Automatic Overflow Routing
Your calendar is full. A client wants to book. Instead of turning them away, Guidepole automatically routes the booking to an available employee or linked guide — same price, same quality, same brand. You keep the client and earn a commission.
The busiest guides lose the most bookings
Peak season is a double-edged sword. Every "sorry, I'm booked" is a client who goes to your competitor — and might never come back. Most guides solve this by hiring full-time employees they can't afford in the off-season, or by simply losing the revenue.
Overflow routing fixes this by treating your network of employees and linked guides as elastic capacity. When you're full, bookings flow to them. When they're full, bookings flow back to you. Everyone stays busy. Nobody loses a client.
How overflow routing works
Four steps. Zero manual effort. Every booking finds a home.
A client tries to book your trip
They found you on Hooks.ly, your website embed, or a direct link. They pick a date, a trip type, and hit Book.
Guidepole checks your calendar
Your calendar for that date is already full — all boats assigned, all slots taken. Normally, that's a lost booking.
Overflow kicks in automatically
Guidepole checks your employees first, then your linked guides. It finds someone who's available, qualified for the trip type, and in range.
The booking is confirmed under your brand
The client receives a confirmation that says "Your guide will be Captain Jake" — but the booking, the brand, and the relationship are yours. Revenue splits automatically.
Multi-boat operations
Running a fleet? Overflow routing works across your entire operation. Guidepole fills your own boats first — Boat 1, Boat 2, Boat 3 — before routing to linked guides. You maximize your fleet utilization before sharing revenue.
"Keep group together" toggle
A party of 8 books a trip on a 4-person boat. Turn on "keep group together" and Guidepole books two boats side-by-side for the same departure time and location. The group stays together, the experience is seamless, and you fill two boats instead of one.
Why guides love overflow routing
Never lose a booking
Full calendar used to mean turning clients away. Now it means routing them to a guide you trust — and earning a commission.
Clients see your brand
The client booked with you, and as far as they know, you found them a great guide. Your name stays on the confirmation.
Multi-boat support
Running a fleet? Overflow fills your second and third boats before routing to linked guides. Every seat gets used.
Keep the group together
A party of 8 that needs two boats? Toggle "keep group together" so they end up side by side, not scattered across the lake.
Zero manual effort
No phone calls, no texting around. Guidepole checks availability and routes automatically the moment a booking comes in.
Commission splits automatic
Your cut goes to your bank. The overflow guide's cut goes to theirs. No invoicing, no spreadsheets, no awkward conversations.
The difference
Without Guidepole
- Trip full = "Sorry, I'm booked that day"
- Client books with your competitor instead
- You manually call around to find another guide
- Commission splits tracked in spreadsheets
- Peak season revenue capped by your personal capacity
With Guidepole
- Trip full = automatic routing to an available guide
- Client stays in your network, books instantly
- Zero manual effort — routing is automatic
- Commission splits handled by Stripe Connect
- Revenue scales with your network, not your calendar
Frequently asked questions
What happens if none of my linked guides are available?
If no employees or linked guides have availability for that date and trip type, the client sees your next available date instead — or they can join a waitlist. No booking is lost without an alternative being offered.
Can I control which guides receive overflow?
Yes. You set a priority order for overflow: employees first, then specific linked guides ranked by your preference. You can also restrict overflow by trip type — for example, only route offshore trips to Captain Jake, and inshore trips to Captain Mike.
Does the client know they've been routed to a different guide?
The client sees the assigned guide's name in their booking confirmation ("Your guide will be Captain Jake"), but the booking is under your business name. It feels like a team assignment, not a redirect.
How does pricing work for overflow bookings?
The client pays your listed price — no surcharges, no changes. The revenue is split according to the commission terms you set with the overflow guide. Everything is automatic through Stripe Connect.
Stop turning away bookings
Sign up free. Set up overflow routing in minutes. Every booking finds a home.
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