Conversation with Michael Rawlins, Director of Product at Club Caddie As an owner, he has done every possible job in the industry.
What business challenges have customers and prospects of Club Caddie faced in 2022?
As Club Caddie has grown and expanded its features and functionality, we have received several requests from current and potential customers.
In response to the rising demand for golf and other activities over the past few years, facilities are continually seeking new revenue-generating opportunities and exploring alternative business opportunities to meet this need.
This rising demand has created significant potential for Operators; yet, this increased demand has prompted a number of Operators to undertake activities in which they may not have as much experience.
Many facilities that have traditionally focused solely on golf are increasingly diversifying into Tennis, Pickleball, and Indoor (Simulator) Golf, among others.
As we surveyed the sector, we discovered that there were not many excellent software solutions that could handle Golf, Food and Beverage, Events, and all of these other non-Golf activities.
In 2022, Club Caddie made significant advancements in our Activities Module, allowing our clients to manage bookings for activities.
- Tennis/Pickleball Courts,
- Simulator Bays, and essentially any alternative to traditional Tee Times.
This Module is capable of handling a Club with 10 Tennis Courts, 15 Pickleball Courts, and 5 Simulator Bays, as well as a simple operation with a single Simulator Bay. All of these are bookable online and via the Club Caddie smartphone application.
This Module also includes Leagues and Outings, as well as online registration capabilities. From a development standpoint, the second half of 2022 was mostly devoted to enhancing the Activities Module, and we will continue to improve it depending on client input in the future.
Club Caddie – Food and beverage space
The Food and Beverage space is another area for which a large number of establishments have sought solutions. There are some excellent F&B software systems available, but many of them lack a golf component.
In contrast, there are undoubtedly several Golf Management Solutions available, but few offer a full F&B component, and if they do, it is often via an interface with third-party software that does not immediately reconcile with their Inventory Management solution or Event Management software.
This is where the Club Caddie team connects most closely with our customers. The bulk of our team has expertise managing whole facilities, including on the golf and food and beverage sides.
We know how crucial it is to have an all-inclusive solution for every part of the organization.
Club Caddie has developed systems to manage a Snack Bar, a full-service restaurant, and a popular Sports Bar. As we emerged from the pandemic and restaurants were permitted to reopen their doors, operators were eager to return to work, and we were prepared. The second half of 2021 and the start of 2022 were devoted to enhancing the F&B element of the system.
Here are some highlights of the improvements to the F&B module:
- PIN Lock – This is a fundamental feature in virtually every F&B system. Each server/employee has a unique PIN that they must enter. When this PIN is entered, the Tabs connected with this PIN are visible to the Employee. Prior to the development and introduction of this functionality, any Employee could view every Tab that was opened on the Terminal/Computer they were using. With this new feature, employees can view and work on any Tab they have opened, independent of the Terminal at which the Tab was opened. This function has been particularly well-received at crowded F&B establishments. This parameter is Terminal-specific, hence it only applies to F&B Terminals.
- Kitchen Display System (KDS) – Facilities are now able to install many monitors in the kitchen for a clearer view of incoming orders. The KDS is available via any web browser, allowing clients to use it from any internet-connected device. This can also be used alongside standard Kitchen Printers. This new functionality has been adopted at an impressive pace in high-volume businesses. It guarantees that no Orders will be missed. Each ticket can have its own timer, and each item on a ticket can have its own timer as well. When the timer is one minute away from the end of the Preparation Time, it will turn red to indicate that time is running out.
- Sign and Tip on Screen — Numerous F&B operations are experimenting with and transitioning to tableside service and contactless payments. Club Caddie has introduced a number of new features to accommodate this trend, with Sign and Tip on Screen being one of the most significant additions. Users can have Club Caddie loaded on a touchscreen tablet and use it to ring in and cash out orders. If desired, customers can receive receipts through email, or text message, have no receipt, or have a physical copy printed. The same holds true for the Beverage Cart service on a golf course.
- Clover Processing Integration — This is similar to the Sign and Tip on Screen feature because it is intended for tableside service. Clover provides numerous mobile and touch-screen options for credit/debit card processing. Customers can sign and tip on Clover devices, as well as decide how they want their receipts formatted (printed, no receipt, text, email). In 2023, we’ll have some exciting new integration-related advancements, so stay tuned!
- Tipping Pooling/Sharing/Cash Tips – Employee satisfaction is of highest significance, as employees are the lifeblood of any organization. Clearly, this is true for Servers in the F&B industry. It has been difficult enough for facilities to locate workers, let alone retain them and ensure their satisfaction. In 2022, after receiving numerous requests for a Tip Sharing feature, we released one. Any Employee who has received a Tip through the Club Caddie system may share that Tip or a portion of their total Tips with other Employees.
In addition to non-cash Tips (credit/debit cards, membership costs, etc.), employees can report Cash Tips. They can split either a percentage of their total Tips or a flat cash amount with any other Employee. Additionally, they can plainly see their overall Tips for the day.
What is Club Caddie’s greatest achievement in 2022?
Club Caddie is a firm that is highly focused on the requirements and desires of our customers. We cherish our clients’ opinions and input. When we receive a request that is widespread among a large number of clients and we know it will provide significant value, we implement it.
Club Caddie has evolved into a system with a vast array of features, as evidenced by the product’s numerous functional modules. We have really begun to delve deeper into the system and increase its present features over the past year.
I believe that the most significant achievement for Club Caddie in 2022 will be the diverse clientele we have acquired. We can service municipal courses with daily fees as well as private clubs with complete services and memberships.
One of our company’s greatest assets is our ability to rapidly assess a facility’s needs, determine where and what we need to improve (if anything), and then build and implement the necessary solutions.
Every time a new customer is onboarded, we conduct a launch meeting to identify and address any potential barriers or obstacles to their operation.
We build a common document that outlines all of the system enhancements and new functionality that clients desire. We then provide clients with cost estimates and delivery dates for these items. This provides total transparency for all parties involved.
We highly value the opinions of our present and future customers and strive to ensure that Club Caddie is the optimal solution for their needs. It gives me such a nice feeling to speak with clients when a long-awaited improvement has been implemented.
It really is a team effort – we are all working towards the common goal of making the best solution in the industry.
How do golf clubs, as Club Caddie clients, implement yield management?
In order to maximize income, yield management has been increasingly critical in recent years due to the increased demand for golf.
Prior to 2020, the first thing that came to mind when Dynamic Pricing was stated was lowering rates to fill Tee Times.
That has drastically changed. Now, because Tee Sheets are so crowded, facilities are increasing costs. What a wonderful dilemma to have!
When developing Rate kinds in Club Caddie, operators can generate as many distinct price structures as they desire. It all depends on the day of the week, the hour of the day, and the season.
If they desired to produce a set of Weekend Morning Rates (6:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.), a set of Weekend Afternoon Rates (12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.), and a set of Twilight Rates (4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.), they surely could. It is entirely customizable and subject to the client’s decision.
Additionally, Club Caddie has an excellent partnership and integration with our colleagues at GolfBack Solutions. GolfBack is a remarkable technology that utilizes a massive number of variables to produce genuine Dynamic Pricing.
In order to optimize its revenue, a facility might either reduce prices during sluggish periods or days with poor weather or raise fees on days with great demand and ideal weather.
How do you assist customers in maximizing your software?
It is of the utmost importance to understand the needs of a facility and its daily operations. Once we have this information, we can use User Permissions to ensure that each Employee only sees and has access to the features relevant to their job function.
For instance, a Bartender likely does not require access to the Tee Sheet module, nor do they require access to the Accounting/GL Reports. A volunteer who works only one day per week as a Starter on the first tee should likely only have access to the Starter Module.
The Accountant/Controller of a facility may simply require access to a few Reports and the ability to check Member Ledgers and make necessary adjustments.
We can enable or disable any button in the Club Caddie system based on the assigned User Role.
There can be as few or as many Roles as a facility requires, but it is essential that these Roles are set up correctly and allocated to each Employee added to the system in order to maximize the software.
As the Director of Product, it is my responsibility to ensure that we are consistently creating and launching new client-friendly features and advancements.
Consequently, if customers are unaware of these new features, they have little value. Every member of our team contributes by informing customers about new releases and instructing them on how to use them.
In this situation, it is crucial to have a team with experience in the golf sector. Our entire staff has client ties, from Sales to Onboarding/Implementation to Support.
When a client requests a certain new feature or enhancement, we will keep them informed throughout the development process.
We want our customers to be as well-informed as possible about when they might anticipate seeing the desired upgrades.
In order for our clients to maximize the software, our internal team must comprehend the clients’ objectives and requirements. Our internal team must also understand how to instruct clients on how to use the newly released features and advancements.
I collaborate with every Club Caddie team member weekly, and often daily, to ensure everyone is on the same page regarding how new features will function and their intended use cases and processes.
Club Caddie releases a new version of the system at least once per month, and occasionally more frequently when we have significant changes to certain Modules. A comprehensive Changelog with Release Notes is accessible on our website.
In addition, anytime a user launches Club Caddie, the system automatically checks for system upgrades to ensure that users are always running the most recent version (although Users do not have to install the update immediately if they do not want to).
When a new version is released, the Release Notes for that update are displayed, informing the User of what to anticipate in the update.
Additionally, our Support Team is among the best in the industry. Clients can initiate a Live Chat session with our team directly from the Club Caddie app.
Additionally, they receive on-demand access to our Knowledge Base, which contains detailed instructions for virtually every Module and system function.
Additionally, we host live, biweekly training sessions for all clients. These training sessions are highly inclusive and engaging, allowing participants to pose questions pertinent to their operation.
The training sessions are divided into distinct components – Golf Shop Operations, Food and Beverage, and Back Office/Reporting – so that individuals only need to attend courses that are relevant to their areas of need.
What recommendations do you have for golf club developers and operators seeking golf club management software?
It all boils down to operators understanding their business requirements and completing their study. There are many excellent software solutions available, however, software that works well in one facility may not always function in another.
It is always gratifying to speak with operators who ask detailed questions regarding the software and how it will function in their facility. When reviewing software, I see many Operators who merely pose superficial inquiries.
On the surface, any software firm can appear really attractive and professional.
When you get into the weeds of day-to-day operations, the various solutions begin to differentiate themselves from one another. Things like:
- Membership/Season Passes – Billing Frequency, Minimum Spend, Discount Rules, and Special Online Booking Windows.
- Different types of Events – Golf Leagues and Outings, Simulator Leagues and Outings, and Tennis Leagues and Outings/Tournaments are the various forms of Events. Are F&B components required for these Events? In that case, do you require a consolidated invoice that takes data from the same inventory database and sends reports to the appropriate departments and sub-departments?
- Reporting – How do you set up your Chart of Accounts for reporting? Club Caddie has clients with Chart of Accounts configurations ranging from the simplest to the most complicated, with hundreds of Accounts. Take the time to analyze how well accounting and reporting software can meet business needs. If the Accountants are not satisfied, no one will be!
What will you accomplish in 2023 to amaze your clients and the golf industry?
The product roadmap for Club Caddie is decided by the needs of our consumers. We accomplished and released a great deal in 2022, and 2023 holds an abundance of new endeavors.
We will continue to listen to our customers and implement the most often requested enhancements. So, what will we do in 2023 to amaze our customers?
Simply put, we will continue to listen to their feedback and implement the new features and enhancements that matter most to them.
We have a lot of exciting new features and enhancements that will be released in 2023:
- Making the life of Food and Beverage personnel easier by implementing more effective tableside service choices.
- Membership Billing advantages for owners of many courses – shared charge privileges across facilities.
- The launch of our browser-based solution — for all you Apple enthusiasts.
- Continually enhancing all of our present capabilities and streamlining and optimizing user operations.
