eviivo

Pros

Simplicity.
There is a free trial!!

Their preauthorisation of credit cards is a key feature leading to us staying with them. It will flag failed cards I your booking calendar allowing you to cancel via booking.com if card not update within 24 hours. This feature saves money and offsets the cost of the software as failed cards have a much higher no show rate.

Cons

Outages - system has had a number of outages I last two years one of which lasted over 12 hours making processing payments for departing guests impossible via the system. Bookings received via OTAs impacted and needed to be verified. Outages are a concern and have triggered my review if alternative platforms.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to eviivo

Pros

I like the cost-effectiveness, the ease of use, the many various changes I can make to my system, including pricing, notes to myself in the calendar, and the financial reports which help me keep my accounting books and also greatly helps when I have to pay montly sales tax and lodging tax to authorities.

Cons

I had some trouble with my mobile app at first, but I think the kinks are worked out now.

Pros

Collects CC charges without much of a hitch.

Cons

Horrible user interface for guests
European lodging paradigm is difficult for most to understand
Editing/updating a reservation is a chore and sometimes impossible
Clunky, old software - get used to calling customer support
Will charge you through the nose if you decide to switch

Pros

Training videos were effective.
Product is web based so can be accessed on the go.
Product enables hosting of our hotels rooms on multiple websites without having to enter information individually for each vendor. Can view and manage bookings across multiple booking platforms in one place.

Cons

I haven't had any issues really so far and I hope this continues

Pros

People professional, helpful. Channel master does it's job. They are small and we are small, Gives a personal touch. Most of our guests from Europe, think a UK company works well.

Cons

Small, computer can sometimes lag real time, We are across many time zones so it's important to respond to guests , quickly.
Small , not many people , no gaint resource think tank to draw upon.
Small works both ways. Hours of operation can be hard since we are in middle of Pacific ocean, We are 5 or 6 hours off Austin. Things get pushed to tomorrow,

Pros

Eviivo has made our lives much easier. We manage over 90 properties in Hocking Hills, Ohio. We have 40+ employees and several of them are managers working in Eviivo everyday. The platform works perfectly for monthly reporting & integrating with all the channels that we need. We couldn't be happier.

Cons

Integration with Airbnb can be challenging some times. Data isn't pulled through correctly after reservations are made and you are unable to modify these reservations.

Pros

Eviivo has saved my life! It is user friendly. Love the ability to connect to OTAs. Makes updating images, descriptions & pricing easy. I don't have to stress about admin tasks!

Cons

Eviivo is so good that I don't have any complaints!

Pros

I like everything about Eviivo especially the monthly rate, very much afordable.

Cons

to many pop up messages and changes in the system

Pros

User friendly, support in chat is handy.

Cons

Love everything the daily planner is super helpful and the calendar view.

Pros

their support is second to none

Cons

no sand box environment to see what the client experiences when making changes to temple emails timing etc

Pros

One calendar to view all our bookings - that's brilliant! One place to update our property information, again brilliant. Alert messages when someone books or cancels is helpful too. The support i received from [sensitive content hidden] when setting up Eviivo was truly exceptional. When the going got tough and the questions got stupid, he never faltered but politely and promptly responded. When there was an issue relating daily rates that he could not solve instantly, he sought technical assistance and came back to me with the answer and solution. He was just so helpful throughout and even worked with me in English language. Hard to fault him!

Cons

Having to amend OTA websites and accounts as well as Eviivo is a pain. Maintaining accounts with VRBO, Booking, AirBnB etc is difficult. This is not really a fault of Eviivi i know.

Pros

Ease of use as channel manager.

Cons

Somewhat behind the times with changing technology

Pros

It is very easy to use, many options, good price

Cons

there is a payment system to be implemented, with an elderly customers it is a problem to take payments online. While it is no longer possible to take money for No Shows

Pros

Ease of use and brilliant online and telephone support

Cons

Some features removed from early version

Pros

Robust functionality and the quality and quantity of the available support

Cons

Customers are not presented an overall view like the Planner view and are frequently confused by Eviivo's presenting properties that are not available after they specify dates and capacity needs. Customer reach out to us and complain about the process and we have to spend time with them to help and explain. When glitches and bugs occur in the software ( Like the event when Payments stopped or deposits suddenly included taxes) it takes far too long to correct the issue., (often 3 weeks+)

Pros

It accurately keeps bookings and I don't have to be concerned about double-booking units.

Cons

- It doesn't track returning guests.
- When quoting someone a price I have to manually add the room charge + tax to give them a quote from the Eviivo booking page.
- Guests often miss the "guests" number when making their own reservations.
- The program doesn't ask for "City" or "State" of guests so we have no idea where they are from. This has been a problem during the Covid-19 crisis.
- It's nearly impossible to find a cancelled reservation. We have to know the guest's name. Please give an option to show a list of "Cancellation" to us with units, dates and names to choose from.
- Room night charges are not shown on the "Charges" page. There is no way to see our guests' charges for each night in their reservation detail.
- Our booking email sent from Eviivo when a guest books needs to show the unit at the top. Besides the date, the UNIT is the second most important piece of information we need.-
- When a reservation is modified the guest needs an email confirmation. Eviivo should give us that option rather than make us manually find the email section and send one out.
- The previous program, Webervations, allowed us to put a complete availability calendar in our website for each unit so guests could see when that cottage was available before going to the booking platform.
- IN WEBERVATIONS GUESTS COULD BOOK THE SPECIFIC UNIT THEY WANTED WITHOUT SORTING THROUGH OTHER UNITS. MANY OF OUR GUESTS KNOW WHAT UNIT THEY WANT BUT NOW THEY CAN'T FIND OUT WHEN IT'S AVAILABLE.

Pros

There were no redeeming qualities to this software.

Cons

This software was difficult to implement and use. Eviivo provided literally NO customer support, and they messed up our listings with OTA's..............erroneous pictures, descriptions, poor quality and size of photos, you name it, they did it wrong. We lost a 6-year, five-star listing on Bed & Breakfast .com along with four years of customer records. The transition from RezOvation to Eviivo cost us time, money, and 10% of our previous year's bookings, and gave us months of stress and worry. These people are incompetent and uncaring about customer needs.

Pros

Amazing booking engine with larger pictures. Great interface with all the major platforms. Amazing reporting.

Cons

It was a very difficult start. Training was non-existing other than some videos old and outdated with horrible audio.

Pros

I did not like this software. Now it will not even let me send in this review.

Cons

Not user friendly. Frustrating now as it will not send without putting more info in.

Pros

Email sent in every morning about room status. Who is in the room, when they are going to leave, and who are going to arrive today.

Cons

Website is not mobile friendly, and there is no mobile application as well.

Pros

The ease of understanding. User friendly. Comprehensiveness.

Cons

Integration was bumping due to lack of staffing during merge from Resovations.

Pros

Thus far...nothing. After reading all of the online reviews, I am extremely concerned about loosing business and revenue, by being forced to switch to Eviivo, from Webervations, which I am VERY happy with.

Cons

*required input of redundant information, which already lists on my business website (pictures & property/room details)
*lack of tech support
*the current format is not user friendly; needs to be much more simplistic
*system does not allow a party of 2 guests to book a larger room (Booking Engine will only display available rooms that match the number of guests)
*lack of pricing breakdown for individual dates, when multiple dates are booked
*lodging verbiage which is irrelevant to businesses located in the USA

Pros

The sheer simplicity of the software controlling our room bookings with minimal input from staff.

Cons

The Eviivo suite is constantly being improved and anything I’ve come across I didn’t think worked for me customer service resolved

Pros

We have had a B&B since 1998, and, when we opened, we used Munsenware's excellent stand-alone Guest Tracker system. As with most other specialized software, Munsenware and Guest Tracker have been sold several times over. Until about 4 years ago, the company remained responsive to the needs of its specialized client-base. As HomeAway has grown and become spread out over the hospitality spectrum, its focus on small B&Bs has evaporated. Technical support is virtually non-existent on weekends, a time that has a natural spike in lodging business and a commensurate rise in potential issues and breakdowns. B&Bs do not generally employ FT IT personnel, and, quite frankly, the problems that have emerged with the web-based system are on HomeAway's end, not the end-user's. The single most problematic issue at this moment--and the reason that I am compelled to write this review--is the migration of RezOvation to a MS Silverlight platform.

Cons

Over the past year, Silverlight has been unsupported by an increasing number of web browsers including Chrome, Opera, and, as the greatest irony, MS's own replacement of Explorer, MS Edge. We are Mac users, and, until this week, Safari was still usable. Now it is not. Our final in-house work-around is Mozilla Firefox which has experienced a couple of Silverlight-related crashes since installation. I am praying that RezOvation will continue working on Firefox just long enough so that we can complete our migration to another provider. Despite communicating our issues to HomeAway, there have been no fixes, just more dead-ends. I loved Guest Tracker and the early iterations of Rezo, but we will be taking our business elsewhere.

Pros

We were clients of Rezovation, which was purchased by Eviivo Suite. We went through the process of migrating over to Eviivo, so we did go through the training process, downloading the new calendar, etc. The system appeared to be very much like Rezovation, which we found to be an excellent system. If they get their technical problems sorted out, then this might be a very good reservation system in the future.

Cons

However, our experience was that Eviivo was never able to migrate our data over due to issues with converting currencies to Canadian dollars. They initially kept telling us that it would be corrected very soon. Then they quit responding to our phone calls and emails. During the process the old Rezovation system that they'd left running in the interim also had problems and we often had to take it down off of our website completely. We feel that we definitely lost business during the periods that we didn't have an on line booking system. We called and emailed them numerous times to at least get a progress report and, for at least the last month, they didn't even respond to our calls or answer our emails. We definitely cannot recommend this product for any Canadian companies at this time (we don't know if it's functioning elsewhere).

Pros

We have used many channels managers, we have been most satisfied with Eviivo. Friendly team always willing to help. We love how easy Eviivo is to use and the many upgrades over the years. If I had to pick one thing I like the most besides the team, it is the depndable and easy to use calendar.

Cons

I wish I could think of something to be critical of but there is nothing.

Pros

Julie who takes care of us responds promptly and is amazing and kind.

Cons

Can't think of anything that has been difficult

Pros

Works ok when yo can get on the software or get some support.

Cons

Force you to change password. Then won't accept a new password! This constant need to change passwords. The inability to get support at 10pm! Now I'm locked out of the poorly designed software, unable to get info on MY bookings! Tried resetting password a dozen times! NO ACCESS!

Pros

The live support and the quick help with every question I have.

Cons

No complaints. Some limitations in reporting but support helped us find a different way.

Pros

channel integration within Google, Hotels.Com, Expedia, VRBO, etc.

Cons

software glitches in rate plan management and screens. Would also be great to activate and deactivate a plan (vs delete and recreate only)

Pros

Combining all the other platforms and ease of use on mobile

Cons

Customer service when having an issue - left waiting in chat room for long periods of time.

Pros

Their system is very thorough in gathering information. A lot of detail and in depth planning, but takes a lot of time. Their integration seemed good but I didn't complete and bookings that way.

Cons

Customer service and onboarding was awful. Getting help, whether a small question or pushing a button to activate something was like pulling teeth. They had folks on chat support but they always said I needed to talk to my onboarding agent who didn't reply to emails or answer my questions. I got very simple, template like replies, like "just click here and here." Instead of helping me set up website capabilities on the back end (HTML) or scheduling a meeting. As a client, I should never have to wait more than 24 hours for a reply when onboarding. If you're busy, just reply and set up a call. If you're on vacation, have an away message.

Pros

Their great platform - and excellent eviivo workers - Like superior eviivo workers [sensitive content hidden]

Cons

The credit card numbers are too small - please use a larger font!

Pros

Nothing - I didn't request it, but received a receipt for a bill which was more than $20 more than the same billing I got directly from Hotels.com

Cons

Extremely RUDE "customer service." Actually no customer service at all only, just someone who yelled at me, refused to listen to my problem & basically talked to me as though she thought she was my superior.

Pros

[sensitive content hidden] saved the day for me and our couple today.

Cons

Maybe allow simple editing capabilities when doing room "Block" bookings, especially for our type of venue that has two lodging properties

Pros

Easy to use system, especially for users not so familiar with operating systems. Easy to facilitate/integrate ota's, especially when varying rate plans are required.

Cons

It can sometimes prove a little difficult to get assistance but once you've found that, the knowledge of the contact is generally excellent and the issues are quickly resolved.

Pros

Fantastic, fantastic support team, can't commend them enough. They Listen, they Care, They Help, They are friendly, and they are relatable - genuinely impressed with everyone I have spoken with, including the finance/payment teams - great humans.Everyone that picks up your call is patient and professional and, how they lead you to your solution is just remarkable.They have a computer-say-yes attitude. They are humans, they do not act like 'robotic people' in customer service centers.As a start-up, we used eviiio and would definitely recommend it.

Cons

I think eviivo may need to hire more great people (like they already have) because it seems just too busy, and too much volume for single Account/Set Up/Go Live Managers. The Managers clearly do their very best to help you Go Live and deliver great service while doing so - but one can tell they are kind of overworked.

Pros

The support. It's second to none. You don't need it often, but when you do it's there for you.

Cons

To be honest I can't think of any features I don't like about Eviivo. And I rarely think of improvements that could be made to it (although I do sit up and take notice when Eviivo bring out improvments). I suppose I could cite the fact that there isnt a facility within the software where users can suggest improvements (or not one I've found anyway). Also, Eviivo don't have an affiliate scheme which is a pity, otherwise I'd probably be even more pro Eviivo than I am already!

Pros

Relatively easy to us for PMS and Channel Management software, very reliable and supported by excellent customer service: By phone, chat and via informative webinars.

Cons

Form design and printing options are somewhat limited, and the basic reporting function is somewhat 'basic'. Though there are add-on, chargeable features which are far more comprehensive.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to eviivo

Pros

The Live Chat support is fairly quick and helpful. There are also lots of resources to learn how to use the software and free classes to learn with an expert.

Cons

1. It would be beneficial if eviivo had a dedicated account manager for users to contact direct for that added personal support. 2. More third party integrations / a site where users can vote and see upcoming integrations to be added to eviivo.

Pros

It has all the elements I need. I've beed using Eviivo for the last 5 years.

Cons

I find creating rates rate, but I'm not good on programs.

Pros

In general relatively easy to use and stable. No serious problem so far which is the basis for this type of product

Cons

- Sometimes a bit sow- I requested an alternative way of displaying the availability on the web but so far no response - messages to customers could a little bit more modern and flexible (pictures, titles...)

Pros

The booking system was so useful for every aspect of running and promoting our business. It was easy to use and any updates were smoothly integrated.

Cons

None. I can't fault this system in any way.

Pros

I like that I can take credit card payments in the software and that I have more access to be able to change reservations as I need to and as guests requests.

Cons

I am waiting for the mobile app to be released. In that past I found the app pretty useless. I am really excited to see how user friendly the new app is.

I think I would like to be able to see the CVC number on credit cards once it is entered. there have been a few times that that card was not working and I needed to verify the information and it will not allow me to view the CVC number one entered.

Pros

More user friendly than Webervations was, but the additional costs are adding up. At this point I am leaning towards moving to Airbnb only. Much simpler model, lower cost and they handle my state tax payments for me.

Cons

In addition to paying a fee to Eviivo, I have to pay fees to a third party provider to process credit card payments. Unlike Airbnb, I am responsible for collecting and paying state sales tax. Eviivo touts the ability to advertise my property on other sites such as Home Away, Agoda, etc...but the fees are exorbitant. I am a small business and cannot afford to give up 15% to 20% of my revenue, which I could have rented the same dates thru Airbnb for a much lower cost.

Pros

In my opinion, syncing calendars is the most valuable aspect of the eviivo software. I no longer need enter reservations on multiple platforms as they come in - thus alleviating worry about double bookings. Also, I like having the financial reporting and calendars available for three properties in one place. I like having an historical record of guest information and reservations.

Cons

The learning curve was pretty steep and very stressful for me. My old software, Webervations, ended and I had to find software to takes its place. It took a long time to get eviivo operating the way it should. eviivo uses terms and wording that is European centric. Room titles and descriptions are not expressed in terms that would be typical for American travelers. Also eviivo does not permit syncing VRBO calendar, so my VRBO reservations must be manually entered on eviivo.

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Choosing eviivo

Reasons for Switching to eviivo

Pros

Ease of use.

Support is always available during normal business hours, and no wait time.

Customization of reports and letters.

Automated letters for reminders and follow-up with guests.

Excellent up-time.

No Night Audit process necessary.

Cons

The largest problem I have with this product is the lack of ability to choose your own credit card processor. You are basically stuck with two options, Intuit (awful), and InnPayment which I have not tried yet.

Our resort takes advance deposits up to one-year in advance of arrival. Many of our guests return year after year, and so opt to make their next year's reservation when departing. The problem arises if their plans change... Intuit will not allow a refund to a credit card after 90 days has passed, which means we have to write a company check.
This might not seem like a huge problem, but the additional workload for doing refund checks, combined with the delays in check processing for our European customers makes it a customer service nightmare.

I like the amount of customization options in the reports and letters, but the lack of code for certain things bothers me. Also, the lack of supporting detailed reports for some daily reporting totals (adv. deposits used) makes auditing difficult at times.

The real problem seems to be the lack of supporting reports. For example, there is a daily summary report which has values for many categories, cash, visa, gift certificates, revenue, taxes, advance deposits, etc. The problem is that with some of the totals, you don't have access to a detail report to support the total, so it's difficult to audit out of balance issues. They have been working on it gradually, but there's still a couple of categories that need detail reports

Pros

Eviivo covers the majority of our use cases:

-Vacation rental reservation with individual home and property calendars
-Rate management with multiple seasons for 3+ years (clunky implementation)
-Venue calendar management
-OTA integration with all major platforms
-Quickbooks online integration for payment processing and accounting

They are also very open and welcomed my feedback and enhancement requests/suggestions.

Cons

A little challenging to configure for our unique business model, vacation homes and wedding venues on a private resort/estate, but overall really pleased. They started in the UK and are set up to support an international market including the US so there are features and terms that don’t really apply to our market. A US product manager would greatly benefit them. They also need to provide the option to configure some key details at a system global level vs at each property as we needed to repeat entering details individually for every home. We only have 8 homes right now but this could be a challenge for larger vacation home businesses. However, it’s relatively easy to navigate through these.

-Need centralized inbox within the application to handle all OTA communication and internal direct guest communication
-Can’t support group bookings with our vacation home model of unique calendars vs hotel room types
-Need calendar to show holidays for ease of rate setting
-Need e-sign capability for vacation rental contract agreement and allow attachments with reservations
-Need customized cleaning checklist
-Need damage communication and billing process beyond the pre-auth for the deposit

Alternatives Considered

Reasons for Switching to eviivo

Pros

Set it up and forget about it! The software behaves like a workhorse and takes care of a million things for me every day.

Cons

Some things take too long to set up when you get started. But worth the effort.

Pros

We like color-coded diary, the app lets you know if money is due, able to search for reservations in many ways, good selection of reports, the software is updated often to add new features and fix glitches, able to view and use on multiple devices.
We are usually able to chat with customer service in 10 min or less, and they are (mostly) helpful with our issues.We have been having to reach out to Customer Service less and less.

Cons

Sometimes we have issues with the integration to our merchant account, when we enter the same info into Eviivo it fails, but when we enter it into the merchant account directly it works. Also the templates for the customer communication emails are awkward(perhaps due to British English or British preferences) and guests are confused. Thirdly it is impossible to enter our specific cancellation policy into the options that the software has for us, they say that it is because of the OTA preferrances, but in the end we have 2 cancellation policies, one for the OTA reservations and one for those who book directly with us. Of course they are both written on the confirmation letter and cause confusion.