Tourism software company welcomes new operators to portfolio
A Queenstown-based technology company specialising in providing the country’s leading ‘real time’ tourism software welcomed two world-renowned tourism operators to its family of clients last week.
A team from IBIS Technology headed north to the holiday resort of Marahau to ensure Abel Tasman Kayaks and Abel Tasman Aqua Taxis enjoy a perfectly smooth transition to their new IBIS reservations and booking system.
IBIS is New Zealand’s tourism software specialist, founded in 1995 by Erik Bradshaw to provide software systems for the specialised needs of the tourism industry. Since inception, Mr Bradshaw and his team of experts has strived to continually improve systems and levels of user friendliness.
IBIS Technology Business Manager Julie Johnston said IBIS always went the extra mile to ensure very little disruption to business with the installation of and training on a new computer system.
“We work with computer systems and programmes every day, but we recognise it can be challenging and stressful for clients when they’re getting used to using it for the first time, so we make sure we’re on hand to answer any questions,” she said.
“It does help, of course, when we’re working with clients who operate in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. There was a good show of hands from our staff when we talked about who was going to head into the Abel Tasman National Park to work on this one!”
In the end, Customer Service & Technical Support Manager Cath Haugh spent two full days each with the Kayaks and Aqua Taxi businesses to help them with the transition to their new booking system.
“It was important for us to demonstrate the IBIS ‘can do’ attitude and make the whole process a positive experience,” said Ms Johnston.
Abel Tasman Aqua Taxi is a family-owned business on the doorstep of New Zealand's stunning Abel Tasman National Park. Business owner Brendan Alborne said the IBIS team had gone above and beyond.
"I’d like to say a big thanks and congratulations for the positive way in which IBIS responded to our tender, and for all your hard work to meet the requirements of our business," he said.
Abel Tasman Kayaks provides the ultimate sea kayaking experience in the Abel Tasman National Park, and managing director Jack Kelly was equally positive.
“Having searched high and low for a reservation system that would offer comprehensive functionality combined with a friendly cost structure, we were rapt to settle on the IBIS reservation system,” he said.
“Once committed, the build and installation were completed well ahead of our implementation expectations. All in all the IBIS system has provided us with an effective solution to what was proving to be a pretty tricky reservation scenario.”
New and improved functionality in the IBIS Nx tourism-specific software is making life easier for users the length and breadth of New Zealand, not just in Nelson.
The latest software improves the fully-integrated, real time tourism management system that has served New Zealand tourism operators and booking offices well for the past 15 years.
“Many of our customers are working in i-SITEs around the country and making bookings in real time with a paying visitor at the counter, and possibly a queue,” said Ms Johnston.
“They need to know it works perfectly, right through to the reservation being correctly managed in the tourism operator’s system. Some of our customers are individual operators who use our programme to run their entire business from booking to accounting, to inter office messaging, SMS messaging to guests and scheduling.
“There’s a whole tourism supply chain we manage and it makes life easier for everyone, our client feedback shows us we’re delivering the ideal system.”
They said it:
“You honestly don’t know how happy I am, my accounts this summer will be so easy - you guys are the Best,” said Mark Mills Administration and Training Co-ordinator at Oamaru i-SITE.
“Just to let you know that we LOVE the bulk emailing facility - a thousand thank yous!!!” Lois Walker Manager Motueka i-SITE
“Just emailing to say that so far I’m loving the new version,” said Leigh Begbie of Encounter Kaikoura.
For more information on the products and services IBIS Technology offer go to www.IBIS.co.nz
Picture captions
1/ The Abel Tasman Kayaks and IBIS Technology team pictured from (L-R) Martin Milner (Operations Manager), Jack Kelly (Managing Director), Cath Haugh (IBIS Customer Service & Technical Support Manager) and Julie Johnston (IBIS Business Manager)
2/ Abel Tasman Aqua Taxi and IBIS Technology team pictured from (L-R) Jude Ahern, Brett McFedries,
Gavin Alborn, Ari Brown, Heather Farmer, Brendon Alborn (Owner ), Heidi Buckett all of Abel Tasman Aqua Taxi, Cath Haugh (IBIS Customer Service & Technical Support Manager), Julie Johnston (IBIS Business Manager)