An AI booking assistant that books sessions into your diary

How the AI books a session

1. An enquiry arrives by text, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, your website chat or a phone call.
2. The AI answers the question from your studio’s information: session types, prices, what’s included and your policies.
3. It offers real openings from the calendar you choose, so it only suggests times you’re actually open.
4. It collects the details you need, such as name, email, phone and anything else you ask for, like a due date or the dog’s name, and saves them on the client’s record.
5. It books the session. The appointment lands in your Allio calendar and your usual booking confirmation goes out, as long as notifications are switched on for that calendar.

It can also reschedule or cancel a booking when a client asks, so “can we move to the afternoon?” doesn’t have to wait until morning.

Approve each booking, or let it book on its own

Suggestion mode. The AI drafts the reply and the booking it would make. Someone on your team checks it and sends it with one click. Most studios start here.

Automatic mode. The AI replies and books by itself, and pauses when someone on your team replies in the conversation. Every message and booking is on the client’s record, so you can step in at any point.

Bookings by phone, too

The AI receptionist books in the same way during a call. It answers your studio number after hours or when nobody picks up, offers openings and books the caller in while they’re still on the line.

Whichever way the booking arrives, the conversation, the call and the appointment sit together on the client’s record in the unified inbox, and you can call the client back from the same screen in one click.

Where it helps a portrait studio most

Mini session season. Dozens of “any spots left?” messages in one evening. The AI answers each one and books the openings in order.

Newborn enquiries. Parents message weeks before the due date. The AI explains your newborn window and books the session or the consultation.

Family and pet sessions. It asks how many people, how many pets and which location, then books the right session type.

Viewing appointments. After the shoot, clients can book their viewing by text instead of playing phone tag.

What it won’t do

It doesn’t take payment in the chat. If you take a deposit, send an invoice or payment link from Allio once the session is booked, or let a follow up workflow send it.

It doesn’t guess when it shouldn’t. You set when it hands over to a person, such as custom quotes, complaints or anything it can’t answer from your information.

The AI books from what you teach it, so the AI knowledge base is worth setting up and testing before you switch it on.