Which course booking system/ software?

Which course booking system/ software?

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macron

Original Poster:

10,779 posts

173 months

Saturday 17th August
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c40 training courses a year (hoping to expand, may get to perhaps 60/ 70 tops), they are pretty much all F2F and have up to say, 20 attendees plus 2 trainers on each. They are concentrated in to two timeslots per year, so there can be maybe one month where you get close to 400 bookings, then near silence for a few months until the next block comes around.

Current system has been operating for 45+ years and is; course arrangements agreed with tutors/ venue (typically 2 day courses so conference facilities with accommodation), bookings advertised, bookings taken by phone or through a word doc sent by fax (!) or email, payments largely BACS, everything run on a sheet of A3 per course, fingers crossed there aren't too many conflicts....

It seems some modernisation may be of use, such as updating a static web page (the only online presence) to more than just say when courses are, but to permit booking and payment, and show enquirers if courses are full (or close) or offer waiting lists. any integration with accounts (to show payment made) etc also a bonus.

There are no shortage of providers who, for maybe £10- 20 a month, may offer something that suits, but do you use something and do you like it?

Appreciate most offer short, free trials, and may well look at a few, like Baluu, 10to8, BookWhen. There is something called Arlo, but I know a guy called Arlo and I truly hate him with a passion, so cannot bring myself to use it unless someone tells me it really is the bees knees (yes business, but who said it had to be rational?!?)

andyb28

812 posts

125 months

Tuesday 20th August
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Are you based in Essex?

Countdown

42,032 posts

203 months

Tuesday 20th August
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We use Kallidus which staff find pretty easy to use. Might be too big for what you need though.

macron

Original Poster:

10,779 posts

173 months

Wednesday 21st August
quotequote all
andyb28 said:
Are you based in Essex?
Glasgow.


Countdown said:
We use Kallidus which staff find pretty easy to use. Might be too big for what you need though.
Thanks, I will check it out. There are many very big things, I kinda need something more than the pen and paper currently in use, but not a bespoke leviathan!

andyb28

812 posts

125 months

Thursday 22nd August
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We are quoting at the moment for creating a completely bespoke system to do exactly this.

I guess it depends on how close to your business workflow the off the shelf package is. Certainly worth investing the time to see.

macron

Original Poster:

10,779 posts

173 months

Thursday 22nd August
quotequote all
Yeah, I am going to have to go through a lot of demos, it looks like something at £20-30 pcm would probably do (/would be a considerable improvement over current).

Not optimal, but if I can have something that cuts out mid 1980's processes and automated almost any of it, I will be on to a winner!