We’re here to serve you…

Written on March 3, 2010 at 4:39 pm, by Ron Goodell

 We challenge ourselves continually to improve our internal processes so that we can enhance our customer service and support offering. One of our processes includes tracking our response time for support cases that are submitted to our Product and Technical Support Services Team. In January and February of this year, we opened approximately 1,000 support cases and more than 99 percent of those calls were for product configuration and implementation questions, new feature requests, and training and product upgrade queries. From the time the case was submitted, whether by voicemail, e-mail or via the web, the customer was contacted within 3 hours and most cases were resolved or closed within an hour. In addition, we’ve received 1,184 direct calls to our live Call Center. We think it’s important that our customers be able to talk with an actual person, rather than an automated system. Our 2010 statistics show those Call Center calls were answered, on average, in just under a minute, with 83 percent answered within 30 seconds.

We follow up on each closed support case with a survey sent directly to the customer, asking each customer to rank us on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being Excellent. Since the beginning of the year, 97 percent of our customers have given us a rating of 5 in regards to our response time. Ninety-seven percent of respondents gave our support technicians a ranking of 5 when it comes to technical knowledge and helpfulness.

In addition to ranking our service, many of our customers leave us messages or supporting comments that help us in evaluating our processes. Some of our customers just like to share how they feel about us. Holly Young, Event Sales Manager at Butte Creek Country Club, said, “Thank you! It’s especially nice to call the help desk and get a live person without having to wait or press a bunch of buttons on the phone!”

Thank you, Holly! It’s a pleasure serving you and all of our customers.

 

Introducing Our PCI Compliance Partner

Written on February 24, 2010 at 11:43 am, by Lynn Carter

I’m happy to announce we’ve partnered with Element Payment Services, Inc., a company that provides PCI compliant processing solutions to software providers and merchants that accept credit cards. This partnership will allow our customers to securely accept credit cards, process payments, secure reservations and collect deposits directly through a unique portal located in their ReServe Interactive software without ever having to transmit or store sensitive cardholder information. Element’s solution simplifies processes for both our customers and ourselves, leaving us all risk-free and in compliance with today’s PCI specifications.

We researched several providers before we selected Element, keeping in mind our expectation of partnership that I blogged about in January, and found that not only is their solution exceptional, but they value a successful partnership as much as we do. The decision was easy because we knew that both sides would have the customers’ best interests in mind.

So far, the partnership process has been a wonderful experience. The staff at Element is friendly, helpful, generous with their time and accommodating to our needs. All of these factors are important when dealing with an issue as sensitive as PCI Compliance. We knew we needed a partner who not only understood the importance of compliance for our customers and our industry, but was willing to take the steps necessary to get our customers and our company compliant as quickly as possible.

A successful partnership can be easy to achieve when both sides are on the same page. We look forward to working with Element Payment Services, and providing our customers with the superior products and the highest level of service they’ve come to expect from us since 1996.

 

What makes our software intuitive?

Written on February 17, 2010 at 9:01 am, by Lynn Carter

It seems like the word ‘intuitive’ is getting thrown around more and more often. I’ve seen it used relative to medical devices, racing equipment and appliances. And while most of these products are truly intuitive or have intuitive features, there are some companies that make the claim, but fall very short.

Take, for example, some of the other catering and event management software products on the market today. They offer a lot of fancy features, have interfaces that look like other well-known software products, and claim to be easy to use. Many of our customers have tried these products and shared their experiences. Based on their input, intuition may not necessarily be the word they would use to describe the products. Functional? Yes. Easy-to-use? Sometimes. But just because a product is easy to use, doesn’t make it intuitive. What makes software intuitive? I guess that depends on your definition of intuitive.

Let me share what we think intuitive means. Intuitive, to us, means that we understand our customers’ businesses inside and out, top to bottom, and with that knowledge we’ve created a smart software system that is designed to become an integral part of a company’s day-to-day processes. It means we’ve built our software on a proprietary platform that was developed by professionals with years of experience in the design and development of effective user interfaces for high-tech products in a variety of industries. These individuals have an instinctive knowledge of user-centered design processes and, partnered with people that have extensive catering sales and hospitality experience, were able to design a product that incorporates human interface technologies with the specific, real world needs of the hospitality industry. Our software was created by people who have stood in the customer’s shoes. We know what our customers need because we know what we needed when we were standing at the hostess desk or taking calls in the sales office. Our software speaks their language, understands what they need moment by moment, and anticipates what they will need down the road.

Developed using our proprietary platform, our Event Lifecycle Technology™ (ELT) and Smart Reservation Technology™ (SRT) features can do what no other products on the market can do.  The unique, process-driven architecture enables ReServe to anticipate a customer’s next steps and prompts them for the necessary information. The software knows what the customer needs every step of the way and puts the information right at the user’s fingertips where and when they need it. It remembers the details and enforces business practices automatically, so the customer doesn’t have to. That’s what makes our software so powerful – so easy to learn, so effortless to use – so intuitive.

We’d like to think that when we say intuitive, not only do we mean it, but we can prove it. Just ask any of our customers.

 

Congratulations, Tina!

Written on February 10, 2010 at 8:58 am, by Mike Edmeyer

If you didn’t catch it in our press release or on the web, we just promoted one of our employees, Tina Gangel, to sales associate. In her new role, Tina will be responsible for taking care of our existing customers, and working with customers throughout all stages of the sales cycle. 

Tina joined ReServe Interactive in 2008 as a contract administrator managing support contracts and software renewals, and has impressed us since day one. Not only was her background with Nortel Networks impressive, but she proved herself to be invaluable to every member of the ReServe team and all of the customers she came into contact with.

Tina’s enthusiasm is contagious. She’s passionate about our company, our product and our customers. We’re glad to have her on board and eager to watch her grow in her new role.

 

Online dining reservations…

Written on February 2, 2010 at 10:00 pm, by Mike Edmeyer

I came across a great article in the January 2010 American Express Market Brief about restaurant trends. One of the things touched on was online dining reservations. It states that as few as 14 percent of consumers have made restaurant reservations online.  That seems like a staggeringly low number considering today’s 24/7 Internet connectivity, endless cell phone apps and the ongoing push towards the use of technology for everyday activities, such as socializing, grocery shopping and schooling. But really, if you think about it, technology can be intimidating and with so many new applications and gadgets coming down the pipeline at a steady pace, it’s no wonder that so few have taken advantage of online reservation services.

The research also explained that 44 percent of consumers, when asked what they felt was the primary advantage of using an online tool said they liked the ability to make a reservation when it was convenient for them.  Followed by not having to talk to a live human being, never being put on hold, getting an immediate confirmation of the reservation, having the reservation details entered correctly and earning rewards points for booking online.

What does all of this mean? Online reservation systems are just catching on with consumers and when they do take advantage of the ability to book a reservation online, they do it because it’s convenient and it eliminates some of the hassle associated with calling a restaurant during business hours to book a reservation.

Restaurants have several options for online dining reservation tools. The key is to find one that is convenient and cost effective for them. Steer clear of ‘per seat’ transaction fees. If a busy restaurant takes quite a few reservations online, this fee could end up costing thousands of dollars. The other consideration is finding a tool where reservation data is captured, owned and maintained by the restaurant, and the restaurant alone. Restaurants shouldn’t have to pay to use their own customer data. Finally, when a customer requests a specific reservation time and it’s unavailable, restaurants want to make sure that the guest remains on their site and in their dining room, so the ability to offer alternative dates and times is critical. No one wants a tool that will suggest different restaurants with that available date and time. That’s money out the window.  The ultimate goal should be to implement a tool that will bring in business and boost revenue. Convenience should be just as important to the restaurant owner as it is to the consumer.

ReServe offers an online reservation tool called ReServeIT.  We think it’s pretty convenient – for everyone who uses it.

 

Just a teaser…

Written on January 27, 2010 at 9:29 am, by Beth Goodell

We have some exciting things planned this year. Initiatives that are going to impact all areas of our organization and the way our customers do business. We’re focusing on customer relations and service, employee loyalty (because we happen to think our employees are some of the best out there!), and sharing more of our story with the industry.

Through this blog and other industry-related activities, you’ll be learning more about the people that make up our organization and the experience and skill they bring to the table. You’ll hear more about new services and industry partnerships that will enhance our product and service offering. And, finally, you read about the ways we’re making a difference to our customers, their guests and their bottom lines.

Keep an eye out over the next couple of weeks for a major announcement regarding our product training and support. We’re getting ready to launch a new program that is going to change the way our customers experience their ReServe Interactive software, as well as help them take their user skills to the next level.

At ReServe Interactive, change is a good thing. Especially when that change has a positive impact on the way we do business for our customers. We look forward to sharing our plans for 2010 with you, so keep tuning in!

 

The Importance of PCI Compliance

Written on January 21, 2010 at 12:22 pm, by Lynn Carter

According to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, more than 343 million records with sensitive personal information have been involved in security breaches in the U.S. since January of 2005. And some statistics even claim that more than 55 percent of credit card fraud comes from the hospitality industry!* Wow. Those are some scary stats.

Today, when financial transactions are regularly conducted in an online environment, merchants can become easy targets for fraud. In many cases, it’s inadequate security on the business’s end that allows hackers to steal and use financial data from credit and debit card transactions and credit card processing systems.

With the prevalence of this type of activity, companies are scrambling to put the appropriate measures in place to protect their customers and themselves. Compliance with the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS) helps to eliminate a merchant’s vulnerabilities and protect important consumer data. Those companies that fail to fulfill the PCI compliance requirements and put the proper levels of protection in place can face massive fines, increased credit card processing fees, the inability to accept payment cards at all, and ultimately, closure – all devastating consequences.

Many of our customers, from hotels to restaurants, and caterers to convention centers, routinely gather, process and store sensitive customer financial data. Whether it’s using a consumer’s credit card to secure a deposit for an event, book a reservation, or simply pay an invoice, our customers are responsible for making sure that the financial data their guests share remains secure.  

As their business partner, we are committed to providing them with the tools they need to become, and remain, PCI compliant. We understand the risks and the long lasting effects of non-compliance and we are not willing to take any chances.

 *The PCI Compliance Process for Hotels, American Hotel & Lodging Association

 

The Importance of Partnership

Written on January 13, 2010 at 12:06 pm, by Lynn Carter

I Googled the word ‘partnership’ and found this definition:  ‘a relationship between individuals or groups that is characterized by mutual cooperation and responsibility, as for the achievement of a specified goal’.

I love this definition. It says what we feel about our customers and our technology associates.

We’ve been committed, from day one, to being more than a vendor/supplier to a group of nameless, faceless individuals. We work hand-in-hand with our customers to make sure they have the right solutions they need and get the results they expect. We are intimately aware of our customers’ daily operations, ensuring that the product we provide is more than just a disk they install on their hard drive.

The key to this commitment is partnership. We need to work together with our customers to further develop our software in such a way that it continues to meet their changing needs. Partnership helps us to achieve this goal.

Two-way communication is an important part of the partnership. Not only do we need to hear from our customers, but we need to listen to their input. We need to share with our customers and keep them aware of our plans as we move forward. This mutual sharing of information makes all the difference.

When we choose to work with a technology partner, like Meeting Matrix or Club Soft, we keep the same ideas in mind – communication, openness to share and a willingness to listen. We want our technology associates to share similar philosophies and business practices so that the products and services we provide are consistent on all levels.

We believe in partnership. It impacts how we conduct business and how our long-term relationships are established.

 

New beginnings

Written on January 6, 2010 at 12:46 pm, by Mike Edmeyer

A new year is upon us. Time to put the past behind us and look toward the future and all of the opportunity 2010 will bring.

2009 held many challenges that at times seemed overwhelming. In fact, there were times when it felt the year would go on forever in a constant state of instability and frustration. But the power of new beginnings is the opportunity to take the lessons you’ve learned from the past and apply them to the future. Each new year leaves us all a little wiser and more hopeful that things will be different from the get go.

2010 is only a week old and we are already hearing from prospective and existing  customers telling us that they need to make changes this year.  They’ve taken a look at the way they did business in 2009 and have found that they need new ways to become more efficient and productive. They’ve realized that automation can make all the difference this year. They need to work smarter and they want the tools to do so. And we’re more than happy to help!

We’ve developed a better process for catering, event management, dining reservations and table management. Our software is built on best-practice processes so it’s easy to improve efficiencies across entire organizations from the moment of implementation.  Best of all, we’ve stood in their shoes and understand the challenges they face on a daily basis.

We believe in the power of new beginnings and want to help hospitality professionals start the New Year off right. Our customers work hard and they deserve for 2010 to be the best that it can be.

 

What’s your New Year’s Resolution?

Written on December 30, 2009 at 8:13 am, by Beth Goodell

New Year’s resolutions are easily made…and just as easily broken. The key to successfully keeping a resolution is choosing something that will make it easy to for you to keep your commitment. Your personal resolutions are yours and yours alone, but what about your business resolutions? Do you plan on making any changes in 2010 that will be a catalyst for big time change? There are plenty of ideas out there like developing and growing a private dining business or reducing labor costs. Or you could commit to incorporating new tools that will enhance operations and increase efficiency. How about improving customer service levels across your organization?

We’ve decided on a few resolutions ourselves. First, we’re going to continue to listen to our customers so that we can further develop our software to meet their unique business requirements. Second, we’re going to listen to what’s going on in the industry so that we can continue to stay current and relevant to our strategic partners and prospective customers. Third, we’re going to remember that our customers are the foundation of our success and make sure to frequently remind them of how much we appreciate their partnership.

While you’re determining your New Year’s resolutions, we’re going to make some New Year’s wishes for all of you. We wish for your success both personally and professionally. We wish for you to take time every day to celebrate your family and friends.  We wish for you to be able to look back on 2009 with careful and wise eyes, and the determination to make 2010 different. Most of all, we wish you much joy and laughter in the upcoming year and for many years to come.

“We will open the book.  Its pages are blank.  We are going to put words on them ourselves.  The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.” Edith Lovejoy Pierce