Dear EMS Customer,

We hope this issue of the Reservation Times finds you doing well and your activity schedules running smoothly! Our recent EMS Users’ Conference brought up many questions and subjects of interest with our customers, prompting us to produce another issue of our newsletter to address them.

Having enjoyed a number of educational sessions at the conference, it’s not surprising that attendees had many questions about onsite and online training. Likewise, time spent in one-on-one conversations with our customer support reps in the “resource lab” left people wanting to be sure they understood the many benefits of their EMS Annual Service Agreement and how to keep it current.

These topics, a case study, some helpful information on getting the most out of the Reservation Wizard, an employee profile and more are covered in this issue. So, read on. And as always, if you have an idea for a topic that you’d like to see covered in a future newsletter, we’d love to hear about it. Just shoot an email to kelly@dea.com or tom@dea.com.

Sincerely,

The Staff at Dean Evans & Associates

Table of Contents

"It Does What?" The Benefits of EMS Training
Fast Fix: The Patch Approach
The ABCs of ASA
EMS Wizards Know Their Search Methods
“Scheduling with an Altitude” Conference a Success for EMS
Rochester Community Schools, a New EMS Case Study
Mastering the Community Calendar
Employee Profile: Bryan Peck, Regional Account Executive

"It Does What?" The Benefits of EMS Training

By Kelly Hormuth

During the EMS Users’ Conferences, perhaps the most common remark we hear from our customers is that they have only “scratched the surface” in terms of using EMS to its full potential. Even long-time users of the system comment that they didn’t realize how much more EMS could actually do!

More than likely, EMS is meeting your day-to-day needs and you are moving along just fine! But, what if EMS could do more for you? What if there was one little feature with the ability to save time in your day, sitting right there under your nose?

Let us recommend a bit of time spent with our EMS Professional Services team. As many of our customers already know, the knowledge and helpfulness of our Professional Services group, and the value of the service they provide, is unmatched. Lately, the interactive online EMS training courses have grown to be quite popular, particularly with organizations that desire to train new employees, learn more about the features in a new version of the software or simply wish to expand their use of EMS into new areas.

These interactive training courses are lead by an EMS consultant using a service called WebEx. Through this Internet connection, training “attendees” can see exactly what is happening on the instructor’s computer in real-time, and can even be allowed to operate that computer remotely from their own if appropriate. This approach to training – long distance but still hands-on – is extremely cost-effective and convenient.

If online training doesn’t entirely suit your needs, onsite training is another option available to you. Our experienced, professional trainers not only teach you how to use the software, they consult with you and offer insights that only come from working with hundreds of other facilities that use EMS.

When can your organization benefit from EMS training?

• EMS is newly installed and you’re not quite sure where to start!
• You’ve recently upgraded from EMS Lite to EMS Professional, or from EMS Professional to EMS Enterprise, and want to be sure you are using the new system to its greatest potential.
• EMS has been in use at your organization for some time, but due to staff expansion or turnover, there are a number of new faces. Training is a fast and effective way to bring new people up to speed.
• Your reservation volume has increased and learning more about EMS could help your staff members work more effectively.
• You are ready to expand the use of EMS into new areas such as catering, a/v equipment booking, billing, online reservations or online schedule publishing.

Detailed information about training/consulting and the other professional services we provide is available at www.dea.com/Services.aspx. Or, contact your EMS Account Executive at (800) 440-3994 Ext. 863 or sales@dea.com.

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Fast Fix: The Patch Approach

By Tom Schek

One person’s minor software issue is another person’s showstopper. With that fact in mind, the EMS product development team is now making small, easy-to-install software fixes for EMS Enterprise, Professional, Lite and Master Calendar available on our website. These “patches” address problems that may have only been encountered by certain customers and therefore don’t necessitate the release of a new version of EMS.

“The use of patches to correct software issues is fairly well known to most people, as large software companies have been dealing with bugs that way for years,” says Ed Nowak, who heads our Quality Assurance program. “Adopting this approach will result in customers getting the specific fixes they need, faster.”

Patches are cumulative, so applying the most current patch ensures that you are getting all outstanding fixes. When a new version of the software is released, it includes any patches issued since the last version.

To review information on the latest patch, or to download it, go to our website (www.dea.com) and click Customer Login. (Note: A current “ASA” is required to access this area. See the related article for more information.) After accepting the license agreement, scroll down to the “EMS Enterprise/Pro/Lite/Master Calendar Patch” heading. Open the EMS Patch Installation Instructions document to read about the latest patch. If you choose to download and install the patch, first download the document so that you have the installation instructions. Then click Download Patch and follow the on-screen prompts and directions in the document.

The release of a new patch is generally not announced, except to those experiencing the problem addressed in the patch. Consequently, it’s a good idea to check our website periodically (or immediately if you are having problems with your system) to review information on any outstanding patches.

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The ABCs of ASA

By Christine Brockbank

Need assistance with an EMS software issue? Want to download the latest EMS release at your convenience? With a current Annual Service Agreement (more commonly known as an “ASA”) EMS users have access to customer support, new versions of the software and more. In short, the ASA program helps keep your software up to date and your system running smoothly.

• Customer Support. Unlimited customer/technical support is available to you via email or toll-free telephone call Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM Mountain Standard Time.
• New Versions of Software. Access to all new product releases and patches via the Internet.
• Customers Only Website. Access to the Customers Only area of our website (www.dea.com), where you can download EMS software, patches, and product documentation, and also view the EMS Knowledge Base.
• Advanced Online Support with WebEx. When an email or phone conversation doesn’t provide enough information for us to resolve an issue, our Customer Support team can, with your authorization, establish a direct connection to your computer using a service called WebEx. Through this Internet connection, they can see exactly what is happening on your computer, diagnose the problem and many times, fix it remotely.

“Sounds good,” you say, “but what does it cost? And how do I keep my ASA current?” ASA fees are calculated at 18% of your total software package (with a minimum of $895 for EMS Professional and $295 for EMS Lite 5.0).

Annual Service Agreements are up for renewal each year on the month in which you purchased your EMS software. Invoices are sent automatically to the primary EMS user at your organization roughly 45 days prior to expiration. It is important that our accounting department has your correct billing information (recipient and address) to ensure that you receive your ASA Renewal notice in a timely fashion. ASA payments may be submitted to this address:

Dean Evans & Associates, Inc.
5613 DTC Parkway, Suite 1250
Greenwood Village, CO 80111

Please feel free to contact me, the DEA office manager, with any questions you have about the status of your ASA, to update your mailing address or to discuss any billing-related issue. You can reach me at christine@dea.com or (303) 740-4820.

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EMS Wizards Know Their Search Methods

By Scott Anderson

A day in the life of an event and meeting planning professional can be pretty busy. The Reservation Wizard in EMS is designed to provide you flexibility in how you search for a room or area so that you can quickly identify and book the ideal space. Even the most advanced users sometimes forget that there are three different search methods available in EMS. Search methods are located within a drop-down box in the top, right-hand corner of the Reservation Wizard; they are “Standard”, “Specific Room” and “Best Fit”.

The Search Method options in EMS

Understanding the differences between the methods can significantly improve your utilization of the Reservation Wizard.

“Standard” Search

A Standard search provides a list of rooms that meet all of your search criteria – including date(s), time and any other criteria that you may have specified (setup type, capacity, etc.). Rooms that fail to meet all of your criteria are not displayed. For example, if you are looking for a room from 9:00 am to 10:00 am, every Monday for the next 10 weeks, the Wizard only shows you rooms that are available on all days requested at the time indicated. A room that is only available for nine of the ten days, for example, will not be displayed. Similarly, if you specify a particular setup type and capacity for the same search, a room that is available on all of the dates but which cannot be configured as you requested or can’t accommodate the number of people you specified will not be displayed.

Because the Standard search shows you a list of available rooms, it may be your best option even when you have a specific room in mind. If your desired room is not available, you can select an alternate room from the list. The Standard search can also be used to book multiple rooms on the same date or dates. Simple select the rooms you’re interested in from the list.

“Specific Room” Search

A Specific Room search allows you to check the availability of a particular room. This method is used when you or the customer already knows that a specific room is needed and no other room will work. When you select the Specific Room search, the “Room Selector” window is displayed allowing you to pick the room you would like to book. However, note that in a Specific Room search you can only select one room.

Once you have selected a room and provided date and time criteria, you are given a list of dates on which the room is available. The list is displayed even if the room is not available on some of the dates you requested. This allows you to reserve the room on the days on which it is available with the option to fill in the gaps later. (Note: Be sure to compare the number of dates you requested with the number of available dates indicated.)

The Specific Room search method must also be used if you are booking an “override description” room (as described in a recent newsletter) such as a room for an off-site service delivery.

“Best Fit” Search

Many of our customers have rooms that are heavily used and availability for the same room over multiple days can become scarce. In this case, using the Standard Search method in the Reservation Wizard may not yield any rooms that are available on all days. A Best Fit search offers additional flexibility that can often solve this problem. This method will display all of the rooms that are available on any of your dates, along with the number of days each room is available. In other words, rooms don’t have to be available on all days in order to be displayed. (Note: However, they do need to meet any other criteria you specified.) After you have selected the room that satisfies the greatest number of your dates, the availability view is refreshed to show the rooms that can now be booked to fill the remainder of the dates.

Be sure to experiment with all these methods the next time you use EMS. You will find that each offers its own advantages and being familiar with them will improve your experience as an EMS wizard.

Wondering if maybe your staff might benefit from some refresher training? See the article on The Benefits of Training in this edition of the Reservation Times for more details on training options as well as contact information.

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“Scheduling with an Altitude” Conference a Success for EMS

By Kelly Hormuth

Based on attendee feedback, the 2005 EMS Users’ Conference proved to be an ideal mix of educational sessions, social activities and free-time for exploring the beauty of Beaver Creek, Colorado. Taking place at the end of September, high in the Rocky Mountains, the conference drew 200 EMS users from around the country and abroad. The location was truly a treat, both for our customers and our staff. The brilliant fall colors, cool alpine air and sunshine-filled days gave guests a glimpse into one of the best seasons to visit “Colorful Colorado”.

The two days were filled with a wide variety of sessions: educational classes exploring different areas of EMS, incredible presentations by EMS customers and product demonstrations from EMS corporate partners. First-time EMS conference attendee Sue Parrigin from Western Kentucky University, commented that, “This was a very good conference with a good mix of fun and education. The networking time was very helpful and the EMS resource lab was great! Thanks for the hard work and planning.”

Evenings included a number of opportunities to unwind and get to know fellow EMS users as well as Dean Evans & Associates staff members. Whether it was introductions and reunions during the first night’s Welcome Reception, appreciating the talent of flamenco guitarist Gary Meyers, toasting s’mores while taking in the melodies of Helmut Fricker and his 3-piece Bavarian band, or making it to the last round of “Who Wants to be an EMS Zillionaire?”, a good time was had by all!

The EMS Users’ Conference will be returning to downtown Denver for 2006. The Westin Tabor Center, while already a gorgeous property, underwent a complete remodeling of its meeting space this year. The Westin has a prime location on the 16th Street Mall, an outdoor pedestrian mall and popular tourist attraction, just steps from many entertainment options such as the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and nightlife in LoDo (Lower Downtown).

Detailed information for the 2006 conference will be made available on our website (www.dea.com) in the next few months. Look for it… and we hope to see you in Denver next fall!

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Rochester Community Schools, a New EMS Case Study

By Leah Wicks

Now available on our website is a case study describing the use of EMS at Rochester Community Schools in southeastern Michigan. The district is home to more than 14,400 students and approximately 1,800 full time faculty members. Over 1,000 rooms and recreational spaces across the entire district are scheduled using EMS. This case study examines the transition to EMS as well as the benefits the software is now providing.

In the study, Wendy Aldridge, Facilities Operations Manager, recounts the scheduling difficulties faced by staff members due to the district’s outdated software and labor intensive, decentralized approach to meeting and event management. Today, facility scheduling at RCS runs smoothly, with a centralized EMS system and a new set of procedures to help streamline the process.

RCS makes over 5,000 reservations per year and has enjoyed increased revenues from those events as a result of implementing EMS. In addition, RCS can now confidently provide community groups, sports leagues, religious organizations and others with a perfect space for their event without the fear of double-booking that was always looming before they adopted EMS.

Learn more about Rochester Community Schools and their use of EMS by going to www.dea.com/who/whocase.aspx.

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Mastering the Community Calendar

By Kelly Hormuth

“Where do I go to find out what’s going on?” Event planners and scheduling managers everywhere have heard this question time and time again; everyone wants to know the easiest way to find event and meeting information - fast! Finally, there is a definitive response to this enduring question. For many college students, faculty and community members in the Dominguez Hills area, the answer is California State University’s online TORO Events and Activities Calendar, powered by EMS Master Calendar. Student Union Manager Jaime Leal comments, “We are very pleased with EMS Master Calendar and what it can do.”

Cal State - Dominguez Hills' EMS Master Calendar

He adds that after just a few short months of using the system, “Many of the calendar managers are already seeing the benefits of posting their events to the master calendar.” Check out the Dominguez Hills calendar here:

http://usu.csudh.edu/mastercalendar

Interest in the EMS Master Calendar has steadily grown since its release last year, with dozens of organizations across the country publishing online event calendars for multiple departments in one centralized location. EMS Master Calendar has proven to simplify hectic event calendars for K-12 school districts as well. “We have had only positive feedback from our staff and patrons,” explains Jeaneen Dryden, Administrative Assistant to the Associate Superintendent for Campbell County School District #1 in Gillette, Wyoming. “I was contacted by a superintendent in another Wyoming district. He had looked all over the Internet for online calendar programs, and he is very impressed with ours.”

The Master Calendar site for Campbell County School District #1

“We chose EMS based on the ability to sort calendars, ease of input, price, and accessibility to your company's support team,” says Dryden. “I will be providing in-service to about 30 of our employees next week to help them begin the process of entering/maintaining events at their schools and departments. We're in for an exciting time!” View the CCSD Master Calendar online at:

http://ccsdcalendar.ccsd.k12.wy.us

The EMS Master Calendar system utilizes a powerful search engine to sort information based on date range, event name, location, department and event type, quickly delivering precise information with just a few clicks. “The EMS Master Calendar product is first-of-its-kind software,” says Z. Paul Reynolds, Assistant Director of Student Activities for Facilities and Operations at Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi.

The busy Texas A&M Corpus Christi Master Calendar

“It's capable of bringing folks together whether on campus, in an office, a community, or across the country. And its ease of use and attractive interface make it the Cadillac of tech-calendar products.” The Texas A&M Corpus Christi Master Calendar can be found here:

http://calendar.tamucc.edu

Will the public embrace your new system? From what our Master Calendar customers tell us, good news travels fast. With just a small amount of publicity for an EMS Master Calendar website, an ever-growing community of users comes to rely and depend on the readily available, up-to-date information it provides.

In addition to convenience, there are many benefits of making event calendar information available through this medium:

• Distributed Management. Allowing authorized calendar managers to maintain their own calendars frees up time in the workday for event planners and schedule coordinators to tend to other tasks.
• Self-Service Mode. Rather than adding unnecessary strain to an already full workload, answers to the basic “What time?” and “Where?” questions from customers are easily accessible.
• Easy Branding. The program is visually appealing right “out of the box”. Or, take advantage of the ability to quickly customize the look and feel of your site so it is easily recognizable. Either way, EMS Master Calendar adds that extra special touch from a customer service standpoint.
• One-Stop Shopping. Information for an unlimited number of groups or departments is available from one source in an organized and easy-to-use format. The dissemination of calendar information often takes place in a very fragmented and confusing manner. With EMS Master Calendar, a real sense of order and community is established.

In short, patrons and the public finally have single source of information for the events and activities taking place in their community.

Detailed information on the EMS Master Calendar is available online at www.dea.com/mc/mc.aspx. Or, contact our Sales department at (800) 440-3994 Ext. 863 or sales@dea.com.

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Employee Profile: Bryan Peck, Regional Account Executive

By Leah Wicks

We truly appreciate the contribution of our employees at Dean Evans & Associates, so it is time once again to put an EMS staffer in the spotlight. Bryan Peck has worked in the Sales department for almost seven years. Bryan has had an interesting journey to get to where he is today. An alumnus of Michigan State University, he earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science. After college, he moved to Colorado and went to work as a personal trainer. However, after learning of a great opportunity, Bryan moved into sports equipment sales.

Before long, he knew he wanted to make sales his profession and decided to move to a company with even greater sales potential and a great product. “EMS is the best scheduling software on the market and that makes my job really fun,” he says. “No two customers are the same and the sales process is different each time. That keeps my job interesting even after seven years.” Bryan looks forward to seeing the software continue to evolve as our customers’ needs grow and change. “It’s great when we can deliver exactly what a customer asks for.” About the work environment at Dean Evans & Associates, Bryan says he loves the view from our 12th floor office overlooking Denver and the Rocky Mountains, and he also likes the well-stocked break room –Thanks, Dean!

Bryan’s personal life is just as exciting as his professional one. He has a lovely wife, Mary, a two-and-a half year old daughter, Lexie, and another little one on the way! Of course, in keeping with his fitness background Bryan is very active, often arriving at the office on his bicycle. And biking is more than just a healthy commuting option; it’s also a passion of his on his days off. This past summer, Bryan racked up nearly 1500 miles on his mountain bike along with his EMS developer pal, Chris Meyers. Bryan also enjoys running, hiking, skiing and just generally making Colorado his playground. He has run one marathon to date and hopes to tackle another in the future. However, with a young daughter and a new baby on the way, it may be awhile before he can find the time to train!

Bryan is our most senior Regional Account Executive, and that dedication has lead to him being one of our most successful execs as well. Currently, his territory is the mid-Atlantic region of the country where he has enjoyed getting to know some wonderful clients. Bryan’s commitment to our products and our customers has earned him the respect and admiration of colleagues and clients alike. Many thanks to Bryan for his hard work and great achievement.

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