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Boarding Kennel and Cattery Owners
28 May 2008

Comment from a New User of Avalon Bookings Manager

Thanks for all your help

 While emailing, we are SO pleased with the system so far, we should've done it years ago - thanks for coming back to us and helping us with the new 'half day' button!

It looks so professional when customers arrive. And now we can see it will save time. The accounting side will be a massive bonus too.

 Julie

At this time of year we expect a drop-off in orders for our Kennels and Cattery Booking Manager.  The reason is simple.  We are at a Bank Holiday week-end when, most boarding kennels and catteries are very busy.  Not always a popular time to be installing a new bookings system.

This year we are seeing a different trend and we are pleased to report that new orders a coming in all the time. 

The reason we are being told by proprietors is that they expect to be very busy this year when we get into the school holiday period and the volume of bookings they are having to deal with based on the Easter and Mayday Bank Holiday periods has reminded them that their current paper based booking systems are becoming a bit "stretched" 

So although it is tempting to wait until the Autumn or Winter before implementing a new computer based system, some have decided that the need is pressing so "let's get on with it"

We have been able to help our new customers who have taken this "brave" decision in two ways. 

Firstly we will set up all the basic information they need to run the Avalon Bookings Manager before we ship out the software program.  This means that instead of having to spend time on setting up a new and un-familiar program before it can be used, that chore has been dealt with.  We also make a point of discussing with the User how they run their business and agreeing how the program will be set up to to best suit their way of working.

Secondly,  We encourage the Users to just use the basics of the Bookings Manager program.  Users tells us time and again that one of their main reasons for choosing the program was that they find it simple to use and learn.  The Talking Tutorials help in this respect and most people find that within an hour or so of starting with the program they can happily enter bookings, price them correctly and user the diary to check availability.

The advantage of starting in this way is that the database of customers and their pets is being created as they go.  So when customer book in next time all their details are ready for instant re-call and this then saves so much time when processing a booking.  It also means that producing this year's Christmas Card mailing will be much easier.  It's never too early to plan after all.

Most users will also admit that they will keep their trusted paper diary running for a while.  This may seem like duplication of effort but it takes an exceptionally brave, some may say fool-hardy user to abandon this trusted document whilst they are becoming familiar with a new computer program. 

We firmly believe that if Users are happy doing this then it is the right thing to do provided that it is not used as a reason to put off using the computer program as well.

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