Missenden Abbey

Missenden Abbey, a beautiful 12th Century Abbey set in the heart of the Chilterns and approximately 30 miles from London, concluded that its conference software had to be updated to successfully expand its portfolio and take it forward to the next phase of its business life.

Following extensive research the Kx Conference and Hospitality software was identified as being the ideal solution. Across the industry dedicated conference centres, such as Missenden Abbey were facing a number of challenges post, and its capture and use of client detail had to be positively aggressive to ensure it not only maintained, but also grew its market share.

Nicole Sadd, who joined the Abbey as a Business Development Manager, says, "I was immediately impressed with the system and it has helped the whole process of providing a professional service to our customers. This is particularly welcome as we enjoyed a 20% increase in sales compared with the same period last year."

The software's functionality has also enabled Nicole and her team to make enormous strides in terms of efficiency and consistency. She explains, "Administration, finance, forecasting, standard letters, standard invoices, contracts, client listings - we've got everything. It's all there and all integrated. There's now a continuity and consistency about everything – from initial contact to check out. It's enabled us to focus much more on customer service."

Automatic generation of standard tasks and documents is not the only feature of Kx that has created benefits. Automatic updates of any changes made to bookings are made across the entire system, and because all staff use Kx, current information is always available and any action can be taken promptly. Nicole says, "Press a button after entering information and off it goes to everyone. This means, for instance, we're not always running off to the kitchen to see the chef every time a booking changes."

As business development manager responsible for marketing Missenden Abbey effectively, Nicole is particularly enthusiastic about the Kx Sales and Marketing module. She says, "The Marketing module is an absolute diamond. The forecasting feature is invaluable; we know instantly if we're not going to make budget, which means we can get offers out swiftly. We can find out where our business is coming from and where our marketing budget is most effectively spent. Also, if we're losing business, we can investigate why."

In fact, the information within the system has enabled Nicole to pinpoint which magazine adverts were generating substantial amounts of business, and save money on ineffective ones. She says, "Previously, we'd advertise in about ten magazines and didn't know whether they worked or not. Now we use only the two or three that we know work for us."

It's essential that conferencing venues have the flexibility to make their own changes to software without constantly having to refer back to the supplier. The industry relies on being able to react quickly to market trends and being able to maximise occupancy by adjusting rates. Kx's Configuration module has allowed Nicole to make vital changes to Missenden Abbey's system during the venue's transitional period.

Nicole says, "Re-branding was simple – we renamed the rooms to reflect a more widespread customer base, and the system automatically made file changes across the board. Changes all round are instantaneous. If we want to change the rates, we do that and everything else on the system alters automatically to reflect those changes. It's easy to amend menus, prices and everything else that affects the business."

The latest improvement to Missenden Abbey's software has come in the form of the Kx Residential module, which essentially deals with all residential, front of house processes. Front of House Manager Eva Naupauer-Jones has noticed an immediate difference.

"Our customer service levels have improved significantly since the installation of Kx," She says. "Allocation of bedrooms used to take hours but is now done in a matter of seconds. Customers queuing to check-in or out is also a thing of the past."

Kinetic's emphasis on looking after its customers before, during and after installation has enabled Nicole to get the most out of the Kx system. She says, "The customer service is brilliant. Kinetic staff know the events and hospitality industry inside out - they know what happens, understand any problems likely to occur and write programmes to deal with it. The trainers are excellent, and the Helpdesk is responsive. They're very open-minded and innovative. They're always listening to our requests and always updating. Whatever we want they do."

Steve Crawford, Centre Director, who has been in post for three years, says, "This is the second place that I have managed that has used the Kx system. If it hadn't been here when I arrived, I would have introduced it. I have found it to be an excellent software tool for managing and growing the business. That said, any system is only as good as the quality of the people that use it, and the teams at both Missenden Abbey and Kinetic Solutions are totally focused on the customer, so our drive for excellence is truly a joint effort."