Charleston County uses parks and recreation software to improve efficiency and citizen service

Background

The mission of the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission (CCPRC) in South Carolina is to improve the quality of life in the County by offering a diverse system of park facilities, programs, and services to its citizens. The Commission was created in 1968 and is committed to maintaining a high standard of leisure services and facilities to Charleston County. CCPRC began using Active Network’s parks and recreation software in 1995 to improve processes and operate more efficiently. Over the past 15+ years, the Commission has boosted service levels and organization for its citizens and staff with Active’s parks and recreation software.

Keys to Success from Pam Ragland, Administrative Manager, Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission

On using Active’s recreation software

Why were you originally looking for a parks and recreation software solution back in 1995?

We needed something to help us run our operations better. At the time, all of our registrations were done by hand—written down on a piece of paper and passed to a programmer to input. We had to photocopy checks and manually process payments. Kids would show up at camp whose parents had paid, but they weren’t on the list. Overall, it was a long, drawn out process and had too many holes in it. We knew we needed something that would be easier for everyone, and would enable us to have more accountability and efficiency.

Why did you choose Active over another provider?

As a government agency, we are required to look at several vendors when putting out a bid for service. We researched several companies, keeping in mind that we needed a SQL database and a program that was comprehensive enough to handle a multitude of things. I came in at the end of the vendor research process and it was obvious that Active was the standout. The technology had everything we were looking for.

What features of Active’s recreation software do you use on a regular basis?

We use quite a few features of Active’s recreation system on a daily basis. We use facility booking for everything—picnic shelters, cabins and cottages, campgrounds, and marina and kayak slips. We also use program registration; memberships for all kinds of vehicle, daily, or splash parks passes; and we use point of sale for retail and daily cash processes. You name it, we do it. Active’s recreation software is flexible enough to let us manage all of our activities within one system.

Why did you decide to implement online registration for CCPRC?

We decided to implement online registration in 2006 because of the demand. We have so many citizens that use our programs and our call center wasn’t an efficient way to handle all of their needs. Parents signing their kids up for camp don’t want to wait on hold for 30 minutes or take time out of their day to register in person. It is much more convenient for them to register online whenever they have a spare moment, which is often at midnight after work is over and everyone is in bed.

For staffing purposes, the recreation registration software has really made a difference. Our staff can now take their time on calls with people booking the bigger events at the conference center, like weddings or reunions. It has allowed our staff to reallocate their time to address the more complex requests while our program registrants can hop online and register quickly on their own.

What kind of cost savings have you experienced from using the parks and recreation software?

We have experienced a tremendous cost savings from using Active’s software. It has saved us a lot of money in staff time and administrative costs. We no longer mail out contracts or program registration confirmations, so the savings in postage and paper alone have be significant.

On using Active’s online marketing services

What process did you go through with Active’s online services team?

We received a request from Active to undergo an online marketing review, which essentially involves their online services team reviewing your website and registration process and offering suggestions for improvement based on best practices they’ve researched. We are always looking to improve our website and any service that Active asks me to participate in, I always accept because it only helps us. We wanted to make sure our website was optimized for our customers, both their ability to find it and ability to use it.

What were the results of the marketing review?

After the review, we implemented a few things based on Active’s suggestions. The biggest change was the additional cooperation between our agency’s website and our “go online” site. We use the same colors and branding, but the problem was the transition from one site to the other. Customers could tell it was two different sites and it caused confusion. We made some changes so both sites had the same look and feel, making our customer more comfortable because it was a more cohesive online experience.

Do you use the eMarketing Center?

We came across the eMarketing Center a few years ago and we do use it. There are some really great ideas in the eMarketing Center about how to get the word out to your community about online registration and the different features that recreation registration software allowed us to offer our citizens.

On Active Network

What is the best thing about working with Active?

The best thing about working with Active is the support. When we have an issue, we can call them and it’s fixed. Active takes a real interest in the success of its customers and I like that they continually provide us ways to keep our customers happy. It’s always about the customer and Active knows that!

I also love the attention that Active gives to the PCI compliance issues. It really helps us justify what we’re doing and why we’re doing it to everyone from the agency to the financial department to the Commission itself.

We are always excited to see what’s coming around the corner from Active. We are pretty much using the parks and recreation software to its fullest but there’s always more being added that enhances what we already have.

"Active takes a real interest in the success of its customers and I like that they continually provide us ways to keep our customers happy. It’s always about the customer and Active knows that!"

Pam Ragland
Administrative Manager,
Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission