'We have been given the direction to grow at WSC Vlietland'

Wide range

'Over 35 years ago, my parents started a campsite, including a small marina where we rented out a few boats,' Jelle begins. 'Over the years we kept growing. Now we have grown into a whole water sports center with motor boats and sloops. And we offer a wide range of outdoor sports programs. You can do raft building, dragon canoeing and pedal boating, among other things. About ten years ago we also started our climbing park.' Jelle: 'That growth was of course very nice, but also brought the necessary challenges. We used different systems for booking the various activities. For the climbing park we used Google Calendar and a huge Excel file. Boat reservations we kept "old-fashioned" in a paper calendar. For the campsite we used as many as four or five different programs over the years, and for the marina we even had a program specially built, because the planning was such a puzzle. Not ideal.

From program to practice

'All programs had one problem in common: the program determined how you had to perform the practice,' Jelle explained. 'That could be improved. There was a need for digitization and a fully online booking system. Recras, which by the way only just existed at the time, turned out to fit our needs seamlessly. So when the climbing park was a year old, we decided to implement Recras' new booking system. First only in the climbing park, by the way, to see if it suited us.'

From practice to program

'It soon became apparent that Recras did not determine how we should run the practice, as was the case with many other programs, but that the practice determined how we wanted to set up Recras. We digitized the practice, so to speak. Finally a program that got it! That was really an eye-opener. It also made me look more critically at the other booking programs we were using, including our own written program. It wasn't long before the desire arose to use Recras for our other components as well.'

Development

'I think it took about two to three years for that to really take effect. Recras, of course, had not existed for very long and was still under development. In the early years, the program was not yet suitable for all our complex systems and requirements. But as the years passed and Recras evolved, we were able to transition more and more. We also worked a lot with the founders of Recras. It was a bit like being neighbors, but a little further away. We had the same background and the same vision, which allowed us to help and inspire each other. There was room for us to think along and share experiences technically and practically. I really felt I was part of the development. By the way, that development is still going on. Even after ten years, Recras still thinks along with and as the user, to optimize the program.'

Full direction

'Whether I would recommend Recras to other companies and enterprises? Certainly,' Jelle concludes. I would like to point out that the entry level is quite high. There is a lot involved when you start with Recras, in terms of recording and directing. But it is one hundred percent worth it. You get good help during the process and eventually you have full control over what you make available and present when and where. Recras adapts completely to your wishes, instead of you as a company having to make concessions. The program has definitely contributed to the growth of WSC Vlietland, both for the climbing park and for the rest of the company. Recras gave us the space and direction to grow and develop. That's unique, if you ask me.