Comments from actual Partywirks customers

• “People don’t like to call on the phone …they just want to book their order online.”
• “We are getting fewer messages and more hang-ups”
• “People are impatient. If we miss their call they book elsewhere before we can get back with them”

Sound familiar? This trend is not going away but in fact speeding up!

The  bottom line – you may have the greatest staff, facilities and offerings in
town but if people won’t pick up the phone, will you get a chance to shine?

There is a More Modern, Effective Way – Offer The Real-Time Alternative!
It’s no secret, at least to Partywirks clients. Most consumers today prefer booking online:

• Instant access to everything they need to make a decision.
• No waiting – it’s immediate and available on their schedule.
• Better, more complete information. Less “he said, she said” conflict. They “think”
• they are getting better, more accurate information when they can see it in writing,
• on the screen, then when they hear it from someone over the phone (and they are).
• No pressure from staff people pushing add-ons. People actually buy many more add-ons online then they do over the phone  because they have the time & information to make decisions at their own pace.

Those who want to call can “still call” but for over 50% of your customers, the online alternative will be their first choice.

Chances are you book hotels online, buy your plane ticket online and maybe your books and clothes as well. Now your party venue can offer this same online convenience!

Imagine the difference online booking can make in your business!

Partywirks creatively combines the convenience of Online Scheduling with Sales of
Add-on Items  for more revenue and happier customers! What could be better?  Watch
our video for more….then schedule a demo below for a personal review of how Partywirks
might help your business!

Let’s Get This Party Started!

With Partywirks online processes everything is in writing and easy to read and the details have never been easier to document. This makes training new staff a breeze as well as customers are now better informed with fewer conflicts.

Partywirks Built-In Online Customer Service Forms Save A Ton Of Time!
I cannot believe how much staff time we spent answering routine questions about donations, handling calls for group information, fund raiser inquiries or sending follow-up information to everyone who applied for a job or bought a gift card.

Now, with Partywirks Online Customer Service forms the customers themselves answer our questions online and Partywirks software sends the complete follow up email! This has reduced the time staff spends on the phone while providing better, faster and more convenient service to our customers and prospects. For this reason alone I love what Partywirks has done for my business.

More Add-On Sales, What A No-Brainer!
Can you hear it in a customers voice when you are going over the list of add-ons and they start getting edgy or impatient?  That’s no fun for me or them.

People don’t like to be sold over the phone but they do like to customize their party or event order. They do this most consistently, and at a much higher rate, when they have the time to look at color pictures and read complete descriptions of the add-on items online without pressure to make quick decisions.

Now we are selling more add-ons then we ever have which means the bottom line revenue per party is going up and that’s why we are in business right?

Less Reliance On The Phone
Yes, it is 2012. Online booking is not new for many. In fact people do like to do things for themselves.

Have you noticed the popularity of online services and self-service options everywhere from the bank to the grocery store or airline check-in kiosk?  My customers want the same thing and now I am giving it to them.

More Control!
I had thought I would be giving up control by offering online services but a surprising benefit is how much more control I have with Partywirks!

With everything online I can decide what and when, who and where. Customers get the information I want them to get, every time. It’s more consistent and user friendly as well.

Still, calling many party venues is like calling the Amtrak station! Lots of “press 1 for this and press 2 for that” with most people hanging up in frustration!

Do you really want to treat customers to this in 2012?

Studies show you have about 2.7 seconds to capture peoples attention online.
With  iPads, Laptops, Google and SmartPhones it’s all about instant gratification and people just don’t wait like they used to….ah, those were the days!

The key to online success in 2012 is to offer immediate “calls to action” like BOOK NOW, SCHEDULE NOW or INQUIRE NOW options that capture and engage the fickle online visitor.

The good news – Partywirks Online Scheduling & Sales Software is the proven alternative to the frustration of voice mail and delivers the instant gratification online consumers want and expect.

Partywirks benefits your customers and your business with:

1. Higher revenues from more add-on sales
2. Improved competitive appeal with 24/7 service
3. A modernized booking process less reliant on paper and pen
4. Fewer errors with more consistent and correct information
5. Fewer missed sales from hang-ups and short fused prospects!
6. Improved security over client credit cards with our PCI Compliant product

Partywirks – we may just have that missing link your business needs and your customers prefer!

Are you offering your customers a method to book and buy online?

If not, then you just missed out on a slice of this $1.25 Billion pie during Cyber Monday.  More and more people are buying online as these numbers attest and this is not a trend…this is a way of doing business in today’s online age.
Partywirks clients have seen their reservations and bookings rise, and their add-on sales increase dramatically.  Why?  Because today’s consumers are booking online from their office, their smart phone, their ipad or their laptop.  These are busy people that want to take time to review what you are selling in detail and at their leisure.  They do not want to take the time to call you and risk becoming involved in telephone tag in order to purchase a gift certificate or book a class or party.  They will just move on to the next business that will service them online.
If you do not offer Online sales then you are missing out on the easiest way to increase your revenue, streamline your internal booking system, and get an edge on your competition.

Perhaps it’s time to give Partywirks to yourself for Christmas this year?

 Joe is adamant that he wants his customers to have an excellent experience which is the reason that led him to utilize Partywirks online booking service.

  “Our staff is busy during the day taking care of our parties and our customers are also very busy.  We don’t like our clients to feel rushed during a phone call and also they aren’t able to see our entire offering, learn of our policies, and see our add-on items.  We have absolutely all of our party information on our website and this eliminates mistakes, miscommunications, and we allow our customers to create their own personalized party.” 

There is no denying that this business choice has proven successful for Color Me Mine in Canada.  Joe says that his party bookings are up 10-20% and his add-on sales are up 75%! 

 “When customers can take the time to view pictures of the add-on items on our website they are able to create a customized party for their child.”
In fact, since utilizing Partywirks Color Me Mine Canada has gone paperless.  They do not print out fliers or other brochures instead; all their party information is on their website.  In this way, their clients are all receiving the same accurate information, all the time, with no more disputes or miscommunications.

 “We do all of our advertising now on our website because this is the way the world operates and we wanted to be on board.”

“When a mother brings her child in for their birthday party they want it to be memorable and we want it to be awesome. We want them to enjoy an excellent experience.”  Now, that’s inspirational!

Color Me Mine Canada
http://www.colourmemine.ca/

When Erica Collins began working for Skyborn Skateland six years ago she did not know that she would one day become the owner but, that is just what happened!  In fact, she became the third owner of Skyborn, which first opened its doors to skaters in 1956.
Since taking over the helm a year ago, Erica focuses her energy and attention towards management and marketing.  She is especially pleased that her staff has been with her for five years.  “I don’t hire and I don’t fire.  I treat my employees with respect and they in turn treat our customers with respect.”  A consistent and long term staff is one of the reasons that Skyborn is ahead of the competition.  Erica says she gives her staff the tools they need and she spoils them when she can. “And, I really spoiled them with Partywirks!”

Erica knew she needed to do something to automate her party booking system. 

It was usual to have people show up and they had no record of the party.  Or, she would have a party booked with no deposit and the customer would not show up leaving her to cover the cost of the cake and other food items ordered because she had not collected a deposit.  The old notebook and clipboard method of party booking and management were costing her money and was not good for customer service either.  It was a full time job managing upcoming events which hurt staff productivity and took away valuable marketing time. 

A search led Eric to Partywirks and the benefits to her business have been far more encompassing that she ever imagined. 

“I used to ask the same questions of every person that booked a party over the phone and yet we still made mistakes.  “We could not remember all the questions so how could we remember to ask them?”  Now the software asks all the questions and consistently.  “The system does not forget to obtain all the information we need, it provides all of our policy information, and it takes the credit card information for deposits. “   Erica says that Partywirks has changed everything and in her opinion it is revolutionary!

Where she once used to receive phone calls at 2:00 or 4:00 a.m. with party request information, she now hears her smart phone give a little beep with an email confirmation that a party has been booked online!

Where people used to skip out and not pay her she now has their credit card on file.

Where people used to once sneak food in they must click to confirm that they have read the policy that no outside food is allowed.
Where her staff used to hand write a list of the upcoming parties they now print out a spread sheet from Partywirks that has the child’s name (spelled correctly), age, party package name, add-ons, number in party which allows her to prepare for the parties in advance!

Erica says that 90% of all her parties are now booked online and the other 10% are booked either over the phone or in person. 

However, the information is inputted into Partywirks and not written down with paper and pen.  She has found that her party business is up in the 6 months since she has been using Partywirks and that people are ordering the higher end packages.

Erica says that “it is expected in today’s world that customers call and ask if they can order online.” 

In keeping with her allegiance to top notch customer service, she now gives her customers the choice to book online and also has automated her booking system thus increasing revenue and making her staff more productive. 
Not only has Partywirks allowed Erica and her team to become more efficient, she is looking forward to the time when she can run her first year end reports.  This is when she gets focused on marketing for the upcoming year.  “I can run reports that have the child’s name and email address and reach out to them and offer discounts for early party bookings.  I can offer summer discounts or when the party season is slow.” 
For the past year, Erica’s sole means of advertising has been on Facebook.  She found that print ads were not fruitful at all and kids don’t want paper they want to check social media from their cell phones.  If she is having a slow evening she posts a message with a discount on Facebook and her rink fills up earning her revenues she could not have otherwise realized! 
Along with the automated party booking platform she takes advantage of the group inquiry feature and requests for donations which used to take up a great deal of time.

“I love Partywirks and I have nothing but good things to say about the product!”

Skyborn Skateland
5309 Haddix Road
Fairborn, OH 45324
937.878.4800
Skybornskateland.com

When Owner Darrin Johnson opened Broken Arrow Roller Sports five years ago, he was fulfilling a lifelong dream.  Darrin considered himself a “rink rat” growing up because he and his friends spent so much time in roller rinks.  Not only was he able to fulfill his dream it also allowed him more time to be with his children.  Only 10 and 15 years old when he opened the business, his children both now work in the company and he likes that this keeps his family together.

As a busy owner Darrin found himself with not enough hours in the day to operate and market his business.  He was answering 40-50 phone calls per day related to his party packages and this was taking up valuable time.  He was reluctant at first to switch to an online party booking system because he wanted to maintain the customer interaction.  A friend and fellow rink owner told him about Partywirks and their positive experience and Darrin decided to make the shift in his scheduling process.  And, he is very happy about his decision.

His daily phone calls regarding parties decreased from 50 to 10 and this solved an enormous amount of problems and gave him time to market his business as well as tend to other management details. 

A big surprise for Darrin has been the increase in add-on sales of 75%.

The software now does the selling for him!  He has also seen a big revenue increase in off-peak events which he did not really have the time to market in the past.  One event in particular which caters to the 30-40 year old crowd for late night parties has really taken off!

With Darrin’s decision to offer his clients the ability to book online at their convenience he not only increased his customer service he has increased his revenue!  Now that’s a good way to get a party started!

Broken Arrow Roller Sports
551 W. Oakland
Broken Arrow, OK 74012
1.918.251.6200
http://brokenarrowrollersports.com/

Between 2008 and July 2010, 166 newspapers stopped publication with the numbers for 2011 still to be tallied.  This of course is related to how people obtain their news in the age of technology. If you are like me and apparently many other people you read your news online.  So, the question arises as to how much money a business owner should spend on print advertising in this modern era? 

The fact is that people are searching and finding information they want on the internet and with that in mind this is where you should be advertising your products and services.  And, when they are on your web site researching your company it is imperative that you allow them a way to do business with you online.  You can offer this through online booking and online shopping capabilities.  This is the service that you want to advertise and you can do so on your own website, Facebook page, twitter, email marketing, or group-on style advertising. 

Potential clients are much more likely to book online rather than take the time to call you and risk engaging in telephone tag or leaving a voice mail message. 

 Many clients budget hundreds of dollars each month for print advertising when they would realize much more return when adding online services for their customers.  This also saves the business owner money on staff needed to answer or return phone calls and a loss in lost opportunities.  In other words, if you are not available to answer their call (if they even call) then they will look elsewhere.

For today’s business owner it is imperative to allocate marketing and advertising funds for online book & buy convenience for today’s modern consumer!

1.  Your customer has shifted buying, research, and comparison shopping to the web.
2. Your customer has more options and less time and will not invest a lot of their valuable time in voicemail or telephone tag.
3. Your customer has new tools and options available that make shopping online a breeze.

What should you do to be competitive in this new sales environment?

1.  Rethink and retool your booking process.  What worked in years past (voicemail and phone tag) is no longer effective and could be costing you business.  Savvy business operators are adopting new tools and new approaches to better service online consumers.
2. Shift marketing budgets from print to new communications channels to get your message out-Facebook, Twitter, Email Marketing-then link these to Partywirks for the ability to immediately convert interested visitors to your website into new customers, new orders, and new revenues.
3. Make the shift from an 8-5 business to a 24/7 sales and service business.  Office hours are as modern as the horse and buggy.  Shutting your doors at the end of the day means shutting out online shoppers.  

Click here to watch our webinar to learn more about online booking for today’s modern customer!

In today’s environment you need to be ready to sell when the customer is ready to buy.

However, what are you doing to prepare for this onslaught of new phone calls once these discount offers are in the hands of potential customers?  Are you prepared to add staff and phone lines in order to answer the increase in phone calls, provide accurate information, and offer detailed descriptions of your services and products? More than likely you are not however there is a better way!
No doubt when you are creating your discount flier or group-on you include your phone number and website.  When your potential customer visits your website you want to provide a way to convert them from a visitor to a buyer and you do this by adding a “Book Now-Buy Now” online option.

The fact is that today’s modern consumer does not have the time, nor wants to make time to call you and get their questions answered over the telephone. 

They want to visit your website and review detailed descriptions of your service and product offerings, see pictures and then book and buy on their schedule, not yours. With these online options, you do not increase phone calls to your business and engage in telephone tag with a potential client.  Instead, the online scheduling option allows you to “scale-up” in order to meet the increase in interest based on your marketing actions. 

This is an easy and affordable way to maximize your marketing budget and ensure that the discounts you are offering are then turned into new business and increased revenue.  After all, that’s what it’s all about!