Velvet Software

Velvet sponsor the TMI Hot Topic 2008

This years Tourism Management Institute Hot Topic is a full day of seminars and networking looking to help destinations improve service levels and harness the benefits of business tourism working in harmony with leisure products.

As the largest supplier of Business Tourism software, sponsorship of the event and the Conference Desk seminar is only natural for us.

Our software is in use by over 50 destinations across the country. Providing management reporting and complete workflow for enquiry handling Chaser BUREAU is the solution for conference desks.

Our on-line accommodation booking system provides real time allocation management across multiple hotels with delegates booking themselves on-line.

Our latest product - web based event registration, providing all the functionality you require to handle event registration.

Together these software products provide a complete business tourism software solution.

The event is being held on the 21st May 2008 at the Royal Society of Medicine, London. More details can be found on the TMI Hot Topic 2008 web site.

If you would like to know more about what we do, Tim and Simon from Velvet will be available throughout the day, please come and talk to us.

HEY - that's 27 UK destinations using ConferenceBookings.co.uk

HEY - Hull & East Yorkshire Conferences are the latest UK destination to have Velvet's new allocation-driven on-line accommodation booking system ConferenceBookings.co.uk bringing the total number of UK destinations using the system to 27.

Launched in 2004, Velvet's industry leading on-line accommodation booking system was re-developed in 2007 as a completely new web 2.0 application utilising the latest web based technology and infrastructure.

"ConferenceBookings was always a great system, now it's even better!" says Velvet's Tim Clark. "The system makes a complex manual task into a simple, easy process going from basic event details to full on-line accommodation event web site in as little as 20 minutes".

The two days training were attended by Elaine Larney, Liz Neal, Claire Hill and Nicki Capes (pictured above). Liz and Claire have used Velvet Software's Chaser BUREAU system for many years and have provided valuable feedback via ChUG, the Chaser User Group. We welcome Elaine and Nicki as relatively new members to the HEY team and new Velvet system users.

Conference Kent launch Chaser website

Kent Conference Bureau are the latest destination to employ Velvet Software's Chaser Web module to provide an on-line business tourism web site and automated enquiry handling system.

Kent's new web site www.conferencekent.co.uk is a complete web solution from Velvet that uses up-to-date information from the destination's Chaser BUREAU system to populate provider data (Venues, Suppliers, Attractions) on-line and to manage enquiries from the web site.

Visitors to the site may submit a brochure request, or a full enquiry including selected venues that they have chosen. Using an integrated search facility, visitors may find venues and suppliers who match their requirements and add the to a "basket" of providers that are atomatically attached to the enquiry and downloaded into the desintations' Chaser Bureau system for processing.

Shaken, but not stirred - York on-line with ConferenceBOOKINGS

Following a successful day setting up VisitYork's new on-line accommodation booking system, the earth moved; often the impact of having a new system installed however in this instance it was a physical rather than metaphorical move.

The subject of some debate in news circles, the media frenzie that followed the UK's tremor was a little out of proportion with world events in some opinions - from a hotel room in York it did feel as if the building were collapsing for a brief few seconds!

Earthquakes aside, Rob Stuckey, Anne James and Laura Freer all received training on Velvet's ConferenceBOOKINGS system. The on-line system now handles delegate payments directly on-line in addition to managing complex hotel allocations from multiple providers.

3 Stimulating Speakers, 2 Entertaining & Engaging Debates and 1 Incomparable Conference

An account of the MIA's "Raising the Bar" event by Velvet Software's Chris Gibbs

I set off from Swindon to battle through the storms and bad whether on Monday 10th March and defy the public transport system (wrong kind of wind for the level crossing apparently!) to attend the MIA's "Raising The Bar" Annual Conference at The Churchill,  Hyatt Regency, London - and I was certainly rewarded for their efforts.

The conference was opened with the refreshing energy of the newly elected MIA Chair, Nick Milne and the morning’s speakers exceeded all expectations. We heard first from John Pearson, former CEO and Co Founder of Virgin Radio. He captured not just my attention but also the whole audience and gave us an insight into the "un-bottle-able" values that have made Virgin what it is today and how these may be applied to many businesses.

Liverpool, the capital of culture in 2008, was represented by Jacqueline Rogers and John Barry of the city's newest venue, the ACC. Jacqueline and John described how they built a team at the ACC and raised the bar within customer facing roles by putting in place a induction and training programme for everyone at the at the venue. Their hard work was rewarded when, prior to opening, ACC Liverpool was ranked 2nd in Meetings and Incentive Travel Magazine's survey of UK convention centres. I hope and expect that all eyes to be on ACC Liverpool this year to see if they can maintain these high standards and whether they continue to "raise the bar" once they are fully operational.

Paul Nisbett, Commercial Director, Malmaison explained how the little extras really do make the difference. By involving staff of all levels, adapting training to make clients' experiences memorable and enjoyable, whilst promoting internal team members, really does make a difference to the guest experience and helps to retain highly skilled, happy staff.

The focus of the morning’s speakers was on staff and how to develop a culture that pulls people to your organisation, making them proud of their roles and happy in their work. I thought this was particularly refreshing to hear as Velvet Software has worked hard to create the “pull factor” and have been successful in doing so, with voices heard across the company. Having worked in different organisations, I know how damaging the "push" factor can be and how easily a negative culture spreads. I sincerely hope that more organisations across the conference industry adopt the "pull" approach to their staff – people are worth the time and investment, they really can make or break a business.

Confex 2008 - Day 3 complete!

Three busy days and an array of impressive stands - this year's Confex seems to have been busier than the past two with an excellent turn out of stands and in particular what appears to be an increase in visitor numbers.

Our congratulations go to Clive Tyres and Suzy Wheeler of BICB (Bournemouth International Conference Bureau) who were awarded the coveted "Best Exhibition Stand" award for their innovative surfing theme.

Further to the extensive works to the BIC (Bournemouth International Centre), Bournemouth is set to have one of the world's first artificial reef making the destination a new Mecca for surfing fans and an attraction for visitors of all types.

The stand's innovative design incorporated surfboard shaped pillars, table tops all of which were complemented by the canvas director chairs and the iconic VW Camper Van graphics.

Conference Worcester automate with Chaser BUREAU

Emma Robins of Conference Worcester is delighted with the installation of her new Chaser BUREAU system. "I've waited some time to invest in Chaser - now I can't wait to use it. The reports generated by the system automatically will save me hours of time each month".

With over fifty standard reports and the in-built query form allowing the creation of custom reports or data exports Chaser BUREAU continues to be the choice for UK destinations looking to enquiry handling and management reporting.

Confex 2008 - Buzz & business

Velvet Software attended Confex 2008 at Earl's Court meeting with new and existing client for another successive year; 2008 is Velvet's 5th year at the show and each year it gets better!

In 2008 the vast majority of UK destinations exhibiting at the show have at least one of Velvet Software's products most have two or more. The opportunity of meeting with our clients is the main attraction of the exhibition - meeting with other industry colleagues under the same room is invaluable.

Stands of note were the illuminated Yorkshire South - a modern imaginative design offering plenty of seating combining open access and seated areas, Marketing Manchester with their raised bar areas at each end of the stand and Newcastle Gateshead with their welcoming open stand in a prominent corner location.

reg.istrations.com LIVE on-line @ Dundee

Velvet Software's new on-line delegate registration system reg.istrations.com was launched with our first flagship clients receiving training for their upcoming event in 2008.

Tim Clark, Director, who made the journey to Dundee to provide the training on the new system said, "It's the most satisfying thing to deliver a new system to clients following months of development and to see it live in action - we took Dundee's requirements and enhanced the functionality of the design to make reg.istrations.com not only a solution to Dundee's requirements but a class leading product that's powerful, flexible and above all, easy to use".

Newcastle Gateshead Hotels On-line with ConferenceBOOKINGS

Four sessions, ten hotels per session in one day - that's all it takes to get a destination on-line, up and running.

The Newcastle Gateshead Initiative (NGI) opted for Velvet Software's ConferenceBOOKINGS.co.uk system to manage their conference accommodation. Following the destination team training the week before, Tim Clark provided a day's training on-site for their accommodation providers enabling them to manage their allocations directly on-line.