“Why I Use Tailored Training with new Hires” – An Anonymous Op-Ed on Hospitality Training

Thursday September 28, 2023

In the bustling universe of the hospitality industry, a seasoned manager with over two decades of experience shares their valuable insights into the transformation of employee training.

They, obviously, preferred to remain anonymous, but they did not hold back.

“From the days when face-to-face sessions were the norm, to today’s digital age where countless online resources are available, there’s a discernible contrast between broad, free online training tools and specialized solutions tailored to the unique challenges of the hospitality sector.

“I need someone to come in and get it right away. I need a program to help me make it easy. Custom training allows me to make that message clear as day from day one. Only way I can do that is have everything ready to go from the word ‘go’.”

Here’s five reasons why our “anonymous” manager uses 59club training tools.

1. Universal Approaches vs. Custom-tailored Solutions

The first notable distinction our anonymous manager emphasized is the inherent nature of these tools. Free online platforms tend to take a one-size-fits-all approach. While rich in total information, these tools often present a dilemma, as venues have to differentiate between what’s pertinent to them versus other industries, or worse – bad habits from the industry itself.

And when it comes to bad habits learned form bad organizations, how do you make it right?

2. Content Depth Matters

The vastness of free online resources, though impressive, frequently falls short when it comes to the intricacies needed for complex operations. This manager points out that hospitality venues are multifaceted, encompassing departments from housekeeping to front desk operations, from customer service to event management. Each has its nuances and demands. Specialized training solutions cater to these areas with depth, ensuring holistic development.

“We need a real understanding of every facet on every level of our operations. There’s no way we can expect a retail associate to have the same rapport as our seasoned desk clerk…unless they trained together and understand our collective goals. Frankly, we need everyone on board from their first day. If we miss an opportunity to provide exceptional service, we’ll never get it back.”

3. Adapting to an Ever-changing Landscape

Another key observation from this industry veteran is the rapid evolution within the hospitality sphere. Guest expectations, technological innovations, and market dynamics are in perpetual motion. Free tools, despite their periodic updates, might not capture these real-time nuances. A dedicated solution, they hint, keeps pace with industry fluctuations, ensuring relevancy.

4. The Value of Community and Networking

One underrated advantage of specialized solutions, as per this manager, is the community they nurture. Engaging with dedicated platforms often opens doors to network with industry peers, exchange best practices, and learn collectively. Such opportunities are generally sparse on generic platforms.

In other words, “make it personal.”

“I want personal rapport. I want my associates to know our guests better than I do. But we cannot create than environment or ‘want to’ without clear expectations and 59club’s training tools make that easy for us. We can easily tell our new hires and our junior associates what is expected of them in this business. There’s no confusion.

5. Gauging the Return on Investment

This seasoned hospitality manager is a firm believer in the adage: “You get what you pay for.” While acknowledging the benefits of free training tools, especially for entities with limited resources, they stress the undeniable ROI seen with specialized solutions. Investing in a dedicated platform wasn’t merely an expense for them but a strategic pathway to sustainable growth.

This industry insider’s journey over two decades illuminates that training methodologies’ progression isn’t just a shift from traditional to digital or from paid to free. It’s about recognizing the layers of hotel operations and aligning with tools that resonate with those goals. The anonymous manager believes that while free online platforms have their place, the depth, customization, and real-time adaptability of specialized training solutions can be the game-changer for the hotel industry. Their insights serve as a beacon for those charting their path in the dynamic world of hospitality.

59club USA vs. Generic Free Survey Tools: What Sets Them Apart

Tuesday August 22, 2023

Navigating the sea of survey tools online can be daunting. However, when you understand the depth and precision of specialized tools like 59club USA’s, the choice becomes clear. We’re not here to waste your time. Here’s a breakdown of the key differences between 59club USA’s industry-leading survey tools and generic free alternatives:

1. Industry-Specific Templates:

While many free tools offer basic, broad templates, 59club USA’s platform is tailored for the intricacies of the daily fee/resort golf, private club, spa, and HR sectors. This ensures we have questions in our templates that are relevant to your business. New Member Surveys, Daily Fee/Resort Guest Surveys, Event Surveys, Exit Employee Surveys, etc.

2. Integrated Software with Instant Feedback:

Most free survey tools require manual dissemination and lack real-time feedback features. 59club USA’s surveys are not only automatically sent based on user interactions but also provide instantaneous feedback, crucial for businesses that require timely data.

3. Comprehensive Benchmarking:

Feedback in isolation has limited use. 59club USA offers the added advantage of industry benchmarks, allowing businesses to compare their performance against competitors. This vital feature is often missing in basic free tools, depriving users of holistic insights and regional factors.

4. Granular Demographic Filters and Automated Analytics:

The power of a survey lies in understanding specific segments of respondents. While free tools may offer basic analytics, 59club USA allows businesses to deep dive into feedback using demographic filters. Whether it’s age, gender, membership type, or how long they have been a member, the tool gives precise insights.

5. Unlimited Surveys with Custom Flexibility:

Free tools often cap the number of surveys you can send, the number of respondents you can reach and even the questions you can ask! 59club USA, however, offers unlimited surveys regardless if using our industry leading, unbiased templates or a set of your own custom, private questions. Businesses can customize questions to their heart’s content.

6. Delivery Method

59club can deliver surveys through the traditional email link process. These messages can be white labeled to your brand. We can also create QR Code surveys for the mass collection of data at, for example, the golf shop, restaurant menus, golf carts, fitness center, etc.

Don’t guess. Know. Click here and learn more about 59club USA.

Study Finds Managers are Way Too Stressed

Friday December 2, 2022

The holidays can be stressful. And while most people are busy worrying about what their kids want for Christmas or how to ensure their mother-in-law doesn’t bring up that embarrassing story or the time you burned the roast, club operators are stressed for different reasons. Employee turnover and training, increased quotas despite slowing demand and decisions based on holiday hours are stressing out club operators all over the country. In fact, a recent survey of American club operators found the stress level of an average golf club general manager is a whopping 7.6 out of 10. That’s not exactly reminiscent of a cool breeze on a tropical island.

So, we have a group of stressed-out managers during the most stressful time of the year. How can we not only alleviate that stress in the short term, but also make sure managers are better prepared to handle stressful situations in the future? In short, look at the data. Here are a few examples.

Mystery Shopping Data – On Course

Especially for clubs in traditionally warmer climates who overseed their fairways, mystery shopping data provided by 59club USA ensures operators have the most up-to-date data on the health and playability of their golf courses. So, while operators are busy putting together holiday specials, employee schedules and new F&B options for a winter menu, they can rest assured they know where all problem areas are on the golf course and begin to remedy any issues as they arise. 

Member Survey Data – New Menus

Do my members want a special holiday menu? What about a traditional winter cocktail like spiked eggnog or hot chocolate? How would you know? Using 59club USA survey tools, managers can ask questions of their members in and collect data to help them make decisions about what new or seasonal menu items would be nice for the holidays. No more guesswork. What about using an example of what type of entertainment to use for the NY Eve party? Live band, DJ, Casino Night, etc. to get input on that decision and then once the party is over, finding out what the members thought of that special evening through a follow up survey

Mystery Shopping Data – F&B

Picking up from the previous example, the member survey returned data suggesting the vast majority of members would like an addition to the menu in the form of spiked hot chocolate. Are your servers pushing that new drink? After all, your purchasing manager just spent additional funds to service that request. Mystery shopping data from 59club USA will alert managers if their servers and other staff are not pushing specials or upselling drinks at the club.

Take the stress out of management. To learn more about 59club USA mystery shopping and survey tools, contact managing partner Mike Kelly – mkelly@59clubusa.com

Customer Experience as Club Currency

Thursday September 15, 2022

Time is money. It’s a phrase as old as the United States and as widely known in business circles as just about anything. The phrase was originally meant to explain the “cost of laziness.” But with the business world moving closer and closer to a fully digital experience, there’s a new “currency” on the market other than time with its own opportunities– customer experience.

What is customer experience?

Simply put, customer experience is how your customers feel about the sum of their interactions with your brand. It’s what shapes their perception of you. It includes every touchpoint and every interaction, from the first phone call and inquiry, to the 1,000th meal they had at your club’s restaurant.

Investment in customer service and a positive customer experience leads to increases in revenue from additional prospects, prospect retention, increase in retail cart size and time on property. And you can bet that increase in revenue can and will fund capital improvements at your club.

Here are three reasons to invest in your club’s customer experience:

Happy customers stay longer and therefore spend more

Customers tend to stay on property longer if they have a great customer experience. For our daily-fee clubs out there, this means more time – and more sales – at your restaurant, bar, golf shop or other retail/dining environments. For our private club clients, this means an increase in member retention and membership dues.

Positive customer experience increases member/customer retention

It’s much more expensive to replace a customer than to keep one and investing in an excellent customer experience will give you a leg up in the customer retention game.

Increase in new customers as word travels

While angry customers are still more likely to write a review than happy ones, people are much more likely to share positive stories about brands and clubs with their friends. Providing an exceptional customer experience creates a standing army of advertisers who are willing to share stories of your service with other potential customers.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WRITTEN CONFIRMATION

Thursday May 12, 2022

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WRITTEN CONFIRMATION

As the world continues to blaze the digital frontier, there are now more ways than ever to purchase a tee time or make a dinner reservation at your club. And that’s a good thing. Additional ways to bring in revenue means more ways to make your club profitable. But new digital pathways create opportunities for digital missteps. Mainly, customers want to know their credit card information is secure and they want to know when you have reserved their spot – whether that be for a tee time reservation or a dinner reservation. And if you’re not providing a written record of their spot on your tee sheet or a table at your restaurant, customers will feel uneasy about the entire process. Instead, look at the written confirmation as a first impression of the experience at your club – something that should match the overall customer experience at your club. And most importantly, written confirmation automation gives your club and your restaurant an opportunity to advance your marketing efforts by collecting first-party data – the most cost-efficient marketing strategy available to most clubs.

Unfortunately, nearly half of clubs in the United States do not provide written confirmations for restaurant or tee-time bookings. And, worse, only 12% of clubs ask any follow-up questions in the confirmation, leaving an enormous amount of room for improvement on the marketing side of your club’s business operations.

Let’s be candid. Sending a written confirmation for a tee time or restaurant reservation at your club is the bare minimum. If you ordered a widget from Amazon without a confirmation of the purchase, you would be left wondering if Amazon is, in fact, fulfilling the order. That kind of digital misstep creates enormous uncertainty and is unlikely to be the first impression you want to convey to your customer.

There are two types of digital reservation confirmations: standard and inquisitive.

The standard reservation confirmation gives basic information like the time and date of the reservation, number of individuals in the party, and – in the case of a tee time – the cost of the group to play. This type of written confirmation is rarely visually appealing, but it ensures your customer is aware you have reserved their spot.

The second, and monumentally better form of written confirmation is the inquisitive confirmation which aims to collect additional information about your customer and provide a more welcoming experience. These confirmations provide further insight into the club or restaurant like daily specials, information about the golf course or its history and trains your customer to expect additional questions throughout the booking process. Most importantly, the inquisitive confirmation opens the door to learn more about your customer – what dishes they like the best, what days they like to play or go out to eat, and how far they live from the club for example.

Armed with this new information about your customer, club and restaurant managers can now send out emails or other forms of digital communication directed specifically at these customers and their individual needs, adding to the overall experience at the property and making a personal connection with your customers.

The best of the best also send a reminder 24 hours ahead of the reservation (tee time or restaurant). Just a thought as we measure this in our mystery shops, and we have customers that do it.

59CLUB USA ADDS NEW BUSINESS OPERATIONS MANAGER TO THE TEAM

Friday April 8, 2022

59club USA announced today Patsy Forester has joined the team as Manager of Business Operations. Forester will manage the recruitment, training, and coordination of 59clubUSA’s Mystery Shopper team and assist with marketing and social media for 59clubUSA. 

“Patsy joins us with years of experience in customer and member service in the golf industry,” said Mike Kelly, Managing Partner for 59club USA. “She is an excellent fit for our growing company and her knowledge and skills will be immediately impactful. We’re thrilled to have her on board.”

Patsy started her professional career in the Members Program at the United States Golf Association, where she served as a liaison between the organization’s members and all of the departments making up golf’s governing body for the U.S. She then worked at a private golf club in Maryland, amassing many years of experience interacting with golfers. Patsy’s focus has been on member development, marketing, and publishing.

“I’m thrilled to join the 59clubUSA team,” said Forester. “The opportunity to join a growing business with incredible upside and a commitment to customer service is extremely exciting.”

Patsy holds a bachelor’s degree in English with emphasis on rhetoric and composition from Elon University. While a student at Elon, she met her husband, PGA Professional, Wesley Forester. The parents of two grown children, Patsy and Wes enjoy traveling, spending time outdoors, cheering for the Georgia Bulldogs, and being involved at their local church.

HOW STARTERS AND RANGERS ENHANCE YOUR CLUB’S OVERALL EXPERIENCE

Wednesday April 6, 2022

In the later parts of the 20th century before the recession of 2008 and its aftermath which all but gutted the golf industry, it was extremely common to find many specialized jobs within golf club operations.

Starters, rangers and even bathroom attendants were at nearly every club – especially private clubs – and the reasoning behind these jobs was simple: to enhance the overall club experience. But as less and less golfers walked through the doors at golf clubs throughout the world, clubs look to stay in the black by cutting costs, and that meant cutting staff. And despite the United States economy rebounding after the recession, a lot of these jobs didn’t come back. Instead, many clubs elected to continue operating without starters, rangers and other specialized staff and the golf experience suffered.

There’s a reason starters, rangers and beverage attendants exist and are employed at all of the best clubs in the world. And if your club doesn’t have them or they are an afterthought, you better have a good reason for it because your competitors do and they work! Let’s take a look at some of the different reasons a starter or a ranger might be needed at your club outside of their “normal” operations.

Starters:

Starters today are employed for a very specific purpose – to make sure that the people that are teeing off at 10 o’clock are the people who reserved the 10 o’clock tee time. Simple. Right? Instead, look at your starter as the last first impression your customers will get of the golf course itself. The stakes are especially high for new players coming to a golf course for the first time. Without the starter there, the players are left to their own devices. They don’t know about that wash on hole 13 that’s going to eat up tee shots because no one told them to hit less than driver. They don’t know about the history of the golf course, who designed it or why they elected to build it way they did. New players don’t know where the restrooms are or where water is – exceptionally important in warmer climates. This is all the starter’s job and it doesn’t take very long to do it and do it well. Three minutes is all it takes for the starter to provide all necessary information to the players and make them feel warm, welcome and to educate them on how to have the best overall experience at your club. It’s a pivotal position. And if your club isn’t using it, then you might want to consider it.

Rangers:

Today, the most common reason players see a ranger is because they either they did something wrong or somebody’s taking too much time in between shots. Generally, rangers police players to make sure they’re not damaging property or the golf course itself and they’re there to keep pace of play. Again, simple. But the Rangers’ job shouldn’t be discounted to a golf course “security guard”. It’s a great opportunity to pacify what would be otherwise angry customers and build personal rapport with players.

Let’s look at the slow play example – the most common ranger interaction. A good ranger with good experience and proper training won’t simply ask a group to pick up the pace, but also let the waiting group know pace of play will pick up soon. It pacifies what otherwise be upset or angry individuals, and gives you an opportunity to not only correct the problem immediately, but also let them know that you care about their experience.

59club USA measures dozens of similar on-course services and benchmarks your club’s overall performance against your competitor set, the industry average and the best clubs in the world. And if you’re in need to hard data to confirm the need for a new starter or ranger, 59club USA can provide that in spades.

The Dos and Don’ts of Prospect Property Tours

Wednesday March 23, 2022

Any kind of golf property from the most exclusive private clubs in the world to ultra-affordable city municipal courses have some sort of sales staff and operations to bring new revenue into the club outside of regular tee times. If your club is a daily fee operation, event sales and group golf day sales are an absolute must to supplement your regular tee time revenue. And on the flip side, membership sales at private clubs are the bread and butter of club revenue generation. But if your sales staff is fumbling or the property tour, you can probably kiss that supplemental revenue goodbye.

According to 59club data collected over 15 years from thousands of golf properties all over the world, here are the most important things your sales staff MUST do to ensure the property tour goes smoothly and your club gets the event business or membership sale.

Be on Time

Be on time. Be on time. BE ON TIME! No one likes to wait and if your first in-person impression is of someone who doesn’t value another person’s time, expect for just about everything to go poorly from there. The good news is this is an easy fix. Just – say it with us – be on time.

Have a Warm Welcome Waiting

You’re on time. Now what? The best sales people in the world wait out front for their guests and present a warm and welcome greeting. That means smiling, excellent eye contact, engaging conversation to break the ice and the use of the guest’s name. It’s welcoming, disarming and the best first impression one can ask for.

Offer a Beverage

Offering a beverage to a guest is hospitality 101, but bonus points can be scored by telling the server your guest’s name beforehand so they can use it as they approach the table.

Recap the Phone Conversation

“How many people are you expecting again,” he asked before losing the business. The property tour won’t be the first interaction with a prospect, so make sure to dust off your sales notes to let the prospect you value his/her time and you were paying attention. Refer back to specifics from your notes and have answers to questions readily available.

Custom Tailored Tours Based on Needs

Chances are your club is not an arts center and your sales staff members are not docents, so make sure to avoid “museum tours” – the same tour for every guest. Tailor your property tour to match the needs and pain points of the prospect with specifics based on your previous conversations.

Confirm the Tour Length and Prospect Availability

Some people have all day to make sure your property is the best suited for their needs. Some have 30 minutes. Confirm the length of the tour twice – once on the phone and then again as your prospect arrives to ensure you get to everything you need to cover before time runs out.

Get the Tour Started

This goes for every your, but especially if your prospect has limited time. Get things started! No one wants to listen to your sales staff drone on about the wallpaper or the time they aced the 16th hole. Get your prospect something to drink, confirm the length of the tour, confirm the needs of the prospect and get going!

Have You Played Here Before? The Perfect Personal Question

Thursday February 3, 2022

Have you played here before? It’s an innocuous and generally harmless question with enormous upside. Other industries – especially the restaurant industry – have used this relatively innocent question for decades in order to prime the pump for an engaging customer experience. Asking someone if they have been to your golf course, restaurant, spa – or any other hospitality or leisure venue – opens the door for conversation and questions, builds rapport and emotional connection between the customer and your staff/brand, and provides an opportunity to share your club’s best stories or things a customer should know before heading out. 59club USA has crunched the numbers and, once again, the top-performing clubs never miss an opportunity to ask this question. The rest of the pack, however, fails to ask this question 64% of the time. Let’s dive in.

The most effective way to open the door for an engaging conversation and information gathering is to ask personal questions but asking a customer where they see themselves in five years or what makes them the happiest isn’t really appropriate during the tee time booking process. Asking if they have played the course before, however, is a semi-opened-ended question with a clear goal and hundreds of different avenues for additional conversation. If the customer has played the course before, it begs the question “when?” Was it a long time ago or before a recent renovation? Have there been changes to improve the club since then? Why did they take so long in between rounds? Are they from out of town and should their name and email address go into a special “feeder market” list bucket in your CRM system? Enormous amounts of information all gained from starting with one simple question.

These types of conversation starters not only gather important information for marketing and customer service operations, but also provide an opportunity to tell positive stories or provide important general information about your club to someone who may not know. If someone is playing for the first time, they might want to hear about a featured hole, strategy on how to play the course, where to find restrooms, course rankings or accolades, humorous anecdotes and other positive stories. If your club is undergoing capital improvements or repairing part of the course, this is the perfect time to alert the player so they aren’t blindsided when they encounter the issue on-course and so angry they create a Yelp profile just to leave you a poor review. The truth, they say, shall set you free.

Once again, the top clubs are doing this and the majority of other clubs simply aren’t. Every single club at the 59club USA Podium Level – an aggregate of the highest scoring clubs – asks this question during the tee-time booking process without fail. The industry average, however, is an abysmal 36%, meaning an extremely high percentage of clubs are leaving easily gatherable information on the table, and leaving the first impression of the golf club up to the player. The golf and leisure clubs who take charge of the first impression and subsequent conversations tend to score higher in other areas as well, creating a domino effect of individual, positive experiences which lead to a better experience overall.

WELCOMING NEW MEMBERS THE RIGHT WAY

Friday December 17, 2021

You’re long past it now, but try to harken back to your days as a middle schooler or teenager, full of angst and hungry for friends and meaningful relationships. Maybe you were one of the cool kids who never had trouble making new friends, but for a lot of people – especially for those who moved into a new school district – building new relationships was full of difficulty and anxiety. The same might be said for new members joining a private club. And if your members are paying dues to be a part of a community instead of simply taking advantage of the facilities and amenities, it’s imperative to make them feel welcome and part of the family.

According to 59club data from their proprietary member survey tool, the majority of high-performing private clubs are welcoming new members the right way, but a large percentage of clubs are falling short in key areas of new member integration. Let’s get to the numbers.

The Welcome Call

If your sales staff or marketing team spent a ton of time and a lot of money wining, dining, courting and signing a prospective new lead at your private club, you would assume they would be running – and fast – to call the new member to welcome them to the club. According to 59club data, only 52% of new members at private clubs received a formal “welcome to the club” phone call. Not exactly a great start to a budding new relationship.

The Formal Induction meeting

The practice of hosting formal induction meetings for new members is not for every club, but all but guarantees your members an opportunity to meet, learn about and formally welcome a new member of your private community. On average, 26% of new members at private clubs took part in a formal induction meeting, but among the highest scoring clubs in the world, this number dramatically increases to nearly 90%. It might be worth fleshing out and implementing this program at your club in the future if not already in place.

Staff Introduction and Networking

As your members spend more time at the club, your staff will invariably pick up on some interesting tidbits, facts, likes and dislikes from your various members. And in that regard, your staff is armed with networking abilities well suited to help your new members make new friendships. Less than 50% of new members surveyed said they were introduced to legacy members by staff members, but again, the best clubs in the world make this a regular practice.

Knowing Your Name

One of the quickest and easiest ways make someone feel at home is simply by addressing them by their name. shockingly, less than 60% of members surveyed report private club staff members demonstrating they know the name of the newest members.

Adding it All Up

When you take a look at the numbers above, it’s easy to see why only 65 percent of new members at private clubs report making new friendships within their first few months. And for a model that requires camaraderie and inclusion, leaving it up to your members to make friends on their own without any tips and tricks to get the process started is a recipe for member stagnation.

Learn more about the 59club Member Surveys here: https://www.59clubusa.com/satisfaction-surveys/

59CLUB USA ADDS 19 NEW CLIENT PROPERTIES THROUGH AGREEMENT WITH ESCALANTE GOLF

Thursday December 2, 2021

59CLUB USA ADDS 19 NEW CLIENT PROPERTIES THROUGH

AGREEMENT WITH ESCALANTE GOLF

STATHAM, Ga. – North American customer service satisfaction and benchmarking firm 59club USA announced today they have agreed to terms with 19 golf properties owned and operated by Escalante Golf. 59club USA will provide mystery shopping services for each of the 19 properties – both private and daily fee – to identify strengths and potential areas for improvement throughout the individual golf experience at each property. To date, 59club USA has provided customer service benchmarking services like mystery shopping, employee and member survey tools and online training for more than 170 golf and hospitality properties in the United States.

“We’re extremely excited to be assisting the high-end properties in the Escalante portfolio with their customer service operations,” said Mike Kelly, managing partner of 59club USA. “We’re thrilled to get started and look forward to providing detailed feedback for each of their unbelievable golf courses.”

Click here to view a complete 59club USA client roster: https://www.59clubusa.com/venues-tested/

“The golf business demands attention to detail and extreme focus on the customer experience and member satisfaction,” said Jeff Kindred, EVP, Club & Resort Division . “We set exceptionally high standards at each one of our properties, but we also realize there is almost always room for improvement. By using 59club USA, we will be able to identify our needs more easily and, if necessary, make immediate changes. We’re eager to begin.”

59club is a service-based management tool and customer service provider which uses objective data points and images to measure, improve and then maintain standards of customer service, in turn increasing visitor and member retention. Results of on-site testing from 59club are a boost to customer satisfaction, revenues and profits for clubs who use their services such as customer satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping services and employee training – both virtual and on-site.

59club USA has established and developed relationships with more than 170 well-known golf clubs and resorts in North America including 14 TPC Network properties, Reynolds Lake Oconee, The Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda, Haig Point in South Carolina, and We-Ko-Pa Golf Club in Scottsdale. Additionally, 59club USA works with other owners and management companies such as Bobby Jones Links, Landscapes Golf Management, Arcis Golf, Brown Golf, Hampton Golf and now Escalante Golf.

About 59Club USA

59Club USA is specifically designed to elevate sales and service standards. 59club USA provides mystery Shopper Audits, Customer Satisfaction Surveys, and Training Services, empowering venue managers to analyze their entire visitor and member experience, enabling them to set targets, monitor performance and ultimately make informed decisions to enhance their guest services. To learn more about 59club USA, visit https://www.59clubusa.com/.

About Escalante Golf

Founded in 1991, Escalante Golf is a boutique owner and operator of 17 luxury golf properties across nine states. The Fort Worth, Texas-based company has quietly assembled an impressive collection of exclusive clubs in key markets. Many have hosted several prestigious amateur and professional golf tournaments including the U.S. Mid-Amateur Golf Championship, the Charles Schwab Cup, the WGC Match Play Championship and the Shell Houston Open. The firm’s culture emphasizes personal service, integrity, long-term stability, and operational excellence. Operating partners David McDonald, Elcio Silva, Robert Silva and David Matheson direct the Escalante team.

For more information: www.escalantegolf.com  817.386.9721.

59CLUB USA SIGNS MYSTERY SHOPPING AGREEMENT WITH THE CLIFFS’ SEVEN PROPERTIES

Thursday October 21, 2021

STATHAM, Ga. – North American customer service satisfaction and benchmarking firm 59club USA announced today they added The Cliffs and their seven golf properties to the client roster. 59club USA will use their industry-leading proprietary software and objective data analysis tools to provide mystery shopping services to help identify strengths in weaknesses in the overall golf experience at each individual club.

“The Cliffs represent some of the most beautiful and luxurious private communities in the country and we’re very excited to begin working with them,” said Mike Kelly, managing partner of 59club USA. “We look forward to providing 59club proven, knowledgeable insights into their golf operations.”

59club USA now serves more than 150 golf club and hospitality properties in North America. Click here to view a complete 59club USA client roster: https://www.59clubusa.com/venues-tested/

The Cliffs is a collection of seven private luxury residential mountain and lake club and communities encompassing more than 20,000 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains. One membership at The Cliffs grants access to an unparalleled suite of amenities, including seven clubs, seven nationally-acclaimed golf courses, seven wellness centers, boating and water sports, a Beach Club, full-service marina, paddle sports, cycling, tennis, an equestrian center, miles of hiking trails, more than a dozen dining and private event venues, an organic farm and more than 2,000 year-round programs and social activities to create timeless experiences.

“Adding 59club USA’s mystery shopping services to our golf operations is an important step in our long-range customer service plans at The Cliffs,” said Rob Duckett, President of The Cliffs and South Street Partners. “Customer service is at the forefront of all amenities at The Cliffs and something in which we invest heavily. We’re looking forward to taking that next step with 59club.”

59club is a service-based management tool and customer service provider which uses objective data points and images to measure, improve and then maintain standards of customer service, in turn increasing visitor and member retention. Results of on-site testing from 59club are a boost to customer satisfaction, revenues and profits for clubs who use their services such as customer satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping services and employee training – both virtual and on-site.

59club USA has established and developed relationships with more than 150 well-known golf clubs and resorts in North America including 14 TPC Network properties, Reynolds Lake Oconee, The Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda, Haig Point in South Carolina, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club in Scottsdale. Additionally, 59club USA works with management companies Bobby Jones Links, Landscapes Golf Management, Arcis Golf – three of the world’s largest golf management companies.

GET THE DETAILS! INDUSTRY MISSING OUT ON REPEAT BUSINESS

Thursday October 14, 2021

If you think back to your networking or sales calls in the before the last turn of the century, you might remember the humble business card – something now considered archaic and overly obsolete. But the simple business card was one of the greatest first-party-data collection mechanisms ever made. It provided necessary information in which to produce a customer profile including name and geographical locations, contact information, certain demographic information based on the company and card stock and built trust and rapport throughout the sales process – often in the form of a firm handshake.

With the advent of search engines, social media networks and a near full integration of the internet into most of our waking lives, the need for collecting first-party data waned to the point of near obsolescence itself. Why make what you can buy cheaper? But new rules, regulations and internet navigation habits putting a premium on privacy have changed the game again, and it’s now more important than ever for golf clubs and hospitality venues to collect as much data as they can about their clients and customers – straight from the horse’s mouth.

According to data from 59club USA, golf clubs and hospitality venues are simply not gathering first-party data from their existing customers. And just like past success is the best indicator of future success, getting a new customer is 10 times harder than retaining an existing customer.

Third-Party Data vs. First-Party Data – What are We Talking About?

Anyone who has followed social media in any capacity over the last few years is likely familiar with third-party data. Basically, third-party data is a set of geographic, psychographic or demographic indicators purchased from a third party like an internet service provider or social network. Ever seen an advertisement on Facebook for something you were talking about with your friends? How about an Amazon ad that seems to follow you around the internet for that gadget you wanted? And while your phone or computer is actively listening to you, Facebook and Google are not listening to you to immediately serve you ads. The fact of the matter is you, the user, are freely giving that information to these enormous conglomerates. You just might not be aware of how much you’re giving them. That’s third-party data. And it’s going away – or at least significantly and actively changing.

First-party data is information gathered directly between you and your customers. Someone walks into your shop, fills out a form and gives it back to you for input into your CRM or database. Information can include everything you might find on a business card, but can also include what customers like about your club, what they don’t like, what they expect, what they might want in the future and what they’ve purchased in the golf shop. It’s an infinitely more personal connection, very inexpensive and certainly much more reliable.

Advertising Third Party Info Is Going Away

The past few years has brought with it a general concern about how internet navigation data is being used. Huge companies have been inundated with fines – albeit only a small percentage of their operating budget – and governments across the world have started to crack down on misuse of private information. That especially hurts clubs and venues who rely on tourism dollars from multiple different states and countries because each state and country has their own rules. California, for example, has much more strict internet privacy rules than its neighbor Arizona. And as a whole, Canada is far tougher on data collection than the United States but falls short compared to the European Union. Eventually, rules and regulations will find their way back to the mean – or at least begin to use common language – and by then, the data-aggregation systems your firm may have used will be gone. Putting a premium on collecting first-party data will help your club transition back into earlier models and set your club above competition who might find themselves at a loss later down the line.

The Industry Is Failing to Collect Necessary Information

59club USA data shows the average score of data-collection methods at the club level are substandard – scoring 6.7 out of 10. Most clubs fail to gather email addresses from new and existing customers, while some clubs fail to gather so much as a name or phone number.

The simple solution is to use your point-of-sale staff to collect this information at check in, put it in a system and then analyze the data later. But there are also digital integration systems which mirror common booking engines to automate this process. Then, it’s up to you as a manger what you do with the data. And just like having an umbrella in the trunk, better have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

THE FOUNDATION OF PROFESSIONAL RAPPORT: ADDRESSING THE CUSTOMER BY NAME

Friday October 8, 2021

Manners and proper etiquette have been a staple of human introductions and discourse since the dawn of civilization. Titles remain incredibly significant in day-to-day conversation. And the topic is so well-engrained in our society, there have been hundreds of etiquette books published throughout the years, with some recent examples including Amy Vanderbilt’s 1952 best seller “The Complete Book of Etiquette” and Tiffany’s “Table Manners for Teenagers.” It’s important! And while the definition of what is “proper” or “polite” or “appropriate” differs widely between cultures, age ranges, geographical areas, and – of course – what era of human history in which you find yourself, most western civilizations agree a proper address – greeting a customer by their name – is the easiest way to build a foundation of professional rapport. The problem? With respect to this topic, the golf industry is left wanting. Badly.

Proper address as a catalyst for a good customer experience

Aside from being an overall best practice, the proper address serves two important functions in point-of-sale club operations: it disarms the bully, and it reinforces a happy customer’s positive attitude.

As a club or hospitality professional, there’s no doubt you can recall at least a dozen stories of bully customers who approach the counter with a scowl. You can see it coming a mile away – this person is going to be a problem. It can be easy to fall into the trap set by this curmudgeon customer and stoop to a level beneath customer service standards set by your club. Pausing the conversation to complete a proper address and using or asking for the customer’s name is an excellent way to disarm discourtesy and begin the conversation on new, more polite terms.

On the flip side, a proper address tends to strengthen a positive and happy customer’s perception of your brand, especially from the onset of his or her experience at the club. The proper address also turns the point-of-sale operator into an authority or a person of influence throughout the customer journey and creates a positive, personal connection between an employee and the customer. This not only validates the customer’s experience, but through proper training and a commitment to this procedure, can also help your staff gain confidence and optimism for when that bully customer comes back again.

The stats

Everyone who walks through the door of a golf club, hotel, hospitality venue or other customer-first business will have to give a name to book their experience. Names are taken or given via the phone or digital booking systems and will always be on file for the day and time of customer arrival. And in that respect, the excuses for failing to address a customer by name are few and far between.

The current average proper address score of clubs and hospitality properties is 4.4 out of a possible 10 points over all 59club USA data sets and has only increased to a 6.7 out of 10 over the past 11 months. This remains one of the poorest scoring areas of 59club mystery tests to date. Yet, this is one of the easiest and cheapest corrections to make at the club. No risk, but extremely high reward.

Friendly Conversation Starters – The F&B Upsell Engine

Friday July 9, 2021

Making members and guests feel valued and welcome is an absolute no brainer for any hospitality venue, but for golf course F&B establishments which often operate with smaller margins and lower foot traffic than traditional restaurants, the line between success and failure is razor thin. And with labor shortages and employee turnover at levels not seen in decades, the importance of increasing margins through upselling and keeping good employees has never been higher.

According to 59club USA’s industry leading proprietary data sets, the F&B customer service tactic most in need of improvement is also the least costly and happens to be a catalyst for increased margins. It also helps raise tips for servers and happens to be one of the key components of exceptional customer service – friendly conversation starters, A.K.A the upsell engine.

Customers are far more likely to purchase premium items when they have a personal connection to their server. Something as simple as a friendly introduction from the server or a well-placed engaging question can be the difference between your customers ordering the cheapest thing on the menu or opting for the larger size – and higher margin – appetizer, special of the day, beer, cocktail or dessert. Developing rapport through the friendly conversation starter tactic is something every server in your organization should strive for at the beginning of each individual interaction. And it works.  

This same tactic is also one of the driving forces of higher tips. Since most diners in the US tip a percentage of the bill, raising the final total through upselling – made easier through friendly communication – will increase gratuities and employee satisfaction and assist in lowering employee turnover.

The stats:

Clubs are simply not taking advantage of this tactic. Even at the podium levels – the best of the best – of 59club clients, only 66 percent (66%) of tests showed a server’s willingness to engage in friendly conversation starters. The industry average drops to an abysmal 40%, showing an industry wide opportunity for growth and higher F&B margins. Let’s do some math!

Club X has an average of 140 players per day of which 40 (29%) order a small beer at the end of their round. The small beer is priced at $7 with a 78% margin. The large beer is priced at $9 with the same 78% margin. If servers at Club X used friendly conversation starters to prime the pump for the upsell to the larger beer and managed to convert half of the 40 drinkers to the premium beverage, the result is a $11,534 increase in profit over the course of one year – on only one menu item – just by implementing a no-additional-cost tactic in your customer service toolkit. Win win.

Does your service staff need a tutorial on friendly conversation? Take advantage of 59club USA’s online training platform that is designed specifically for the club business.

59CLUB USA ADDS THE MID OCEAN CLUB IN BERMUDA TO CLIENT ROSTER

Monday February 3, 2020

59club USA to Provide Mystery Shopping and Other Customer Service Benchmarking Tools for the Club

59club USA announced today they added The Mid Ocean Club to their client roster. The Mid Ocean Club is a private members’ club in picturesque Tucker’s Town, Bermuda, offering exceptional amenities, private beaches and a world-class golf course recognized by Golf Digest in 2018 as one of the Top-100 World’s Greatest Golf Courses. 59club USA will provide mystery shopping and membership benchmarking services for The Mid Ocean Club using their proprietary software and objective data analysis tools.

“We’re extremely excited to use this new technology to better understand our Members’ needs,” said Austen Gravestock, GM at The Mid Ocean Club.  “We take extraordinary pride on the level of service we provide at Mid Ocean Club. We hope our partnership with 59club USA will help us understand and implement new ways to enhance the experience at our incredible club.”

59club is a service-based management tool and customer service provider which uses objective data points and images to measure, improve and then maintain standards of customer service, in turn increasing visitor and member retention. Results of on-site testing from 59club are a boost to customer satisfaction, revenues and profits for clubs who use their services such as customer satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping services and employee training. Click here to view a complete list of 59club USA’s suite of services.

“We’re thrilled to bring Mid Ocean Club into the 59club USA family,” said Mike Kelly, managing partner, 59club USA. “We look forward to working with their team and helping them continue their pursuit of customer service excellence.”