Does Your Park Need a Reservation Management System?

PaRkS - Parks Reservation System was created in 2009, the result of a collaboration between DMI Studios and two of our clients: Oconto County and Marinette County. Both counties found themselves experiencing the same frustrations with booking camping and lodge/shelter reservations. At this point, their procedures were entirely offline - reservations had to be made over the phone, or in person at the appropriate county building. They were both looking for a way to alleviate the crush of camping and shelter reservations at the first of the year and the piles of paperwork associated with the process.

After extensive consultation and planning, a solution was born to accommodate county workers, campers, and shelter-seekers alike, which eventually developed into the full-blown product that is now known as PaRkS - Parks Reservation System.

The back-end management of this system works as a huge time saver for county or park staff. It eliminates paperwork and significantly reduces the time and energy spent on tasks associated with reservations. Through this system, site administrators can easily view detailed reports about their parks, vary campsite pricing and minimum stay by season or holiday, create promotional codes to increase occupancy, track problem campers, maintain accounts for repeat customers, and allow users to cancel their reservation with optional penalty fees. PaRkS websites can also be used to broadcast important news and alerts to campers and/or those in the vicinity.

PaRkS' self-service model not only serves as a convenience to park or grounds staff, it is designed to accommodate the end-user as well. From their home and in their pajamas, or on the go from their phone, reservations can be made whenever and wherever it works for the camper. With the entire reservation process online, campers can easily choose which campsite they prefer by browsing all available options. As a necessary benefit to both campers and park staff, all payments within this system are made in secure transactions.

At DMI, we know how unique each park system is. From campgrounds, to shelter rentals, to pass and permit sales, to fairgrounds activities, every park and park system has its own special features to highlight. So when we created PaRkS, we made sure each website was 100% customizable. Campgrounds can indicate site-specific options like firewood or ice add-ons, or interactive grounds maps. Site admins also custom design the look and feel of their website. Whether they want it to match a different county site, or want it to stand out on its own, they have full say over design.

Want an idea of what current PaRkS websites offer? Check out a few recent sites for Wisconsin counties Fond du Lac, Washington, and St. Croix.


Fond du Lac County Parks & Fairgrounds:
https://www.fdlcountyparks.com

Washington County Planning & Parks:
https://www.washcoparks.com

St. Croix County Parks System:
https://parks.co.saint-croix.wi.us


Looking for a PaRkS - Parks Reservation System website for your park? We'd love to chat!