Quick Start Guide to Using the Simpleview Extranet

Updated 5-5-2015

Important terms:

Simpleview – the brand name of the web-based software the SBCTB uses to manage partner data and sales leads.

CRM – an abbreviation for Customer Relationship Management. The CRM is the version of the Simpleview database that the SBCTB staff members use to manage partner data and sales leads for all of our hospitality industry partners.

Extranet – this is the version of the Simpleview database the bureau provides for our hospitality industry partners use to access their own accounts in the database. Through the Simpleview Extranet, partners can manage contact information, sales leads, the amenities you offer, view partner benefits, update your web listings, add images, manage social media links, and more.

Member/Partner Login

Once you have been set up with security access to the Member/Partner Extranet, you will receive an email containing link to the Extranet and a temporary password. Your username will always be the email address we have on file for you in the CRM.

Clicking the link in the email will direct you to the Member/Partner Extranet login page:

If you have forgotten your password, just click the Forgot Password button and provide your email address. The system will generate a new temporary password and send you an email with instructions for resetting your permanent password.

Login Information

When you login for the first time with the temporary password you will be asked to update it with a permanent password of your own choosing:

Usernames are always the email address that exists on your contact record in the CRM. If you have multiple contact records with the same email address, you will need to provide a different password for each account you wish to log in to. This also applies to partners who belong to parent/child accounts.

Parent/Child Accounts

For partners with access to multiple accounts, the Parent/Child account relationship was created. For example, a hotel management group might be the parent account for the individual hotel properties it manages. This allows a partner to log in as a contact on the Parent account with full access to child accounts. This circumvents the need for the partner to log in to multiple accounts.

NOTE: The Parent/Child account relationship is to be used for accounts where there is a main corporate entity with one or more property accounts. Linking unrelated accounts is not allowed, as Parent/Child links have other affects within the CRM.

Once a partner with parent/child account access logs into the Extranet, they will see a dropdown menu in the upper right corner of the screen titled ‘Logged in to’. If there are child accounts available, clicking the arrow will present the other accounts the partner can toggle between:

Selecting a different account will load all information related to the new account.

Tabs

By selecting the appropriate tab, you will have access to the information in your account. Depending on your security settings, you might not see all of these tabs.

Leads Tab: If you are set up to receive sales leads through Simpleview, the first tab will be the Leads tab. Click on this tab to review and respond to sales leads the SBCTB has sent to you.

Member Record Tab: The Member Record tab is where you can access all the information related to your account, contacts, listing information, images, amenities, benefits, and social media information.

Contacts To edit a contact record, click on the pencil icon next to the contact’s name. The contact record will open. After you’ve made the edits, be sure to click the Save button. IMPORTANT: When a new employee replaces a former employee, do NOT overwrite the former employee’s contact record with the new employee’s information. Instead, you will need to inactivate the former employee’s contact record. This preserves the history of activity associated with the contact. To inactivate, click the Edit icon for the former employee’s contact record. Click the down arrow on the Contact Type field, select the Inactive option, and click the Save button. When a contact record is inactivated, that contact no longer has access to the Simpleview Extranet.

Then create a NEW contact record for the new employee.

To add a new contact, click the “Add New Contact” button at the right of the screen, enter the contact’s info, and click the Save button.

If the new employee needs to have access to your account in the Extranet, contact the database administrator at SBCTB to request the access.

Listings The Listings tab is where you can edit the descriptions that appear in our publications. Currently, “Industry Partners Directory” contains the description for both the website and our printed visitor guide. The “HERE Guide” is used for locally owned restaurants. The “Meetings and Groups Directory” is used for the Travel Planner we distribute to meeting planners, sports groups and group tour leaders. As we continue to develop this feature, listing types may be added or changed.

Your listing description should help the visitor understand why your business is worth visiting. Use descriptive language and SELL your business to the visitor. Descriptions can include phrases instead of full sentences, but should use sentence case and should include correct grammar, punctuation and spelling. The SBCTB reserves the right to edit the description to meet our style and content guidelines.

To edit a listing, click on the pencil icon next to the listing. Once you’ve made your edits, be sure to click the Save button. Changes you submit for your listing must be approved by the SBCTB before they will go live on the website. Please allow a couple of days for the approval process.

Web The Web tab is where you can manage images of your business.

The Coupons tab is used for specific campaigns such as the Hotel Hot Deals campaigns. If you are participating in a bureau-sponsored campaign that uses this feature, you will have access to edit the coupons here.

To add an image, click the Media tab, then click New Logo/Image. You can upload two types of images here.

To upload an image of your logo, select “Logo” in the Type dropdown menu. In the Title box, enter your company name. Click the Choose File button, then browse to where you have saved the logo file. Click the Save button. Logo images may be made larger or smaller by the system but none of the actual image will be cropped out. You may upload logo images in any shape or orientation.

To upload an image of your property, select “Image” in the Type dropdown menu. In the Title box, enter a descriptive title that includes your company name. Some examples:

Zydeco dancers at Mudbug Madness Festival.

Business travelers enjoying a complimentary cocktail at Holiday Inn Shreveport West.

Click the Choose File button, then browse to where you have saved the image file. Click the Save button. Image files may be resized and cropped by the system to meet the design standards of the publication. For best results, use a square image of your property.

NOTE: When determining which images to upload, use clear, colorful images that convey to the visitor why they should visit your business. Close-in shots are usually better than long shots because the detail is more easily seen. The image you select should SELL your business to the visitor.

Amenities Use the Amenities tab to indicate amenities and services that are offered at your business. Most partners will enter amenities on only two of these tabs – the tab that corresponds to your listing category and the Misc. Info tab. For other partners, more than two of the tabs might apply. For example, some of the hotel properties will need to submit information not only on the Accommodations tab and the Misc. Info tab, but also the Meeting Facilities tab, and maybe even on the Dining tab.

Select the Amenities tab appropriate for your listing category and click the Edit Amenities button. The exception to this is the Meeting Facilities tab. When you click on that tab, you will already be in edit mode. Provide the information requested. Be sure to click the Save button.

Benefits Summary This tab will be where you can see some of the benefits the SBCTB is providing to your business. This section has not been fully implemented yet but we hope to be using it very soon.

You are already able to view sales and service leads that have been sent to your business along with your staff’s attendance at some of our events.

Some examples of the other data that will go in this section include:

SBCTB purchases from your business

Donations and sponsorships you contribute to the SBCTB

Mentions of your business in articles generated by SBCTB public relations and social media efforts

Bureau-sponsored visits to your business by travel writers, meeting planners, group tour leaders, etc.

Bureau-sponsored advertising of your business

Social Media On the Social Media tab, you can enter information about your social media sites. These will eventually be included with your listing on our website.

Occupancy Tab:

This tab provides for the hotels to enter their occupancy and ADR for the preceding month.

Service Requests Tab:

If you are set up to receive service requests through Simpleview, the Service Requests tab will be displayed. Click on this tab to review and respond to service leads the SBCTB has sent to you. In general, Service Requests do not include a request for sleeping rooms.

Reports Tab:

This tab will house any Simpleview-generated reports the bureau makes available to our partners.

Partner Bulletins Tab:

Check this tab for documents the bureau provides for our partners.