Press Releasewww.ezibed.com
10 September 2008
New Zealand owned & operated last minute accommodation specialist Ezibed.com was last night announced as a finalist in the Online Innovation category of the Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce Business Awards.
Innovation is an important aspect for both attracting new customers and retaining existing customers says the company's Managing Director, Gareth Pearce. The company that was founded in late 2003 has become a leading online accommodation booking website within New Zealand, recently expanding into Australia, Pacific Islands, USA and Canada.
With over 2000 registered accommodation providers, & over 50,000 visitors per month looking for accommodation, the company's growth has been rapid. Ezibed.com recently launched its new customer focused service solution that allows users of the website to reach customer support through a live 'instant message' interface, allowing customers to communicate with the company without having to physically phone or e-mail for support, thus saving time. This was a New Zealand first for an online accommodation booking website.
The company also launched a free text message booking confirmation service to assist travellers who either cannot print their booking confirmations due to them already travelling and not having access to a printer or for same day bookings. All customers who provide a mobile phone number also receive a text message on the morning of their check out as a little extra touch.
With customer service a core focus for the company, Gareth Pearce says that the company is committed to keeping up with technological & consumer trends. "We are still building up our brand awareness within New Zealand, and trying to let people know that they don't need to go to the Yellow Pages anymore to look for accommodation. If we can provide a fast easy to use website that consolidates all the accommodation in one area and the website has a human touch to it then we will retain our customers and our customers will be our marketers. We've already got over 26,000 sales reps out there" says Pearce.
Pearce says that understanding what their users want is critical to the ongoing success of the website. "Our focus is all about offering a quality service to our customers & also our accommodation providers that display last minute rates on our website. We continue to add innovative new features that allow us to engage with our users & this keeps us ahead of our competitors", says Pearce. Ezibed.com is a New Zealand owned company, competing in a highly competitive environment with large international travel websites.
The company plans to extend into popular Asian cities before the end of 2008.
Press Information: For more information or imagery contact: Gareth Pearce Managing Director 31 Porangahau Road Waipukurau
P: +64 6 858 5442
E: marketing@ezibed.com
Skype: ezibed.com
SOURCE: Ezibed.com
