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In This Issue:
President's Corner
Meet Our Staff
Customer Updates
IT Infrastructure Explained
Co-location Facilities and Equipment Strategy
Product Highlights
George
Upcoming Events
Trivia Fun

Visual Data
Systems Seminar

Wilmington NC
September 22

About Us

Visual Data Systems is a leader in Internet marketing, technology consulting and World Wide Web design. As a pioneer in Internet business, we've logged more than a decade of achieving customer satisfaction and Internet innovation.

Visual Data Systems offers a wide variety of products and services that can be customized to fit your unique business needs. Let our experienced professionals polish your ideas and dreams to create your distinctive Internet presence.

At Visual Data Systems, there are no barriers. Just Innovations.

News & Events

Catch Visual Data Systems at the upcoming Conferences:

RMS Users Conference Wilmington, NC, September 22-24

Vacation Rental Managers Association (VRMA) National
Orlando, Florida October 11th - 15th

   

May 2003 • Volume 1, Issue 2

Paul HermanPresident's Corner

Staying Competitive through
Managed Customer Relationships

Over the past decade, together we've witnessed our businesses and those of our competitors adapt and grow in the changing business environment. From the recovery of the early 90's to the boom-days in the late 90's, and now in recovery mode again, the terrain of economics has always been cyclical. Keeping pace with changes, however, requires our constant, unwavering attention to customers and measurement of success.

How is your business performing compared to both your competition and peers in other geographic markets? Will issuing discounts gain success against competition or affect the long-term value of your company? Are your guests and property owners loyal to you? How service oriented is your staff? What is the long-term benefit and cost of customer retention? Have you listened to and acted on your customer's assessment of how well you are meeting their needs?

During the uncertainty of the economic recovery in the travel industry, now is a good time to evaluate whether your business practices are hurting or helping your customer relationships. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) provides a unified view of your customers by understanding customers' needs from initial sales inquiry through many years of retained service. How you manage distribution of information amongst your staff and customers can give you an edge on your competition through improved process workflow and lower costs for inter-company and external communications.

Specifically,

  • Do you allow 24x7 access for guests to search availability and make their reservation on-line?
  • Do your property owners have 24x7 access to property booking details, revenue forecasts, and maintenance and repair work?
  • Have you surveyed your customers, both guests and homeowners to find out where you excel and where you fail to meet their needs?
  • Do your homeowner liaison and reservation call center staff know every detail about the homeowner and guest accounts, including financial, order history, as well as likes and dislikes?
  • How often do you communicate to homeowners and guests? Do you know the communication preferences of each? Can your processes handle both traditional telephone communications as well as email, Web, Wireless and Chat channels?
  • How proactive is your communication, i.e. do you answer questions before they are asked, for example, do your systems automate pre- and post- check-in communications for Lease Details, What to Bring, and Surveys?
  • Are your marketing campaigns targeted to address specific customers and their preferences?

In this issue of the Visual Exchange, discover more about the long-term health of your business when discounting is exercised in your market by reading George Volsky's latest article "Website Discounting Threatens Industry", learn how Visual Data Systems customer survey is helping us to understand and manage our relationship with you, and understand the latest techniques for Search Engine Optimization by reading Jeanne Reilly's view of Premium Promotion.

Understanding that our customers needs have grown and changed has also led to growth within Visual Data Systems. Please join me in welcoming two new members of our growing technology team, Ken Otwell, Director of Software Engineering and Tom Kaczmarek, Director of Network Solutions.

Paul Herman
President, Visual Data Systems


Meet Our Staff

Visual Data Systems has implemented a new division, Network Solutions. Meet the man behind this new department and find out what new services are available for you and your business.
Click here to view the full article.


Visual Data Systems Customer Updates

Congratulations to the following companies for taking the steps to redesign and reorganize their websites, adding new functionality for their users.
Click here to view the full article.


Web Site Discounting Threatens Industry
By George Volsky

Are there dangers in discount websites that help fill your empty vacation rental properties? Enticing as it may be, proceed with caution!
Click here to view the full article.


The Benefits of Premium Search Engine Promotion
By Jeanne Reilly

How is your target audience finding your website? The majority of your first time visitors should be finding your website through a search engine or directory. If they're not, you need to read on!
Click here to view the full article.


Asking Our Customers. Your Feedback is Requested.

Asking Our Customers. Your Feedback is Requested.
Click here to view the full article.


Visual Data Systems Customer Survey Results

We don't just want satisfied customers, we want raving customers! We won't stop the improvement process until we're certain that we've achieved that goal. See the results from our customer survey.
Click here to view the full article.


Upcoming Events

Be sure to visit Visual Data Systems at one of these upcoming conferences
Click here to view the full article.


Trivia Fun

Join our trivia wiz, Shawn Spiezio from the Villas of Gatlinburg, in the winner's circle. Step right up to test your trivia knowledge. The next drawing will take place on June 30th.
Click here to view the full article.

 
       


Visual Data Systems, Inc.
10760 Hickory Ridge Road, Suite 312
Columbia, MD 21044

Phone: (410) 964-8665 ext. 215 • Fax: (410) 964-5668
Email: info@vdsys.com • Web: www.vdsys.com

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Copyright © 2003 by Visual Data Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.