signal

A class with a standing waitlist is telling you to put another session on. That is the most useful piece of information a class timetable produces.

Late cancellations

Set a cancellation window that gives the waitlist a realistic chance. Somebody dropping out ten minutes before leaves nobody time to get there.

Common questions

Can I change capacity after people have booked?

Yes. Increasing it opens more places. Reducing it below the number already booked does not remove anybody.

Does the waitlist fill the space automatically?

The waitlist is how you reach people who wanted a place. Check it as soon as a cancellation comes in.

Can I overbook deliberately?

You can set capacity higher than the room if you expect no-shows, but it is a gamble and the people turned away at the door remember it.