Husam Tarek
Nemo Diving Center
“The CaptainPanel booking software has allowed us to develop our diving center. The invoicing feature, in particular, helped our team close more leads faster. We’re now proud to say we eliminated time-consuming admin tasks, booking duplication, and all the bottlenecks that were slowing down our booking process and our business.“
The business challenge
“Opening and running a diving center is exciting, but when you have to cut the time you spend doing what you love best just to handle invoicing, payments and bookings, you often have second thoughts. Truth is, at times, we were overwhelmed. The system we were using clearly wasn’t up to the job. It was inefficient, costing us too much time, money and energy. CaptainPanel identified the pain points from day one and delivered a bespoke solution tailored to our high-demanding needs.”
Thirty percent business growth
Prior to the introduction of the CaptainPanel online booking and invoicing solution, it was impossible to keep an up-to-date record of daily bookings, bills and payments. The NEMO Diving Center was looking for a system that would painlessly help the team manage all of the above, remotely, from any portable device. The system also had to be smart and responsive enough to allow instant data synchronization across all channels, in order to avoid double bookings.
Turning a life-long passion into a business is a dream come true and that’s how Husam Tarek started NEMO Diving Center in 2014 in Dubai, UAE. Their aim was to become “The number one diving center in Dubai” by offering premium services to thousands of divers around the world. They provide complete sets of equipment, diving vessels plus a complete range of trips and certified courses, from Discover Scuba Diving to Divemaster. Their bespoke diving excursions and training sessions are catered at all levels - from beginners to experienced. Diving is an interesting activity, a hobby, a sport and also a fun pastime for everyone. Therefore, NEMO Diving Center attracts locals, international tourists, professionals and novices at the same time. They need to stay relevant for loyal, long-time customers while luring first-timers into this hobby.
The center lacked a software able to manage online and offline bookings in a hassle-free way, simplify and automate invoicing while offering a positive online experience, including instant payment confirmations.
“The CaptainPanel booking software has allowed us to develop our diving center. The invoicing feature, in particular, helped our team close more leads faster. We’re now proud to say we eliminated time-consuming admin tasks, booking duplication, and all the bottlenecks that were slowing down our booking process and our business.““
CaptainPanel’s digital tools facilitate easy diving course booking, based on lesson dates, user’s preference and tutor’s availability. Moreover, the Diving Trips update allows Nemo to diversify services, by giving clients the flexibility to enjoy more activities during the same outing.
Last but not least, the invoicing tools tailored to NEMO Diving Center’s needs gave them the freedom to charge for any service or item offered to their customers, from food items to bespoke trips designed for special clients.
“We worked closely with CaptainPanel to develop our processes and the results were excellent. Our website is now fully optimized to give our clients the information they need, when they need it and in a timely manner. We recently signed up for the SEO services and rebuilding our entire website.”
The series of improvements is ongoing and in 2018, when UAE introduced VAT (Value Added Tax) the Nemo team turned to CaptainPanel again, this time for the customization of their invoicing. System changes went live in less than one week. Overall, CaptainPanel’s contribution helped Nemo Diving grow their business with 30% during 2017. Now the company upgraded to the highest enterprise plan and has a clear view of the upcoming opportunities leading to further growth.
“The configuration, assistance and training CaptainPanel provided was incredible. They succeeded in making the entire experience a “no-brainer” for us. It’s been an exciting journey and I cannot recommend them enough!”
For teams like Nemo, who are driven by mottos like “diving is a serious occupation, but also a way of life” we started CaptainPanel. Our platform was built entirely for water sports fans aficionados who also lead a successful company, but struggle to grow in the digital age. For many international customers, we revolutionized the way in which they manage their businesses.
