We offer flexible, industry-specific solutions for DMOs of ALL sizes. But don’t just take our word for it ...

Here is Bowling Green’s story ...

The Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau in Kentucky is a smaller DMO that was originally on another CRM platform when the Executive Director, Vicki Fitch, recognized the need for something different and more robust. She kept hearing about Simpleview CRM from the industry, but needed to convince their board that this was a feasible investment. Within a few years, the CVB not only moved to the Simpleview CRM, but added the Simpleview CMS to fully benefit from the advantages of an integrated customer relationship management and web solution. Along the way, a surprising turn of events gave Vicki a highly unusual CRM story that she shared with us. Here it is, in her words.

Vicki Fitch’s Story ...

The CRM system we had in place was not working for us anymore. I knew we needed to go with something different. I had heard other CVBs, those our size and bigger ones, talk about Simpleview CRM. More than one were kind enough to invite me to see their Simpleview CRM in action. I decided to take one up on their offer. They showed me the platform and talked to me about it, essentially saying, “Look, this paid off in spades for us.” I knew I had to convince my board that Simpleview’s CRM was for us.

In June 2015, the board finally agreed, and we began implementing the CRM.

One of our salespeople who is newer in the tourism industry, thoroughly embraced the Simpleview CRM. She was so faithful about putting everything in there. She was used to working on projects in her other profession, but not so many at the same time! She saw the CRM tool was huge for her, for her tracking needs. She loves the reports, that they’re customized and she can generate them for herself. She was the first one on our team to get full-on excited about using the tool, and her excitement overflowed to others. That was inspiring to get the others on board. She’s a cheerleader for it, and that made it a lot easier for our salespeople to get acclimated to it.

You see, prior to this, sales kept most records in paper files, before we saw the need for the Simpleview CRM to house that information remotely. Before, so much of the records were in their head. One salesperson in particular liked the security of having the information on paper. But we recently learned in a very unforeseeable way an added advantage of having that information in the CRM system.

Late one Saturday night, the police called. A car had crashed into our log building. Fortunately the driver seemed to be okay, despite having come across a four lane highway, over a curb, through a vacant lot of grass, between two big shrubs, and into the side of our building!

When I arrived, files were scattered all over the place and cabinets were overturned. Eventually clean-up crews put scattered papers into boxes. That data, though, was already in the CRM. It sure did make it a lot simpler for accounts where our salesperson had tasks right away...she already had all that at her fingertips.

We are still working with a damaged building, though it’s been secured. The construction crew has had a hard time. But we are so grateful to have the CRM. It sure did help us to be able to keep operating.

But the story doesn’t end there …

“It’s just been so helpful to our operation in so many ways, that we had the Simpleview CRM,” said Vicki. “And the Simpleview team has been very receptive to making us want to use the product, as they are receptive to ideas from CVBs that make it better.”

They’ve been so pleased with the CRM, they decided to move forward with Simpleview’s CMS, as well. The two platforms are designed to integrate seamlessly, sharing information with ease.

“We brought Simpleview’s CMS on board about a year ago. Internally, we love it! It is such a better product. We are still learning. The depth of what you all have put into the CMS is amazing. We came on just a few months ago to the SEO lite … we keep adding.”

Though the car accident story is a unique one, the rest of Bowling Green’s experience is not unlike that of many of our smaller clients. Seeing larger CVBs using Simpleview systems, some smaller DMOs assumed our tools and services would be out of reach for them. Some even gave other platforms a try first. Yet the more they learned about our industry-specific systems — from us and from peers in the industry — and all the ways we have of working with them to help them meet their goals and keep their boards happy, the more they made the switch to Simpleview.

Find out if Simpleview is right for you.

More about Vicki Fitch

Vicki Fitch, Executive Director of The Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau in Kentucky, was honored by The Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce with the 2017 ATHENA Award. “The ATHENA award recognizes women in our community who have been positive role models, are successful in their profession and who have contributed significantly to our community in some way," said Chamber chairman Robbin Taylor. "Vicki represents every quality of a true ATHENA. We are pleased to honor her with this award, and we congratulate her on being selected as the 2017 ATHENA."

Vicki is the current Chairperson of the Kentucky Travel Industry Association and recently served on the Board of Directors of the Kentucky Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus.