CCL (Computer Consultants) Limited

Center Parcs UK was created as a separate entity in 2001 when it was split off from Center Parcs Europe and sold by Scottish & Newcastle Breweries.  (December 2003 saw it floated on the Stock Exchange as Center Parcs plc.)  Back then, IT within Center Parcs UK was merely a support function, acting only on direction from Europe.  The split therefore created a number of issues for Richard Bond, who had been newly appointed as IT Director, and was tasked with shaping a strategy and three year plan for the UK IT function.

"I wanted  to undertake a structured formal review, looking at where we currently were, where we wanted to be and come up with a clear plan of what we were going to deliver and by when" Richard stated.  He also was very determined that, whilst he intended to use external consultants, Center Parcs and himself should remain involved and in control of the process, "It had to be my strategy" he stressed "not the consultants."

"I was already speaking to a number of Consultancies and CCL's ‘cold call' came at just the right time!  I immediately liked their straightforward, direct approach.  I met Mark Grisdale, CCL's Commercial Director, and he came back to me with a clear plan for assisting us with an IT Options and Strategy Review, which was a perfect match to the remit I had given him.  And I am pleased to say that this was exactly what they delivered." 

One important area for development was the Reservations System.  This bespoke system had been written in Holland over 20 years previously and whilst it met current needs had limited potential for future developments.  Richard had been discussing the possibility of a joint venture with Center Parcs Europe to develop a replacement system, but the costs initially received were very high. 

Feasibility Study

"It is a very complex system" Richard said "it not only covers Bookings, it also deals with Payments, Arrivals, Yield, and Management Reporting, and I wasn't sure if a packaged alternative could be found."  CCL were again retained to conduct a Feasibility Study into whether a replacement could be found for a commercially viable cost.  "CCL's prior involvement in helping produce our strategy was a big help.  Trevor Aldred, CCL's consultant, had been with us on the first project and felt very much a part of our team, together with him and Andy Dawson, our CCL Project Controller, we produced a very detailed requirements specification which they then turned into a very detailed and prescriptive ITT for issue to carefully selected suppliers."

The responses to this ITT, which forced Suppliers to give details of ‘fit' to the Specification and outline costs, were then analysed by the CCL and CP Team, they interviewed a number of suppliers and conducted preliminary testing on some solutions.  The resultant Feasibility Report enabled Richard to prepare a White Paper for presentation to the Center Parcs Board, which ultimately gave approval for a full systems replacement project.

System Replacement Project

This was a significant project for Center Parcs and it was taken very seriously.  A steering committee of 14 was formed, from all affected areas of the business and the close working relationship that had developed in the previous two projects enabled CCL's consultants to guide the Center Parcs team though the Selection exercise with a minimum of disruption.   

"Trevor Aldred and Andy Dawson developed a very good understanding of our business, they spent a lot of their own time learning about us and they definitely felt like an extension to our Team" Richard commented.  "A lot of consultants just borrow your watch to tell you the time, but they really did add value to the process.  They brought a structure and methodology to the project which gave us confidence that our decisions were based on detailed fact and high level supposition."

Richard thought this was particularly evident during the shortlisting phase.  CCL invited the shortlisted suppliers to each spend a week with the Center Parcs team working though demonstrated ‘real life' situations and following a carefully planned script so that both products' functionality could be tested. 

Conference Room Pilot

As a result of these sessions Center Parcs were confident in selecting a ‘Preferred Supplier' and going forward to a full Conference Room Pilot.  At this stage (which consisted of 8 weeks of detailed meetings!) every element of the ITT was investigated and reported on and any areas requiring modification were identified and costed.  This meant that when it came to negotiating Contractual and Financial terms Center Parcs has a very clear idea what they were getting for their money.

The systems finally selected were ‘Anite' for the main Reservations System supported by ‘Optims' as the Yield Management element.  Structured development is currently underway with full ‘go-live' scheduled for mid November 2004.

Richard Bond summed up the Center Parcs/CCL relationship "it's definitely a partnership.  CCL's consultants provide additional experience when we are facing new challenges.  It's all about reducing or eliminating risk from the business."

Richard Bond, IT Director

Centre Parcs UK