Tools for Tourism
Vouchering System
'Real-time' online bookings
Integrated accounts module
Analysis module
From your tiered seat in the Hukafalls Jet, the river, the Huka Falls, even the world are going to look very different!!
The exhilarating power of the Hukafalls Jet is an experience you will never forget!
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Hukafalls Jet
Early adopter
“My first experience of IBIS was around 10 years ago when I worked as Operations Supervisor, and subsequently Operations Manager, for Shotover Jet. We used an early prototype of IBIS and saw it go from strength to strength. When I started working with Hukafalls Jet in July 2002, IBIS software was up and running and had been in use for quite some time,” says former General Manager Clark Scott.
Enhancing business
When Hukafalls Jet enhanced operations by opening a tourism booking office called ‘Experience Taupo’, installing IBIS was a no-brainer.
Scott says his business counterparts in the region have ‘seen the light’ too.
“I know for a fact that other operators here are planning to install IBIS, including the local i-SITE.”
Streamlining
“Prior to opening our booking centre, Hukafalls Jet trips were booked directly here at the river or at the i-SITE in Taupo. We operate in a tough adventure market here, however our new booking office has enabled us to have better exposure of our brand in town and more influence over tourism bookings.
“At our Experience Taupo booking office our team make reservations for all tourism products, which works really well because the IBIS system houses a vast range of activities and accommodation online, making it easy to assess availability and make bookings online, in real time.
“The big benefit with IBIS is that the Experience Taupo team doesn’t have to make calls to activity and accommodation operators, it can all be done with the click of a button. Far less time is spent making a booking and when the booking is made in IBIS, the software automatically generates all the necessary back-end records; commission is worked out straight away and the sale logged for accounting purposes automatically,” says Scott.
Increasing sales channels
Scott explains that his booking team can see availability at a glance; when the next boat will go and how many spaces are left.
“Currently customers complete an online booking form which generates an email request, sent to our booking office. The agent then makes a manual booking and has to email the customer back to confirm the booking has been made - this whole process takes 10 minutes every time. With IBIS the transaction will be totally automatic and will increase the number of online customer bookings.”
Mining information
“The potential for statistical analysis is also fantastic. We can tailor the output to mine whatever information we need, assessing a range of parameters to track monthly, weekly or even daily transactions. We can quickly see which sales and marketing channels are working best for us at any give time. If we try something new, we’ve got an immediate way to evaluate its success.
“With IBIS we can track trends like nationality, customer type, how they heard about us and the origin of the booking. IBIS is so easy, we tell it what we need to know and reports are produced from any snapshot in time.”
Behind the scenes
Tina King, Hukafalls Jet Customer Services Manager, has been working with IBIS in the operations management office for over seven years.
“IBIS give me a one-stop package which integrates everything. It’s a powerful tool to incorporate bookings, management, it guides the way we structure operations, the statistical analysis. It works and it’s financially attractive,” says King.
“IBIS makes my job easy. I can reconcile accounts and carry out month-end procedures without needing a qualification in accounting. A great audit trail is created, then the crew do daily balance reconciliations which result in prompt agent commission calculation and payment.
“Chasing up old debtors is helped by the multitude of different reports which highlight overdue payments and how long they’ve been outstanding.”
Bottom line
“The benefits become even more obvious when you hear about other companies. I know of one company in particular which has spent over $100,000 trying to get their system right and now they’re finally making the shift to IBIS,” says Scott.
“IBIS offers an off- shelf-price for software with flexibility and customisability. The software is regularly improved and features that are already effective are tweaked and improved even further. Development doesn’t stop and each upgrade is enhanced.”