Velvet Software

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.

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.

ChUG Express - Chaser User Group Meeting, Bradford-Leeds

ChUG, Velvet Software's Chaser User Group, meets twice a year; in previous years we've held one meeting at  the British Association of Conference Destination (BACD); in 2007 we added an additional day's meeting in November.

The ChUG Express meeting in January was an additional meeting following the feedback from November's success allowing destinations from the North of England to view the forthcoming new features and  outcome of the November meeting.

"Super Bureau" Presentation of the "New Chaser BUREAU"

Velvet Software's Tim Clark presented the design of the new web-based Chaser BUREAU system to members of the new Leeds-Bradford "Super Bureau" meeting held at the Leeds-Bradford Cedar Court hotel.

The focus of the meeting was the member launch of the new combined bureau, bringing together members from destinations including Leeds, Bradford, Kirklees and Wakefield - a core part of this was the presentation of the new web-based Chaser BUREAU system that will be accessible from each of the destinations and the direct on-line interface for venues providing them with live feedback on enquiries from the bureau.

Nottingham choose Chaser BUREAU

Experience Nottingham carried out a review of their existing in-house systems and web content in November 2007. Following a remote system demonstration of Chaser BUREAU and the on-line Chaser WEB module, the team chose Chaser BUREAU as their new enquiry handling system.

Andy Melton and Helen Sisson (pictured left) are looking forward to utilising Chaser not only to make their enquiry handling service more efficient, but to be able to access invaluable management reports and statistics at the click of a button.

Belfast Upgrade skills & Chaser BUREAU to v13

Belfast Visitor & Convention Bureau (BVCB) upgraded their Chaser BUREAU to the latest release, Version 13, following it's launch at the Chaser User Group (ChUG) meeting in November.

Belfast expanded their team with the addition of a new Accommodation Executive, Lindsey Williamson. In order to gain the best use of the new association data module and train Lindsey on the system, Joanna Aspin flew to Belfast to provide the team with an intensive day's training.

Joanna Aspin flew to Belfast from Bristol on a regular flight; since the introduction of EasyJet three years ago holding events and doing business in Northern Ireland is practical, affordable and very accessible. Joanna covered the essential elements of Chaser BUREAU in addition to updating the whole team on the latest system features.

ChUG 2007 - Birmingham & BACD Play host to Chaser's 10th Birthday

2007 is a remarkable year for Velvet Software in more ways than one.

It is ten years to the month since the original Chaser BUREAU system was created - it was November 1997 that Tim Clark visited Joanna Aspin, then Conference Bureau Manager, at Conference Bristol. Today Joanna provides training on Velvet Software's products in addition to consultancy for destinations and training courses for BACD. Conference Bristol is now Destination Bristol and the new office is managed by Helen Davies.

In the past twelve months Velvet Software have launched a new "Web 2.0" version of ConferenceBOOKINGS, version 13 of Chaser BUREAU and are about to launch their new on-line delegate registration system.

Representatives from over twenty destinations travelled to Birmingham for the day meeting which was split into three sessions with lunch served at the BACD offices.