It’s not "just a reservation fee.” It’s a service fee…

Many of us have gotten used to those little extra fees everyone seems to be charging.  While some really are just “nickel and dime-ing” - offering no additional benefits to consumers - others, like Firefly’s Reservations service fee, really do provide you a LOT for your money.

Let’s take a look at what the minimal $3.50 service fee is actually covering…

First – know that this service fee benefits not only you but the service fee also benefits your customers! Here is something you need to consider: along with “what’s in it for you” (the campground, marina, RV park owner)– there is an online guest portal for ease in making their reservations and payments. Auto check-in and check-out are great selling points with most clients, too. But more important and appreciated is that no log-in or subscription is required for guests to take advantage of these features; all access is done through a reservation code.  They don’t have to create an account or download and learn another app.

Guest communications are also greatly improved with Firefly’s automated emails. This is a BIG deal.  In this day and age, all customers highly value being kept in the know.  From the owner’s end, that communication is easily facilitated for current guests and previous campers. Many owners seem to forget about the value of satisfied previous customers. With Firefly’s Reservations software, you can quickly and consistently invite them back to a special event, give them discounts for their loyalty, thank them for their stellar reviews, or say, “hi – we miss you!”

Invoicing can be done with a click of a button (literally!) Automated billing and recurring billing are a definite plus for long-term software users. And again, residents and guests can set up automated payments, so the money comes in faster and easier than outdated, traditional methods – and that will help to increase your cash flow! You can also rest assured that the Firefly Reservation software stores your customer’s payment method with the most secure technology available.

Decreased liability and time-consuming explanations are eliminated by obtaining a customer’s e-signatures for your property’s rules and policies. These signed documents are electronically stored with the reservation for when you need legal or educational access.

In addition, if you have an on-premises store or restaurant or offer firewood, boat, bike, or other rentals, there is also a free, integrated POS (point of sale) system. The POS helps keep track of inventory and allows campers to add extras during the booking reservation checkout process. How great is it for a camper to purchase an extra propane tank or firewood and have those items sitting at their campsite when they arrive? Talk about fantastic service!

Although Firefly Reservations bookings can easily be accessed via a smart cell phone, we all have experienced those times when there isn’t cell phone service. That’s where the Firefly Reservations kiosk feature comes into play! The kiosk eliminates the need for cellular service or having a staff member check the guest in. Look at one of Firefly Reservations' customers, Sugarbush Campground, in Howard, Colorado. Sugarbush Campground has a large campground map and a tablet in a weather-protective display case outside the camp office entrance. A camper can view the map, see what campsites are available on the tablet, choose their campsite, book the reservation, pay through the tablet, and park their rig all without cellular service or interrupting a Sugarbush Campground employee.

Still not sold on the nominal $3.50 service fee?  Then you probably don’t realize that the fee helps provide the support you’re given to set up your system initially. The service fee also covers any additional time needed to help you understand and utilize all the benefits included with the software AFTER you become a customer. And the revenue generated by the service fee aids in the continued development of the Firefly Reservation features and services guided by feedback from owners and employees.  Firefly is truly a reservation software company that was built by campground owners for campground owners! We aim to listen to our customers, build a community of trust and continue improving our software.