EMS INSIGHTS... Bi-monthly communications on helpful facility scheduling and calendaring topics. Along with the Reservation Times newsletter, these emails will keep you up-to-date on all things EMS.

Nine Tips for Nixing No-Shows

No-show (n.) 1. A person who reserves a space but neither uses it nor cancels the reservation

More than just an annoyance for your scheduling and operations staff, no-shows can cost your organization in a number of ways, from lost revenue to unnecessary offsite rental fees to skewed utilization numbers and forecasts. While a few no-shows are probably inevitable, there are steps you can take to minimize them.

Below are some tips for encouraging reservations holders to use the space they've booked. Event volumes, billing practices, product-specific functionality and other factors affect which of these strategies would work best at your facility, but all are good food for thought.

• Send a Confirmation - Sometimes the most obvious solutions are the ones that get overlooked. Never assume that because you've talked to or exchanged emails with an event organizer that they consider the booking a "done deal." Email or fax them the Confirmation provided by EMS. And for extra assurance, ask that the document be signed and returned.
• Post Event Information Online - Use online calendar postings to Virtual EMS or EMS Master Calendar as both a reminder and a way to generate subtle peer pressure on the organizer to conduct the event as planned.
• Collect a Non-Refundable Deposit - If obtaining fees after an aborted event is impractical or impossible, begin collecting a non-refundable deposit before each event.
• Encourage Automatic Event Reminders - Point out the "Remind Me" and "Add To Personal Calendar" options in Virtual EMS and EMS Master Calendar to event organizers and encourage them to use these helpful functions.

More tips...

Sitting Down with the Experts

Free Product Webinars

• Want to take facility requests online?
• Curious if you should upgrade?
• Wish you could talk to similar organizations using EMS?

We know many of you have these questions and more, so we've expanded our slate of free webinars to be sure you're getting all the information you need. These informal but informative sessions are a great way to learn more about our offerings from the experts - both on our staff and among your peers. Join the conversation!

To register for a webinar, simple check out the schedule, click on the session you're interested in and follow the instructions.

EMS Education

You've invested in top-of-the-line facility and resource scheduling software. Be sure you get the most out of it!

• Free EMS Lite Online Training Sessions - Learn the system from the comfort of your office, as one of our product experts takes you step-by-step through the software. View the EMS Lite Online Training Schedule.
• Free Downloadable "Training on Demand" Videos - Anytime, anywhere access to EMS Enterprise / EMS Professional training. Watch streaming video or download an entire session to your laptop for viewing later. Check out the videos in the Customers Only area of our website.
• EMS Training Center - Distraction-free in Denver! Attend one of our monthly Getting Started With EMS Professional sessions to get an in-depth understanding of all the powerful features available to you.
• Onsite Training - Welcome one of our product experts to your site to facilitate a fully-customized, hands-on training session for your staff. Contact your EMS account representative (or email sales@dea.com) for details.

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