Harrie’s story: the creation of Recras

The creation of Recras

Recras, the software company that developed an administration and booking system for the recreation industry, has gained over 350 satisfied members since its founding in 2012. This success is largely due to Recras’ philosophy: being able to do business calmly and with clarity, knowing that all important processes are in order. Co-founder and owner Harrie Kerssies shares the story of how his company came to be and developed.

Taribush

Around 20 years ago, Harrie, together with his partner Marthijn, founded Taribush, a company that organizes group outings in nature. They did this alongside their other jobs. “As our number of clients grew, the need for a good booking system arose,” Harrie recalls. “In the beginning, we kept a database in Access. Every phone call was noted. This was important because Marthijn and I lived in different locations in the Netherlands and worked for Taribush on different days, so we needed a way to both answer incoming questions. Regardless of whether we’d spoken to that customer before or not. We synced this database every day so that one of us could pick up where the other left off the next day.”

Cumbersome and error-prone

Soon, the database application that had to be synchronized daily no longer sufficed. “It was very labor-intensive, time-consuming, and error-prone. In those early years, there weren’t many online systems on the market. Almost every business still had its own database on its own server: you had to be physically at the office to access the customer data. We were looking for something different. We wanted a system that allowed us to log in from any location and access everything we needed.”

Marthijn-proof

By chance, Harrie and Marthijn met Tijmen, a computer science student at the time (and now a co-partner at Recras). “A smart guy who thought along with us. We wanted a booking system where you could send, adjust, and manage everything from the source data: from scheduling staff and catering to adjusting and sending quotes. A system where you’d never have to wonder if you missed something. A system that would catch Marthijn’s mistakes, who sometimes jumps from one thing to another. So it had to be a bit ‘Marthijn-proof,'” Harrie chuckles. “Tijmen built that system for us, which later became known as ‘Recras.'”

Impressed

Initially designed specifically for Taribush, Recras soon caught the attention of other companies in the recreation industry. “At one point, Marthijn visited a fellow entrepreneur from the Joytime climbing park in Grolloo, when he received a phone call to adjust a booking. He was allowed to use the computer there to log in to the system, and within a few clicks, the booking was adjusted and a new quote was sent. At that time, there weren’t many online systems, and the owner of Joytime was very impressed with Recras. He wanted a system like that too.”

A booking system for the recreation industry

That’s when the idea to make Recras available to other recreation companies, each with their own specific needs, was born. Harrie: “But that wasn’t easy. The recreation industry is so diverse. Everyone offers something unique and often for both large groups and day visitors. It’s that combination that makes it complex and makes Recras a comprehensive product. It’s not just a booking system, but you can manage all your business processes in it. Everything is connected.”

Pilot

“After a year, Joytime was able to use the system, and we found ten pilot customers. We used all the feedback we received to further adjust the booking system. And we’re still doing that today. Recras continues to evolve, focusing on the questions and needs of our members. However, we can’t fulfill every request. If only one customer wants something very specific, the return on investment for all Recras users is too small. That’s why we developed the Recras API, allowing external parties to provide such customizations. An API connection enables communication between two different software programs or applications, even if the programs are written in different programming languages.”

Relaxed business operations

“Yes, it does take time and energy to fully set up Recras the way you want it,” admits Harrie. “But once it’s properly set up, it creates calm and clarity. And that’s exactly the philosophy behind our booking system: to maintain peace and clarity because you know your process is in order. You can do everything in the least amount of time. The result is that you can run your business in a relaxed way. You know nothing is slipping through the cracks. No more frantic or hurried work. That’s what makes Recras such a great product.”