Well, SpeedRFP has been out for about two weeks and we’re getting lots of useful feedback from you. We’re hearing about some great possible features and some absolute must-haves. Our development team typically works in month-long cycles but we’ve integrated a couple of key features for you that we know were sorely missed at launch. As always, please let us know what you think of these features and if you have ideas for new features. Afterall, you’re driving SpeedRFP…we’re just your pit crew.
Recent Enhancements
This week saw the launch of version 0.4.1B and 0.4.2B and here are the enhancements we’ve added in these versions:
1) Event Status Report (Planners):
We realize that sometimes you want to view or share your received proposals offline. Perhaps you want to use some of the data in a report or perhaps you need to show due diligence when you’re sourcing for your events. Maybe you need to hand off your event proposals with someone so they can further your efforts. This feature existed on EliteMeetings and was used by many of our planners. But it wasn’t included in the initial launch of SpeedRFP. Here’s how to use it:
Click on "Status Report" to export an Excel-formatted report
- Log in to SpeedRFP and click on your “Events” tab at the top
- Click on the Event for which you’d like the status report
- Click on “Status Report” next to the event name
- Save the file to your computer and open the report in Microsoft Excel or compatible application.
The event status report will even show you average room rates per hotel and room type across multiple dates. Let us know if there are items you’d like to see in this report that aren’t there right now.
2) Share an RFP (Hoteliers):
To better incorporate SpeedRFP into your workflow, we’ve built “Share RFP” which allows a hotelier to share a received RFP with a colleague. At many hotels, RFPs are reviewed and directed to the appropriate sales person for follow-up. Now this is easy to do with SpeedRFPs:
You can share SpeedRFPs with your hotel teammates
- View the incoming RFP (You can click the link in the New RFP email, the RFP link in your dashboard notifications, or the RFP name on your RFPs tab)
- Click the “Share RFP” button at the top of the RFP
- Enter the First Name, Last Name, and Email Address of the teammate you want to share with
- Choose “View & Respond” or “View Only” to set permissions for your teammate
- Click the “Share” button
Your teammate will immediately receive an email from SpeedRFP to let them know they have received a new SpeedRFP with a link directly to it. They’ll also have a new notification on their dashboard to alert them to it the next time they sign in to SpeedRFP.com. Be sure to let us know what you think and how this new feature works for you. Just use the “Feedback” tab on the right of the SpeedRFP.com website.
Upcoming Additions
We also have a fair amount of features we’re working on right now for release in mid-May. Some of the biggies are:
- Creating better Action Alerts (This is the little message below the nav bar that says “You’ve successfully…”)
- “Keep me Signed In” for at least 30 days unless you log out
- Tidying up the RFP form a bit and make it more intuitive
- Editing proposals and updating planners
- “Form in a Flopup” (one of my favorites!) More on this later.
Do you have features or changes you’d like to see? Then leave it in comments below, call us, email us, send a singing telegram…just tell us!
SpeedRFP Accepted Here:
- Elite Meetings (EliteMeetings.com)
- Destination Hotels & Resorts (DestinationMeetings.com)
- Ayers Hotels (AyersHotels.com)
Do you know of a site accepting SpeedRFPs? Please let us know so we can share the news!
Cheers,
/Brad
by on April 16, 2010
