Archive for the ‘Product Development’ Category
Wednesday, August 11th, 2010
We wouldn’t be able to offer our customers a superior product without the dedication and expertise of our Product Development Team. They are a specialized group of individuals with an unrivaled scope of knowledge in all areas of software development.
Jackie Zachman, our very first employee, has been with ReServe Interactive since 1996. Her commitment, passion and dedication to ReServe are as bright today as they were on her very first day. She is a brilliant software engineer that regularly designs creative and unique solutions that exceed the expectations of our diverse customer base.
As our Senior Systems Architect, Jackie has a strong commitment to quality and works diligently to make sure that the software she writes is reliable, but she also drives internal processes and procedures that all of our employees follow. These processes work together to continually raise the bar on our quality, reliability and uptime metrics.
Before she joined the ReServe family, Jackie received her Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science in 1986 from Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin. After graduating, she worked for GE Medical Systems for 10 years as a Software Engineer and Software Project Leader. After joining ReServe, she continued to do consulting for GE and several other companies for a couple of years prior to becoming a full-time ReServe employee in 1998.
Jackie’s sense of humor and friendly demeanor enhance the culture of our company. She is a wonderful example for other employees to follow, demonstrating integrity and an entrepreneurial work ethic that has helped to make ReServe the success it is today.
When she’s not busy at work, Jackie enjoys quilting, reading, volunteering for Little League, and watching her kids play in their various sporting activities.
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010
Easy. When it’s smarter.
Boasting technology that is easy to use can put certain suppliers in a vicarious position. Simplified software can be so diluted or ‘dumbed-down’, that it doesn’t meet the basic needs of the user. Besides touting simplicity, the software may have nothing of real value to offer. Just because it looks like other, more universally known, software products, or has an attractive screen display, or is a plug and play platform, doesn’t mean it’s a fully evolved product. While it may seem appealing to a user at first, they soon realize that with all of the ‘simple’ bells and whistles, functionality has been compromised and a comprehensive tool is nowhere to be found. On the flip side, what if simplicity is positioned as a dominant feature, but the software is so complicated to navigate that the user throws up their hands in frustration and heads back to their pile of file folders or a tattered reservation book?
In our case, the software we design is complex on the development side and user-friendly on the front end. Our development processes are lengthy and detailed. We critically study the work environment of users so that we completely understand the process flow of information and the unique demands of their environment. We gather user input at various stages in the development process to make sure that we’re addressing the subtle details that make all the difference between a usable finished product versus one that becomes simply another obstacle in the way of completing required tasks. This iterative, user-centered design approach results in a product that is truly assistive – easy to navigate, rich with valuable functionality, easily integrated into the normal process flow of the work environment – and simply smarter than the rest.
Our software simplifies user practices without watering down functionality. Our platform is intuitive so that the software does what users need it to do and want it to do, all while prompting them through their own internal, operationally specific processes. The software speaks the user’s language, utilizes their unique business parameters, as well as incorporates industry knowledge and assumptions to help anticipate next steps.
We’ve been known to say that our software is simple to use. We’re not going to deny that. The difference is that we’ve taken simple to the next level and made is smart. We would never assume that the industry is only drawn to pretty screen displays or try to fool them by saying we’re as easy to use as other software products just because we have similar layout. The industry’s needs are diverse and layered with complexity and our job is to make the user’s job easier. Because our software is smart, we become that extra pair of hands, that second set of eyes, that extra reservationist or that catering sales assistant. There’s real value there. We know that. Our customers know that.
That’s how simple really becomes better.
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010
Today, I’d like to introduce you to another member of our training team. Leslie Phillips. Leslie joined us in August of 2006 on a part-time basis and became full-time in January of 2010. Throughout her tenure with us, Leslie has been responsible for implementing new accounts, conducting beginning and advanced training classes, writing training materials, and handling customer support calls. She has also traveled to customer locations to host on-site training sessions.
Originally from Washington, Leslie moved to California in 1988 after graduating from Eastern Washington University. Today, she is an extremely busy single mom raising two teenagers. She’s an active volunteer at the high school and enjoys playing, as well as watching sports with her kids. Leslie also loves to travel and read, and brings the passion and enthusiasm she displays in her personal life into her professional life with ReServe.
“Leslie Phillips was the most welcoming, unintimidating, software support person that I have spoken to in a while. Very knowledgeable and has a wonderful bed side manner.” Kristen Childs, Reynolds Plantation.
Wednesday, March 31st, 2010
We’re pleased to announce ReServe Interactive software version 2010 Spring. This is the first of two releases scheduled for 2010, and it includes a series of new convenience features and platform enhancements designed to further improve our customer’s software and service experience.
Most importantly, more than ninety percent of the updates included in this release are based on direct customer input and were incorporated to meet current industry needs and requirements. We are constantly taking input from our customers so that the product we deliver consistently meets their exact and ever-changing needs. As an organization, we have employees with extensive experience in the hospitality industry so we are aware of the challenges our customers face on a daily basis. But it is our customers’ open and candid input, suggestions and recommendations that help us to further develop the product in such a way that all of its features are relevant and integral to their operations.
This latest release includes customer requested enhancements to our Catering & Event Management and Dining Reservation & Table Management modules. And we’ve added several new features including a PCI compliance package that allows customers to easily and securely accept credit cards; ReServe University, an all-inclusive training and support tool; and ReServeIT/ReQuestIT Web 2.0, a powerful new platform for processing dining reservations and event inquiries via the Internet.
But our work is not done here. We are already working on our next release which is scheduled to go live in the Fall of 2010. We are constantly reviewing our offering, talking to our customers, gathering their input and putting everything into the development pipeline. We’ll never stop enhancing our product offering and we will always partner with our customers to do so.
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Category Corporate News, Product Development, customer service | Tags: Tags: catering and event managment, Dining Reservation & Table Management, PCI compliance, platform enhancements, ReQuestIT, ReServe Interactive, ReServe University, ReServeIT, updates,
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010
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.
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
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.
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
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!
Wednesday, January 13th, 2010
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.
Monday, November 23rd, 2009
Since 1996, our customer service strategy has involved listening to our customers’ needs and desires to develop a software product that meets their short and long-term business goals.
As software developers, we could lock ourselves into our offices and focus on developing technologies with all of the ‘techie’ bells and whistles that we deem to be important or seem just plain fun to include. However, that would be a disservice to our customers. They have technology requirements that are specific to their roles, venues, markets and business processes. If we fail to acknowledge those needs and only build the software we want to build, then we fail our customers on many levels.
To ensure we are developing a useful software product, we combine our expertise with the customer input we continuously gather regarding all areas of our customers’ business. Through user groups, ongoing surveys, one-on-one conferences, training sessions and online contributions, we evaluate our customers’ needs and requests to enhance the software, and then incorporate that input to create new releases throughout year.
After listening to our customers for 13 years, we found early on that they needed a tool that was easy to implement and integrate into their existing processes and systems, easy for all levels of staff to train on, and easy to use. They wanted to be up and running as quickly as possible with little time taken away from their core business activities. In addition, they didn’t want to have to navigate through multiple screens and databases for the information they needed at a moment’s notice. They wanted to focus on their customers, not be focused on a computer screen trying to figure out how to locate customer data. They also wanted comprehensive reporting tools that gave them information with the click of a button rather than spending hours trying to figure out how to gather that data and pull it together into a digestible format.
Finally, users have told us over and over again that they want tools that improve, rather than detract from, their bottom line. They don’t want to invest in additional hardware, special services or pay expensive transaction fees. They want something they can easily access via the web or have installed directly onto hardware they already own.
Their detailed input has allowed us to create the software platform we have available today. But reaching that goal hasn’t stopped us from continuing to listen to our customers’ needs and develop our product accordingly. We understand that in a competitive marketplace our customers’ business needs are constantly changing. We’re committed to providing a tool that is constantly evolving to meet those ever-changing market demands to help ensure their business success.
Winston Churchill said “If we are together nothing is impossible. If we are divided all will fail.” Yes, we are a software provider, but more importantly, we are a partner and our customers’ success is paramount to our own.
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Vince Lombardi once said “The achievements of an organization are the result of the combined effort of each individual.” This is especially true for us.
Since our inception, we have been fortunate to have dedicated, hard working employees who have gone above and beyond any job description to serve our customers and represent ReServe Interactive. Each individual has committed themselves to our mission of creating best-in-class technology solutions that significantly improve our customers’ everyday lives. The result of their commitment is 13 years of growth and success, as well as a willingness by our customers to regularly compliment our staff on their customer service and technical expertise.
For example, customers have sent us notes saying things like:
“Support staff are ALWAYS timely, helpful, and kind. ReServe has wonderful support services!”
“You guys have been so attentive and aware of our needs and I can’t thank you enough for your time, energy and patience!”
“I always get a great response with all my queries. Everyone has always been knowledgeable and courteous. I can’t speak highly enough about your team…”
Over and over again, our employees have proved to us that they are among the best of the best. From training to product support, development to sales, absolutely everyone in our organization is critical to our overall success.
So, just in case I don’t say it often enough, thank you to all ReServe Interactive employees for your time, dedication and integrity.
