The tourism and meetings industry in South Africa could benefit
tremendously by smartening up its information technology systems to make better
use of its existing information.

Inefficiencies and duplicated efforts could be eliminated and bids and
campaigns prepared more quickly and cheaply by installing purpose-built
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, said Kevin Bate, senior
director of business development for software designer Simple View.

US-based Simple View is ‘in conversation’ with South African Tourism
(SAT) and the National Convention Bureau in an effort to help local industry players
modernise their IT systems to make them more internationally competitive.

“SAT and the National Convention Bureau are working with an outside
consultant that has evaluated the companies that provide the products and
services that we do, and they recommended us, so we have been asked to speak
here at Meetings Africa,” Bate said.
“Within South Africa there is a tremendous opportunity to realise a
massive increase in efficiencies, service, cost savings and revenue.”

CRM software could help South African destinations win more global business,
Bate believes. “It would help them provide better services, shorten the sales
cycle and better manage their relationships with prospects and clients. This is
a huge industry but it’s also a small industry where people talk, so if you
become more efficient and provide a better experience the word of mouth effect
will lead to more business from new prospects as well as more business from
existing clients.”

Bate hopes the National Convention Bureau will install its CRM package
and encourage the convention bureaux in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban to
use it too, to facilitate the sharing of information and integration throughout
the country.

At the moment too many organisations in the hospitality sector still
relied on antiquated IT systems such as stand-alone email and Excel
spreadsheets, Bate said. Some even relied on Sticky Notes.

“For some of the destination bureaux here the use of technology is at
the low end of the evolution spectrum. Some are using custom-built or
off-the-self software, but in a relatively modest way, so there is definitely
room for improvement.”

A package such as Simple View software, which is specifically designed
for the meetings and incentives market, creates a centralised repository of
information. From there it is simple to view and streamline all tasks and
processes, track activities, initiate contacts and make more informed decisions
based on real-time information, Bate said. All that information can be accessed
from anywhere at any time over the internet, and can be stored in the ‘cloud’
and accessed online to save the company from having to buy and maintain the
software itself. Another advantage is that when people leave the organisation,
all their knowledge and information is contained in the system and does not
leave with them.

“A system of this nature is going to lay the tracks and keep people on
the right tracks,” said Bate. “We need a centralised system to eliminate the
duplication of effort and multiple systems nightmare that leads to inaccurate
information and inconsistent communications. It’s of critical importance that
this industry has the best available technology, yet too many organisations are
lagging behind the technology curve,” he warned.

Lesley Stones