Newsletter: Holiday Letting System. 6th February 2004.
This note announces a new version of the Holiday Letting System which
is available to existing users at no extra charge. It also provides other information.
All,
You are receiving this newsletter as you have
purchased the Holiday Letting System. (See http://holletsys.co.uk
)
New Version, 1.8 now available.
The latest version (V1.8j dated 6th February 2004) is now available for downloading
from http://erwwen.com/holletsys/download.htm
(Just download the evaluation version – your registration code turns
this into a full version)
This new version is available at no charge to existing registered users, and
offers significant additional features that many users will find valuable.
The new functions were mainly suggested by existing users, and include
- Better management functions – for example statistics by year on which
agency or method produced your bookings and better indication of overdue payments.
- Improvements to the mail shot routines.
- The ability to manage up to four properties and better integration of functions
for multiple properties
- Improved letter processing, including a new (third) letter; common letter
proformas for multiple properties if required, and the ability to address
customers by first names only when appropriate. There are additional “mail
merge” or “special strings” now available.
- A better discount calculator, which allows you to round or calculate the
discount exactly, as you choose.
The full list of enhancements is shown below, and is also in the Help files
for the new version. The enhancement list is also available on the web in the
release history at http://www.erwwen.com/holletsys/releasehistory.htm
You are advised to upgrade as a number of problems are resolved with this new
release, and this is now the only release which will be supported. Even if you
were one of our beta testers for this release, you probably don’t have
all the latest features and fixes, and therefore this latest version is worth
installing so you are right up to date.
Note that when you re-install the software:
- You should not uninstall the previous version, or you will lose your settings
and data. Just install “on top” of your existing version.
- All options you have already set are preserved. You do not need to re-enter
your registration code.
Hints and Tips:
- I’ve recently been asked why the Status Window currently shows last
year (2003) as the first year when LetSys is started. This option was chosen
since you may need to look at last year’s bookings during the early
months of a new year. For example, as you work on your accounts or on queries
relating to a recent booking. On 1st April the default view will change to
show 2004/2005. For those taking bookings in 2005 already, you only need click
the “Forward one year” icon (or select Navigate / forward one
year – Ctr+N ) to change.
- I’ve also been asked (since the last newsletter) about the implications
of the Data Protection Act. If you run a UK business and keep any customer
data on a computer (even a list of names and addresses) then you are affected
by this Act. However, our interpretation of the act is that there is not a
problem for a Holiday Cottage owner using the “Holiday Letting System”.
In fact using this system will help you to comply. The information you record
is limited to handling a core business activity. You keep only that information
necessary for the purpose of reasonable management of your lets. Therefore
you are exempt from the registration process defined by the act. You would
still need to follow a few rules – not a terribly onerous job. These
rules (as we understand them) are documented in our “Frequently Asked
Questions” (FAQ) web page available at: http://www.erwwen.com/holletsys/Support/faq.htm
This is currently the 4th question down. We’ve also added an item to
the sample terms and conditions supplied with the system, as described below.
Also listed in the FAQ page are any other queries that come in that I think
may be of general interest. So you may want to bookmark this page, and look
at it from time to time.
- Don’t forget to backup your data from time to time. There is an item
in the Help Topics (under Contents/Overview/Data Security) on this topic.
Your help please:
Are you using this system to update the availability status on a Web Site?
I know of two sites now that are maintained with the help of this system, but
would be interested to know of others, and also to know how well it is working
in this area.
Thanks!
Selling a system targeted at a niche (and small) market at a low price is not
easy. But I’ve recently had a couple of sales that came from references
from existing users – ie yourselves. If you like this system (and some
of you certainly do judging by the comments) then please do tell others you
know who also run holiday cottages. The more sales I get, the more motivation
I have to continue to enhance the system to meet your requirements. And thanks
especially to those who have recommended this system to others.
Google and Altavista listings:
We have recently been listed in these Search Engines, and have just started
to get sales and enquiries from these listings. Try entering “Holiday
Letting System” into either.
Comments please!
I hope the system is proving valuable. Your views are welcome.
Best wishes to all users.
Regards,
Brendan Blake.
Web site: http://holletsys.co.uk
email: bblake@holletsys.co.uk Phone: +44-(0)-20-8940-7087
88 Mount Ararat Road, Richmond, SURREY TW10 6PN.
Full list of the new features:
Click on this link for the release history containing a full list of enhancements:
http://www.erwwen.com/holletsys/releasehistory.htm
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