Velvet Software

ConferenceBookings in Kent

With a continually growing number of bookings amounting to over £1M of reservations each month throughout 2008, Velvet Software's on-line accommodation booking system ConferenceBookings.co.uk is the preferred choice for UK conference destinations for allocation based event bookings.

Dawn Bowen and colleague Beni-Lee Allder of Conference Kent are the latest system users of Velvet's on-line accommodation booking system www.ConferenceBookings.co.uk. Velvet Software's Chris Gibbs travelled to Kent to deliver their on-site training and to help set up their first conference using the system, "It's great to see clients using our systems in a live environment. Dawn and Beni both took to the system really well ".

Conference Kent are coordinating accommodation for a major medical conference in the autumn of 2009 and are using ConferenceBookings to manage their allocations from independent and major corporate accommodation providers. Ease of use, automated management and an attractive booking engine for delegates, ConferenceBookings allows the team at the bureau to log-in and manage live allocations whilst accommodation providers may log in to upload initial event allocations and download room lists whenever they wish without having to contact the bureau.

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.

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.

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.

Newcastle Gateshead Initiative switch to ConferenceBOOKINGS

Velvet Software are delighted to welcome the Jessica Clements, Bureau manager and her team at the Newcastle Gateshead Initiative (NGI).

Headed by Anna Moroney, the accommodation booking service handles large volumes of group and individual bookings for specific events taking place across the destination. The transition from their existing in-house accommodation booking system to ConferenceBOOKINGS took just three days to complete during which the new ConferenceBOOKINGS system was populated with venue data and all twenty live events loaded complete with allocations and pricing.

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.

Blackpool Booking with ConferenceBOOKINGS

 

VisitBlackpool is the latest destination to ConferenceBOOKINGS.co.uk - Velvet Software's on-line accommodation booking system. Natalie Wyatt, Head of Conference at VisitBlackpool is no stranger to Velvet Software's systems. Natalie previously managed the team at Marketing Manchester before moving to Blackpool.

Prior to ConferenceBOOKINGS, the original team at Blackpool used a DMS based system to manage allocations from the many accommodation providers on offer. This necessitated a great deal of back-office work all of which has been eliminated with the introduction on ConferenceBOOKINGS.

VisitBlackpool's accommodation booking service is managed by Shiela, who is dedicated to the role of ensuring all conferences and events are managed from initial enquiry right through to the event.