Boatbookings Client Management System

Boatbookings.com Press Release

1 June, 2006

Boatbookings Announces State-of-the-Art Client Management System

Boatbookings, a leader in online boat chartering, has installed a sophisticated customer management and lead tracking system, to better automate the process of sales and customer service. This advanced system will both improve service levels for our customers and reduce the cost of sale. The Boatbookings Client Management System will allow Boatbookings to grow efficiently by providing sales, customer service and operations staff with up-to-the-minute information on all of the important tracking criteria as a client moves from the initial enquiry to boarding the boat.

All enquiries from the enquiry page on the site are now automatically entered into the system, along with information about the boat suppliers, so that the sales rep has a dashboard for both the client and boat suppliers. Emails and phone calls can be created with one click. All documents such as contracts, invoices and customer lists are appended to the client record so that paper usage is reduced and all information is available worldwide. The system allows the sales rep to create proposals and invoices automatically, and to track where all customers are in the sales cycle. Once a client has committed to a boat, the system tracks all steps prior to arrival to assure that documents have been received and all appropriate services have been ordered.

Management can track real-time the overall business level and sales pipeline, conversion rates, and number of clients "on the water" to assure effective client management. A comprehensive series of reports can identify where the process needs improvement, and measures performance at all levels of sales and customer service.

"In order to be the best worldwide charter company, we needed to put the tools in place to manage the business effectively. We must have a world class sales and customer service organisation, and technology implemented properly can greatly assist this function. In order to achieve our goals of being the world's largest and best independent charter organisation, it was important to invest now to be able to scale up the business and manage the enormous growth we're experiencing. We launched the system just prior to the Cannes Film Festival, one of our busiest periods of the year, and it worked flawlessly!" noted Tom Virden, Founder and Managing Director of Boatbookings. "I learned at lastminute.com that investing in the "backend" is just as important as marketing and brand development if you are to become a world class leisure organisation, and so we've invested in this system early at Boatbookings".