Posts in Online Booking

• Date of launch – it would be wise to consider when a good time to launch the new system would be, there is no denying that an online booking system will streamline processes and help build a far more effective training business – but the initial launch will need attention and time. Don’t take on too much at once and look for a gap in work.
• How staff will fill their spare time – something our clients have said to us in the past is that they are less reliant on administrative tasks being carried out from employees once the online booking system is in place. Think about what else those individuals could be doing and how best they could spend their new found time – don’t let it become downtime.
• You’re an online store now – take a look at Amazon, they work tirelessly to build traffic to their site and ensure that people buy when they land. Is your site geared up to be an online store? You might want to consider how much traffic you get to your site and how valuable it would be to increase that traffic.

In a world where everything is 24 hours, from the news to food shopping and from sport to entertainment, I often wonder why more businesses aren’t prepared to take the leap and be open for every single second of the year.

Then it dawns on me, we all have personal lives and perhaps like to have some sort of boundary between the working hours and the non-working ones. It’s no great surprise, and I’m not unearthing any great news when I say that the biggest influencer over this 24 hour culture is technology, it has made it possible and safe to do many more things at any time of the day, regardless of where in the world you are and which timezone you find yourself in – and to this extent, businesses are not too shy at coming forward. Because, if technology allows you to get a happy balance between being a 24 hour business, while not actually being sat in front of a computer or behind a desk for the entire time, most people would be content, right?

I heard a story recently about a local theatre that was struggling to cope, it urgently needed modernisation and needed to attract a new crowd. Its future was grim. Today, in a very short space of time, the theatre has managed to turn things around, and it’s because of the way it has embraced the digital world. Theatres are traditional businesses, and probably not the first to jump onto the latest technological advances to help them find success, but this one tweaked the way it operated and addressed the fact that it spent so much money on admin staff who sat around for hours on end waiting and hoping for a busy period. It rarely came.

Instead, the business (it’s OK to call a theatre a business, they are not there purely to entertain, they need to be effective and successful too) integrated an online booking system and allowed visitors to book at any time of the day they wanted.

In other words, they tapped into the 24 hour audience, and it saved their lives. This is a theatre that recognised that the best way for its staff to build the business back up is not by sitting around and waiting to take a booking, it’s by using their creative flare and ensuring that the theatre is producing shows that people want to see. It’s also about channelling that creativity and passion to market the theatre effectively, and a simple and basic system like online booking allowed them to do that.
This is a scenario mirrored in many industries, not least the on that I work in, the training arena.

All too often passionate and dedicated trainers spend their time carrying out administration work and are forced to abandon their post, where they should be developing new training programmes and getting companies and delegates excited about their latest courses. There is training management software that automate every part of the administration aspect and reach out to new customers in the 24-7 world, and in turn allow them the freedom to do what they do best.

The software’s out there, and if any training or course provider would like to demo it to get an idea of what it can do, just click here and let me know.

If you want to hear what other training companies have achieved from using the accessplanit software, which includes online booking and automatic generation of certificates, happy sheets and invoices, just get in touch today by calling 0845 5430229 or email enquiries@accessplanit.com.

Online social networks are proving the perfect space for brand messaging, as marketers shift their strategies and up their ad spend on these social sites. As advertisers harness all the potential that social media can offer, is your training company lacking a little online oomph? 

The entertainment and food and drink sectors seem particularly keen to tap this online resource as they are now buying the bulk of adverts on Facebook. In fact, the volume of ad impressions bought by companies in these sectors (as well as in the beauty, automotive and games industries) has risen by around 117% during 2011, according to TBG Digital in a Financial Times report this week. It just goes to show how valuable these online resources have become to brands and how social networking has emerged as an important business tool. 

Interestingly, brand advertisers spend a great deal of money on communicating with the public via Facebook because they claim people are in a relaxed frame of mind when using this site. If they’re relaxed, it’s more likely they’ll be receptive to the brand messages. In addition, ads can be carefully targeted so they reach the desired audience at the desired time.

Social networking sites have become a hugely popular channel of communication, with many people checking for updates daily – if not hourly. Also, unlike an email or phone call – it’s an easier, less intrusive way to communicate with people outside of business hours such as weekends and evenings. This increased scope of communication makes social networking the stuff of dreams for any marketing team. Having access to your community and engaging with them at these times, on a more informal level, can help increase uptake of an idea, campaign or product. 

In a similar way, online booking systems could prove incredibly beneficial when it comes to maximising sales potential of training courses and other development programmes. With an online booking system in place, customers can sign up for an event whenever and wherever they are – whether that’s at the weekend or in the middle of the night! 

In short, businesses from a whole range of industries are starting to fully appreciate the increased accessibility and communication opportunities offered by social media. Moreover, they’re acknowledging this by significantly bumping up their ad spend in these areas. The training industry should take note of these shifts in strategy and look to online potential to boost their own engagement levels. 

Most of us are online every single day – it’s a familiar landscape, it’s comfortable and convenient. If training companies fail to make the most of online systems they could really be losing out on a vast and captive potential audience. 

If you think the option of online booking could boost attendances of training programmes that you run, or would just like to test a demo of the accessplanit Course Manager software, get in touch with the team today on 0845 5430229 or email enquiries@ accessplanit.com.

The definition of efficiency savings is providing and maintaining your existing level of services at lower cost.  AccessPlanit’s Training Management Software will ensure you do more with less and will increase your efficiency savings through:

• Significantly reduced administrative burden and cost achieved through automation
• Convenient, 24/7 customer access for booking and online payment
• Increased conversion rate through your website resulting in increased sales
• Reduced cost of bookings
• Automated billing and payment
• Increased staff efficiency in dealing with customer enquiries and queries
• Improved customer experience and interactions
• Reduced marketing costs
• Increased control through comprehensive, real-time management reporting
• Increased control of resources and costs
• Staffing cost savings and operational efficiencies
• Regular updates meaning you have the most up to date version at all times

 Do more with less, one system does the job of many…

• Course and Event Scheduling
• Administration and Correspondence
• Customer Records
• Work Flow Management
• Online Booking and Registrations
• Secure Online Payment and eCommerce
• Booking Management
• Resources
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
• Bulk Email and Marketing Initiatives
• Finance Management
• Reporting
• Website Integration   & Client Portals
• Feedback and Evaluation

To learn more about how you can make efficiency savings then please contact AccessPlanit and we would be more than happy to discuss your concerns.

It’s the 21 ^st century; an era of wireless connectivity, touch-screen technology and automation is at its peak. Yet many companies still fail to recognise the benefits of such technologies that, when embraced within your business, are proven to streamline operations and improve efficiency throughout.

• Online booking systems are becoming increasingly prevalent in today’s society across various industries; the training sector, in particular, provides a whole host of online booking benefits for companies and consumers, in contrast to old-fashioned face-to-face, telephone and fax exchanges... 

• Customers can instantly check availability rather than have to check over the phone or via email. Staff save valuable time dealing with bookings and can spend their time elsewhere on more pressing issues. Clients can check availability and book instantly, thus completing a booking without having to wait for staff to confirm. This is exceptionally useful in unsociable hours where staff aren’t working – meaning your company is open for business 24/7.

• Because customers conduct their own transactions and receive confirmations, they are free to make changes during or even after the process, with a minimum of complicating factors – providing them with ultimate peace of mind.

• Training companies can protect themselves with online booking systems because many systems require payment upfront or a credit card guarantee to hold the reservation. You’re also safeguarded against non-payment which saves time having to chase up invoices.

• Training providers have an up-to-the minute head count of purchases and bookings. Precise head counts can circumvent the problem of underbooking to avoid disappointing customers, or overbooking to make sure a sufficient number of actual transactions go through.

• Websites can be updated instantly with live information pulled directly from your booking system. No more waiting for your website developer to update your site with new course dates and availability.

Click here to find out more about our Course Booking System..