Discover how Big Green Adventures doubled bookings & revenue with eola's activities booking platform. Read their success story now. #Cornwall #watersports

Big Green Adventures doubles bookings in Cornwall

After years of surfing and coaching around the world Dale Unnuk founded Big Green Adventures in 2011, delivering water sports activities and camping hire in the beachy village of Crantock, Cornwall. Before eola, the team relied on paper diaries and spent countless days running up the sand dunes trying to get signal to avoid missing bookings.

“We were growing year on year, but it was obvious that we were missing a lot of potential business.”

A collaborative approach to recouping lost business

Having previously tried many booking system providers it was clear they couldn’t supply a service that worked well for the Cornwall business. eola offered an activities booking platform that was quick and easy to set up and see results. They provide a collaborative relationship, where “there is always someone at the end of the phone willing to help”.

“The whole business cares about what we’re doing and the transition was really easy.”

Dale praised eola’s easy-to-use online booking widget, which has replaced telephone and email transactions and allows customers to book online 24 hours a day, growing the business financially. Since COVID and the shift to online, customers now prefer to book in advance contactless, via mobile. Another huge benefit is coaches can access lessons through eola’s dashboard, which saves an abundance of time and prevents errors.

eola increased bookings during off peak, as well as made life easier during the busy peak season. Dale loves having a clear system his whole team can use, allowing him more time to run the business and take time off. He said “with eola bookings, enquiries and activities run smoothly even when I’m on holiday!”

“Working with eola allows us to spend more time doing what we actually enjoy and what we’re actually good at knowing the administrative side is taken care of.”

With eola we  doubled online bookings and revenue and grew on average 36% growth year-on-year over a 4-year span

After years of surfing and coaching around the world Dale Unnuk founded the Big Green Adventures in 2011. Before eola, the team relied on paper diaries and spent countless days running ...

How Big Green Adventures saved time and doubled bookings with eola

Learn from a seasoned industry professional on how to navigate the busy season in the outdoor activity industry.

An Efficiency Guide for Outdoor Activity Centres

Hello, fellow adventurers! Owen here, reminiscing about my days navigating the thrilling rapids of managing outdoor activity companies. Those peak seasons were always a wild ride - a non-stop rush of customers, scheduling, and constant movement. It was a journey, but without the right preparation, it could feel a bit like trying to find your way through a dense forest without a map.

One thing I learned from those adrenaline-fuelled seasons is that efficiency isn't just a nice-to-have, it's a must-have. Streamlining operations was the key to not just staying afloat, but riding the wave when the busy season hit.

In my experience, one of the most effective strategies was focusing on 'pay and play' activities during the busy season. These high throughput activities could handle large groups with ease, freeing up resources for other parts of the operations. This approach left the more instructor-intensive courses and lessons for the quieter months, ensuring we were making the most of our resources.

Planning ahead was another crucial part of our strategy. With an online booking system, we could forecast potential returns and then work backwards to manage capacities. If we were behind, we could focus our marketing efforts on specific dates and times.

But having a plan didn't mean sticking to it rigidly. We learned the importance of being flexible and innovative. By identifying bottlenecks in the customer journey and finding ways to alleviate them, we were able to significantly improve the flow of operations. Even something as simple as an instructor with a mobile device scanning a QR code to quickly check-in customers could make a world of difference.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without our fantastic team. We made sure to communicate the flow of the day clearly, and let them know when it was going to be busy and when there would be lulls. Scheduling downtime blocks for them to rest, rehydrate, and recharge helped keep them in top form.

Finally, we learned to embrace the busy season. Yes, it could be overwhelming, but remember, we were all in it for the thrill of adventure. We stayed committed to our process, allowed our team to adapt and learn, and only paused for a debrief at the end of the season. We'd been through it before, and we knew we'd get through it again.

So, there you have it, folks! A few tales and tips from my days navigating the busy season in the outdoor activity industry. Remember, efficiency is key, and with a bit of planning, innovation, and care for your team, you'll not only survive the busy season, but you'll thrive.

Hello, fellow adventurers! Owen here, reminiscing about my days navigating the thrilling rapids of managing outdoor activity companies. Those peak seasons were always a wild ride - a non-stop rush of customers, scheduling, and constant movement. It was a journey, but without the right preparation, it could feel a bit ...

Thriving in the digital age: A guide for outdoor activity centres

Enjoyed this?