Easyways Walking Holidays

Replacing a 15-year-old Access database + spreadsheets with a cloud-based SQL system.

About the Client

Easyways is an independent Booking Service that provides support to walkers who want to get closer to the wonderful scenery and history that makes Scotland such an attractive outdoor destination. They work out what the client likes to do and they then take care of all bookings – accommodation and door to door baggage transfers at each stage of their walk along with taxi transfers if required. Their first-class service is supplemented by detailed local knowledge of each route. What they needed was a reliable, cloud-based system to back their expertise.

The Brief

Easyways owner, Andrew, approached Tentacle due to their knowledge and skills in transforming old databases into cloud-based ones. The effectiveness and efficiency of their daily operations suffered due to the obsolete access database and a myriad of issues that it entailed. To make matters worse, a lot of their operations were done by hand and spreadsheets.

Easyways’ team relied on Tentacle’s experience and expertise to solve what they already knew were the issues and suggest more ideas to bring their operations into the modern age.

The Tentacle Solution

Tentacle Solutions’ team assessed the client’s business conditions and realized that the client needed a solution that would not only solve the current Access database issues but would also be able to handle the complexities of any future growth of their business. Scalability had to be put into the picture. We tried to live as the client does day-to-day, thus getting a sense of the business’ life-cycle so we could put the best possible solutions in place.

After Tentacle’s analytics team completed the initial analysis, our developers moved onto the production of the SQL cloud-based solution. Over the course of development, we kept in touch with the Easyways managers and staff and brainstormed the ways of adding some cutting-edge solutions to their current operations.

One of the brand new features was the client portal with simple and intuitive UI/UX that we developed. The portal allowed clients could view their entire tour package online.

Also, we developed a user-friendly reminder system to encourage Easyways clients to leave reviews on all accommodations after their trip. Finally, we designed and implemented a customised Google Maps generation feature, where the system would automatically generate the route using the data already in the system.

After 4 months, Tentacle Solutions delivered a Web-based system that was driven by a SQL database. The solution also included a client-side system that not only connected to the new invoice system we designed, developed, and tailored to their particular business model, but also an innovative personalised Google Map screen for every client. The new system allowed Easyways to streamline their workflow, increase user engagement, and increase the customer satisfaction.

Today, Easyways continues to use Tentacle support to tweak and develop new features to the system as Easyways grows their own business and their bespoke database system organically grows with them.