Ski-Profit is a software package for ski rental shops that was developed and is being marketed by Sport Select of Oakland, Calif. Snow Summit, Calif., was the first ski area to try Ski-Profit where it was installed in January, 1990, and it has been running without a hitch. Their system has 11 stations with 6 cashiers who handle 65,000 rentals each season.
This program operates in the IBM PC XT environment, requiring an 8088 processor as a minimum with a 20 meg or larger hard-drive and an industrial printer similar to the Okidata 320. The system software cost is $8,000 for 1 to 5 terminals and $12,000 for 5 to 17 terminals.
Sport Select includes an initial training session for rental staffs in the package. Hardware elements can be purchased through Sport Select or other vendors. Larger users may want to explore an Xenix 386 network with dumb terminals at the customer stations and a management computer in the office.
An option to rent the program software has been introduced to allow smaller areas access to the technology. This runs $3,000 per season and includes customization and training.
The initial setup requires that individual identification numbers be developed for each rental item in stock, which is then entered into the equipment stock inventory along with equipment type and maintenance requirements. Personnel information is loaded for cashiers and technicians including an individual identification code for access and record-keeping. After management sets and enters pricing, discounts, vouchers and payment methods, the system is ready to use.
The program is split into eight pods for each function. These include cashier, check-out, return, reports, letters and mailings, customer and equipment files and administrative utilities. Each pod can be directly accessed by using a function key or a window selection. Single keystrokes easily move the user through the options in each pod.
The cashier function can initiate either single or a group rental transactions. If a group is returning, the system will bring up their rental files so that the transaction can be completed with a minimum of repetition.
Each individual transaction requires the entry of name, address, age, height, weight and skiing ability. If a guest is returning, the system will bring up his or her historical information, which is then verified. The cashier then asks for equipment selection information (boot and ski size and type). Any vouchers or discounts are entered and a payment method selected. The total for the transaction is listed by the system and payment accepted by the cashier. A rental form is then printed, which acts as the guest’s receipt. The rental form is electronically forwarded to the check-out counter technician station.
Other options at the cashier’s station allow for checking the type of equipment rented, late return reports with amount due, refunds, editing of rental transactions and a log-on/log-off function. A typical individual rental transaction from cashier to check-out would take less than 10 minutes.
At the check-out counter, the technician enters a customer number to bring up the rental form. The D.I.N. settings are set on the selected equipment, which is then given to the guest along with usage instructions. If a guest wishes to exchange equipment within the same type, this may be done at this station. When the technician closes the rental form, the equipment is moved to the active file, where it resides until checked in.
The return function is the quickest of all. The technician needs only enter the identification number or name, to bring up the rental form. The equipment is identified as on-time or late-return by the system and the technician can verify that the proper equipment is being returned. Upon closing this rental form entry, the equipment is returned to the rental inventory and both the equipment-usage file and the customer files are updated. A normal equipment return would take less than three minutes (the computer transaction less than one minute).
The report section allows management to view collected information on rentals, customers, equipment inventory and status and usage. Rental information can be shown for daily or season-to-date totals, past-due returns, unpaid late return charges and the cashier report (for cash drawer justification).
The customer report is merely an alpha-listing of rental customers and their data. This is an ASCII file so that it could be exported to a database program to be massaged for marketing purposes.
The equipment reports allow for listing of the current inventory, maintenance reports for individual items, maintenance history for individual items or the complete inventory and exception reports for equipment not inspected or due for maintenance. If a piece of equipment is due for maintenance, a notation is flashed on the screen when an attempt is made to rent the item.
Usage reports list the utilization of a piece of equipment in terms of both actual rentals and as a percent of total equipment type rentals, broken down by size classification. This allows analysis of usage profiles for future equipment purchase decisions.
The letters and mailings section, in which letters can be written and edited, can be automatically triggered by the system for overdue equipment and unpaid late return charges. Other mailings for promotions and marketing also are supported by this section.
The customer file maintains an up-to-date listing of customer information needed by other pods of the program. The equipment file accomplishes the same function for the equipment as well as providing for maintenance entries and pricing on various equipment types. Management also can use this function to set discounts, promotional vouchers and payment methods.
The final section of the program allows management to initiate a new day of entries and allows for a variety of administrative duties.
Currently being developed as a point-of-sale system for accessory sales and a rental reservation and shop management function. Bar coding also can be used for inventory purposes. Another feature is a series of “trouble” messages that tell the station operator what to do in the event of a problem with the system.
The primary advantages of this system are the simplicity for the guest in filling out forms, and the elimination of transcribing handwriting, both of which dramatically reduce the rental transaction time. Additionally, rental transaction information is collected one time for reuse as well as other purposes. At Snow Summit, lines for rental pick-up and returns were dramatically reduced with this system. This gives skiing guests more time to enjoy skiing.
Ski Profit Reports
- 1. Cashier report
- 2. Return screen with “past due” and “maintenance due” warnings
- 3. Past-due rental returns
- 4. Unpaid late return charges
- 5. Equipment utilization (buying report)
- 6. Equipment-type lists
- 7. Boot list
- 8. Boots that have not been inspected (pre-season maintenance)
- 9. Boot maintenance history
- 10. Boot maintenance work codes
- 11. Ski list
- 12. Skis that have not been inspected (pre-season maintenance)
- 13. Skis due for maintenance (in-season inspection/maintenance)
- 14. Ski maintenance history
- 15. Ski maintenance work codes
- 16. Equipment-use history (by renter, skis or boots)
- 17. Reservations
