Challenge - Create a functional easy to use booking system that left tramways in control but allowed them to outsource call answering after-hours. Solution - EBook, a custom designed booking system providing a visual 'birds eye' view of the tram. Business Benefits - No more double bookings. The ability safely to outsource call answering. No more daily faxes to caters. Trend Reporting Invoicing  Facts and Figures - Ebook was launched in September 2001 and has been running successfully 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Ebook was built in two months and written in ASP running on a IIS 5 web server. It soon became apparent to Tramways that to gain operational efficiency, a specialised business required a specialised solution. Tramways looked to outsourcing to gain the expertise required.

Outsourcing that works Capturing, understanding, and applying the business rule is a crucial part of any business's success. By working closely with Tramways, we captured their business rules and ensured their operational requirements were met, making the online transition as seamless as possible. The business of rules The key to this solution was to create an application that both Tramways and MEP Services could access, while allowing Tramways to stay in control of its business and utilise the skills and resources MEP Services offered even though they were located in different cities and on different islands But who's answering the phone? Customers will never know. Ebook enables Tramways to switch their phone over to MEP Services afterhours with confidence. Double bookings cannot occur. Notifications can be added in advance for specific days to advise operators of important information or to restrict bookings. When a booking is added, the operator is presented with an aerial view of the tram and can accurately seat patrons while seeing at a glance which seats are already reserved.   Customers who are unable to book on the desired day due to full bookings are given the option to be placed on a waiting list and be notified if a reservation becomes available. All settings are database driven, so variables such as new restaurant sittings can be added dynamically. Keeping track of the Changes User security is determined by an individual user ID and password. The secure login controls the access a user has to the features of Ebook. For example, the caterers are able to login from the other side of town and see a real time view of the bookings for the night, including any patron’s special requirements, however they do not have access to add, edit, or delete bookings. The call center do have the ability to add and delete bookings but Tramways are safe in the knowledge that all changes made in Ebook are tracked in an audit log so total transparency is assured.   I hope everyone enjoyed their meal! This is an excellent example of how the right solution can enable a company like Tramways in Christchurch to seamlessly interact with MEP Services located in Hawke’s Bay and provide customers the ability to make bookings 24/7. It also provides Tramway the flexibility to transfer their calls through to MEP Services at any time of the day, knowing their customers are handled in a consistent, professional manner regardless of which company is taking the booking. If you’ve been thinking about expanding or refining your business but don’t have all the expertise in house, we'd be happy to share our knowledge and offer some ideas on your options.