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How a Kitchen Display System can help you serve up an amazing experience and more

How a Kitchen Display System can help you serve up an amazing experience and more

Running a successful F&B operation takes a talent for juggling a multitude of variables. And being ready to respond to the various curveballs that invariably get thrown at you and your staff.

Intuitive technology recognizes the unique set of circumstances you operate under. Moreover, it builds in features designed specifically for the chaotic and unpredictable nature of the operation. Helping you and your staff handle it all with ease. All while elevating the experience for your members.

Streamlining your kitchen operations

A smart kitchen display system can quickly become the indispensable heart of a streamlined operation. The system keeps everything organized, so each food preparation station knows what needs to be prepped and in what sequence. Plus it coordinates the orders for your staff, so all dishes for a table can be completed together – and delivered together.

Additionally, the system provides real-time monitoring of orders in the queue, alerting the staff if orders fall behind schedule. In fact, the system allows managers to monitor all elements of the kitchen operation and make adjustments to optimize the workflow.

Since this is an all-digital solution, it’s easy to accommodate changes from the members that come in after the order is placed – something that is more difficult with paper tickets. And speaking of paper tickets, imagine never having to contend with those again. No more jumbled or lost tickets (and the late or lost orders that accompany them). No more worrying about the printers going down.

There is an additional benefit to this as well. You’ll discover a decrease in food waste by reducing redundant or wrong orders. And you’ll eliminate all that paper use that comes with the old-school printers and paper tickets. All of which results in a more sustainable approach for your operation.

Elevating the service to your members

You members will notice the difference that this kind of technology can bring to the club dining experience. It will be apparent in all the little things. Like how all the staff seems to be in step. And how the exceptional service seems effortless.

This is made possible by tying together all the systems – kitchen display system, F&B POS, the hostess station screen, and the tableside ordering system. It starts with the hostess. The system allows the hostess to do a number of things that can set the tone for the experience. For example, the hostess can:

  • Get a view of server workload in the dining room in order to balance seating
  • See real-time status of courses at all the tables, allowing the hostess to gauge table turnover to accommodate future reservations and walk-ins
  • Assign a ticket to the member, reducing the servers work and the instances of servers forgetting to assign tickets

Of course, the tableside service also becomes elevated. And the servers can take orders on mini tablets, delivering the order to the kitchen and bar before the server has left the table. The instantaneous connection saves servers from going to a separate terminal to key in orders. Plus it saves servers from running back and forth to the kitchen to check on orders.

Order status and communication from the kitchen is accessed through the mini-tablet. As a result, order errors reduce. Orders arrive at the table 4 – 6 minutes faster. And servers can spend more time on the floor with members, helping improve the whole experience.

That’s impressive. But it can still go a step further. When all the systems tie to a club management software solution built on one database, the experience rises to a whole new level of personalization for the member. With the member’s information at their fingertips:

  • The hostess can deliver a more personalized greeting and even highlight specials that would align with the member’s preference
  • The server can suggest the member’s favorite food and drink, and suggest the way they usually like it prepared
  • The server can confirm any dietary restrictions

All of this helps the members feel like this is a place where they are appreciated and belong.

Delivering innovation that surprises and delights

A fully integrated F&B system allows you to deliver the innovations that impress your members.

Imagine offering members the flexibility and convenience of ordering from virtually anywhere and at any time through the website or the club app. Here are a few scenarios:

  • Through the website or app, members could make a reservation, access their buddy lists, and invite their friends
  • A member could order before she leaves home – reducing her wait time once she arrives at the club
  • A member comes off the course and orders before he showers and changes, then finds his order ready for him as he arrives at the restaurant

This all becomes possible through an offering like Grab ‘n Go. This integrates with F&B systems as part of a club management software solution built on one database.

Inspiring continuous improvement

An integrated kitchen display system is at the heart of delivering a great experience. Both today and tomorrow.

At any given time, F&B directors can get an instantaneous overview of the dining room, drilling down to individual tables in real-time to see service levels.

Robust analytics also allow for the review of workflow on any given day and time. For example, you could run a report of all entrees over the weekend that were over time. This powerful insight helps you pinpoint problem areas – from prep to assembly to serving. And it gives you the data to make adjustments in personnel, workflow, and more.

This data-driven approach can help you ensure your operation is on a path of continuous improvement.

Finally, the right technology in your F&B operation can make a world of difference. You’ll find yourself optimizing your workflow and boosting staff productivity all while giving yourself powerful tools to identify areas of improvement. At the same time, you’ll improve your servers’ ability to anticipate members’ needs. You’ll reduce wait times. And you’ll be able to introduce innovations that make it enticing for your members to increase their use of your F&B offerings.

The Northstar Technologies Kitchen Display System streamlines kitchen operations and improves member service. See what it can do for you – request a demo, today.

Club Food and Beverage Operations Alert: “The Future has arrived, are you ready for it?”

Club Food and Beverage Operations Alert “The Future has arrived, are you ready for it”

Back in the day, Private Clubs were all about fine and formal dining. Coats and ties were mandatory, and tables were reserved for the entire evening. Serving and cooking tableside was not uncommon. Life was good in the world of clubs. The member’s names and preferences were known to all because the staff rarely turned over. That was then, and this is now.

In many clubs, there is a more severe dress code on the Golf Course, than in the clubhouse and dining areas. Smart phones are seen and used on a regular basis. Members don’t dine as much as they tend to “eat and run”. Takeout food has become increasingly popular. Even private clubs are not immune to the multi-tasking culture of today’s world.

The number one dining complaint at many clubs is “the slow speed of ala carte service.” Even if a club hires more staff, there are practical limits to increasing both service and production speed in the kitchen while still maintaining a high quality. A buffet is also not always a good solution, depending upon the club’s culture.

So, what is the solution?

High Volume Chain restaurants have had monitor screens in their kitchens for several years. And a growing number have handheld ordering modules to speed orders from the table into the kitchens.

Private Clubs are more complicated and much more personal than chain restaurants.

What about a system that is created just for the Private Clubs of the World?

A system with built-in business intelligence that would contain the information of every member and their family. That information would include billing preferences, allergies, menu preferences, pictures of the family members and would fit in a server’s palm. The system (a 7” tablet) would contain the complete menu including a scrolling wine list with descriptions. That would make a Sommelier proud, plus the bar menu. The drink and food orders entered into the tablet would be transmitted to the bar and the kitchen instantly.

The kitchen monitors would display the order and track it until it leaves the kitchen on its way to the table. Each order would be timed in and out of the kitchen and the data could be displayed individually and cumulatively by meal period. This system would save many steps and increase the overall efficiency. Less time, fresher food, increased accuracy equals happy members.

Imagine a scenario where a member complains about the previous night’s slow speed of service at the dining room. The club staff would have access to the exact time the tableside order was placed to the time the order left the kitchen. That is an instant comparison of “member time” to “real time”. If the member is correct, the club staff have a problem to solve.

Northstar has the above described Complete Dining Operation System with the Tableside POS and Kitchen Display System (KDS). This game changing technology has been successfully deployed in many clubs and is helping clubs reduce ticket times by 4-8 minutes per order, increasing the accuracy of orders and enabling the club to make better decisions about dining operations with the help of analytical tools.

What every Club needs to know about Digital Transformation

What every club needs to know about digital transformation

Digital transformation continues to be a trending topic. Organizations of all types are coming to the realization that embracing technology for their operations is no longer optional. It is becoming mission-critical.

Clubs are no exception.

What is digital transformation?

Digital transformation is the process of adopting technologies to evolve the efficiency and effectiveness of your operation.

But it’s not just about adding technology. It is about looking at your operation and identifying how technology can streamline what you do, expand your capabilities, improve your offering, and elevate your member experience.

Example: Club management software transforms dining

Clubs have transformed the F&B offering for both the members and the operation by deploying premier technology in both the kitchen and dining room. In the kitchen, a smart Kitchen Display System (KDS) helps organize the flow, coordinates stations, monitors orders, and more. At the same time, the system connects with the servers’ tableside POS mini-tablets, allowing the immediate input of orders as well as communication of updates from the kitchen and delivery of order changes from the server – all in real-time.

All of this results in improved order accuracy, reduced food waste, timely delivery of orders, and more. Moreover, it reduces the servers’ need to run back and forth between the dining room and the kitchen, giving servers more time to spend serving and further enhancing the member experience.

Why we can’t ignore digital transformation

Business and market requirements drive the need for digital transformation.

From a business standpoint, there is constant pressure to deliver a modern and competitive offering while keeping costs in check. Technology becomes a key factor in fulfilling these needs.

From a market perspective, there are additional pressures. Whether you like it or not, your members and prospects are experiencing the technological advancements that other businesses deploy. And they begin to question why they can’t have the same functionality, convenience, and experience from you and every other organization they engage with.

In other words, digital transformation is quickly becoming the price to play for successful organizations.

The key elements and characteristics of a digital transformation

There are three components to any digital transformation.

  1. Technology – it is important to identify the technology that can help you work toward your strategic goals. This includes understanding how it will integrate with existing systems, and identifying the ongoing maintenance requirements.
  2. Data – the output of all this technology is data. Prioritizing data from the start is key. That means identifying how you will collect it and use it to help inform your decisions and drive continuous improvement.
  3. Process – technology can help you evolve the processes you use to run the operation. This includes optimizing your existing processes as well as developing new processes that improve club operations.

As you consider solutions, you can use the three components to organize your evaluation. Additionally, you can assess your options using these key characteristics of high-value solutions:

  • Flexibility – your technology should be able to handle many different configurations, adapting to the unique combination of demands at your club – today and tomorrow.
  • Data Centrality – the solution should operate on one database, eliminating siloed operations in your club and helping you have better visibility across all areas.
  • Intelligence – the technology should allow you to easily turn all the data into insights you can use to improve processes throughout the club.
  • Unity – the platform should help you deliver a consistent member experience across all areas of your club.

The 7 steps

As you consider a digital transformation initiative at your club, expect the process to include these 7 steps.

  1. Align with your stakeholders – successful initiatives first seek buy-in throughout the club – with both your staff and your members. Help them understand why digital transformation is crucial and how it will improve life for them.
  2. Identify needs – identify the needs of your club and rank them as primary, secondary, and tertiary. This will allow you to determine the order in which you will implement solutions.
  3. Map technology solutions – using the needs you have identified, determine the technology offerings that best suit those needs. Use the key elements and characteristics discussed previously to evaluate your options.
  4. Identify expert partners – there is a lot to consider when undergoing this evolution. It is not unusual to feel like you need additional resources to augment the expertise you have on staff. Having a proven technology partner can help accelerate the success of the effort.
  5. Create your plan – with your needs, solutions, and expertise identified, prioritize the implementation, and lay out the plan and timeline for executing.
  6. Execute – begin the process of implementing the technology throughout your organization.
  7. Gather feedback and refine – gather input from both your staff and members as you go. Use this feedback to fine-tune the technology you’ve implemented in your operation.

The speed of technological innovation continues to accelerate. With it comes new opportunities to employ advanced solutions to help improve operations and enhance the member experience. If you’d like to explore the opportunities at your club, contact Northstar.

With the Northstar complete club management software solution, you’ll discover how you can integrate systems across your operation, eliminate technology silos, and deliver the invaluable data and insights that can only be gleaned from a solution united by one database. To take the next step in your journey, request a demo of the Northstar Technologies solution, today.

Could your Relationship with your CRM use a Little Work?

Could your relationship with your CRM use a little work

We all know Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is important. It’s common knowledge. In fact, the acronym has become so ubiquitous that it’s now one of those buzzwords that you expect to see used in a Dilbert cartoon, like TBD, Or WYSIWYG (LOL!).

The question is not whether CRM is important, but rather how do you get the most out of it? When fully utilized, the best club CRM Software is not just a repository of information but a means for helping to amplify relationships:

  • Relationships between the club and prospective members
  • Relationships between the club and the existing members
  • Relationships amongst members

When you consider everything that CRM can affect, you can see why it’s vital that you have a great relationship with this relationship manager.

When it Comes to Wooing Prospects, CRM Software should be your Bestest Buddy

Your CRM should be an invaluable tool for identifying leads and prospects. It should help you understand what is important to them. And it should help you determine where they are in the process of becoming a member.

With this insight, you can easily identify your next steps. For example, you may decide it’s time to:

  • Put them on your newsletter list (for prospects in the early stage of nurturing) or utilize your campaign manager to reach out with a personalized and targeted email or text (for those further along in the decision-making process)
  • Set up a lunch with a current member who matches up with your prospect’s likes so the prospect can ask questions and get a first-hand perspective of the club experience
  • Offer a free round of golf or dinner (depending on the prospects’ profile) so they can sample the club experience
  • Find an upcoming event and segment prospects whose profiles suggest they would appreciate an invitation

When you have this kind of relationship with your CRM, you’ll engage with your prospects with the right message at the right time. That can result in an improvement in prospect conversion. Who wouldn’t like a buddy who could help make that happen?

Your Club CRM Software will Become your BFF

Understanding your customers is key to the success of any business. For clubs, that understanding is crucial in order to optimize the experience for the members.

The good news is that you have a trusted confidant at your side who is up to the task. Your BFF. Your CRM.

When someone joins, it’s a natural time to gather information. It’s ideal to gather as much as possible, creating a detailed profile right away. This allows you to start making appropriate recommendations immediately, personalizing the club experience for the member.

As members use the club, you can gather more information into the CRM. For example, you could learn:

  • What days do they golf and what are their usual tee times
  • Whether or not they take advantage of the 19th hole
  • Whether they buy clothing or equipment in the online store or at the pro shop
  • What events do they attend
  • What other amenities do they typically use

Additionally, members can be prompted from time to time to add their preferences through the website or mobile app.

This data gathering gives you a rich picture of each person and allows you to start anticipating needs. All of which can make the experience magical for your member.

CRM Should Stand for ‘Customer Relationship Maximizer’

Your club’s ability to foster relationships may just be one of the most powerful reasons someone joins and maintains a membership.

A well-developed CRM can give you access to your members’ buddy lists. It can help you segment members into groups with similar interests, too. This allows you to suggest and invite members to events that they can enjoy with their friends or that give them the opportunity to develop a new friendship.

When your club is seen as this type of connection point, it earns a special place in the hearts of members.

Your Club’s CRM can be so much more than just a member database. It can be that awesome confidant that delivers rich insights about your members. It can be that trusty companion that helps you understand members’ needs and wants today, and anticipate them tomorrow. Doesn’t that sound like the kind of relationship you’d like to have with your CRM?

Evolve how you build and deepen relationships at your club by taking advantage of a CRM that is integrated with a complete club management platform. A premier platform built on one database to give your entire operation a single source of truth for better decisions for the club. And a better experience for members. Get the full profile – request a demo of the Northstar Technologies solution, today.

Maximizing Value to Members during Tough Environmental Circumstances Like the Pandemic by Leveraging Technology

Maximizing Value To Members During Tough Environmental Circumstances Like The Pandemic By Leveraging Technology

Even before the end of the first quarter, 2020 became a landmark year as the COVID-19 pandemic struck nearly every inhabited corner of the globe. Clubs, like the rest of the world, had a severe impact. Thankfully, clubs throughout the USA are emerging from the “pandemic shutdown”.

A good club is known for its service: going above and beyond the norm to ensure the needs of its members are met. However, in the unique and challenging pandemic circumstances; clubs found themselves struggling to provide value-added service to their members when most of their facilities (dining rooms, golf courses, gyms, pool, etc.) had to be closed. Then when allowed to reopen, follow a whole new set of rules to enforce social distancing.

When existing paradigms suddenly shift, it behooves both technology providers and club managers to explore how the current software a club is using can be extended, stretched. And pushed to accommodate new circumstances. A good software suite usually tailors to the needs of its industry but should include flexibility that allows it to multipurpose.

As the environment changes, technology providers need to assess the situation. And see what they can do to help their customers cope with the “new reality”. We may need to have fewer people in the Pool Area, Grill, or Gym to maintain Social Distancing, for instance. This may involve:

  1. Modifying current modules to enforce social distancing rules on the golf course, or use of events & activities reservations to sign up for the gym, swimming pool lanes, etc.
  2. In many states, dining capacities reduce substantially. The use of Dining Reservations within areas of the club (such as the Grill) where traditionally “no reservations required” can be used to avoid too many members arriving at one time.
  3. Fewer Members at the club does not always mean fewer services. Member Self-Ordering for F&B Items, or online grocery/essentials items for pick up (or delivery) provide meaningful services. As a bonus, it may help the Member satisfy their minimum requirements.
  4. Lottery Systems for the golf course and member events may also help to equitably “share” limited capacities. If a club must cut back on seats available for that member event or tee times, a Lottery System can help avoid some getting more than their “fair share”.

As businesses re-open everywhere, clubs are no exception. There is a drive to eliminate “paper passing” as much as possible. Single use menus are now in place; use once, and then discard. Clubs can take that a step further: Eliminate the “Member Chit” altogether, with the ability for members to sign. And close their chit right from their mobile device.

During any change, communication is key. When the club must alter service levels or close operations temporarily, it is vital that the communication channels (email, push notifications, etc.) between the club and members remain open. Clubs sometimes have a limited amount of mass email capacity (SMTP Services) from their communication module or provider. This is one of the areas where a technology partner can help – to not just identify this limitation to the club. But see how it can help address the limitation by increasing email capacity if needed. Enabling clubs to communicate frequently, in a targeted manner, helps keep the members connected to the club. This happens in an environment where there is potential chaos.

The “Member Experience” is why we are ALL here. Technology providers have a front row seat in the vast club arena. And can see the myriad of unwanted trials clubs face today. As the providers see member services challenges arise, the good ones will assist to learn about. And facilitate best practices and share this knowledge (and resulting solution) with all their partner clubs. Clubs should communicate their needs and ideas with their technology vendors. It helps them grow – and thus improve the member experience. These times are certainly not painless, but developing new ways to amplify member services makes it all worthwhile.

The 8 Crucial Things Your Club Website Must Deliver

 

The 8 crucial things your Club Website must deliver

Outside of the physical club itself, your website is one of the most valuable assets you have. After all, It can do everything from connect members when they are away from the club to help prospects discover the experience you create.

Successful clubs recognize the advantages a well-engineered and well-equipped website offers. Because of that, they are very thoughtful and deliberate in choosing the solution to help them build their online experience. Those clubs have something else in common as well. They check all the boxes when it comes to the 8 crucial things a club website must deliver. Here is an overview of those.

Enticing Engagement

First and foremost, your club website should be magnetic. It should present compelling images and offer a narrative that invites visitors into your unique story. That goes for members and prospects.

  • Members – they should be reminded of why they joined, and how enchanting the experience of the club can be. This helps increase visits and revenue for the club.
  • Prospects – your website is your front porch. For many, it may be the first way they experience your club. That experience should be captivating, moving them to the next step of becoming a member.

Your website solution should make it easy to add the elements that build this experience. That includes video that brings the club to life.

Intuitive Experience

Great websites feel effortless. The navigation is easy to access and it’s organized in a way that makes it simple for your users to quickly find what they are looking for. The design should also make it easy to understand how to use any of the functionality – whether you are scheduling a tee time or paying a bill. It should all be intuitive.

Additionally, your club website builder should automatically ensure that the exceptional experience translates effortlessly, whether your visitors are viewing it on a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. This is referred to as a site with a responsive design.

Usefulness

Your club website needs to be more than a digital brochure. It needs to offer the functionality that your users find invaluable. Here are some of the capabilities you should expect to build into your website:

  • Calendar – a complete list of events that refreshes regularly.
  • Updates – a place to access the latest news and announcements.
  • Reservations – robust capabilities that allow your guest to sign up for an event, look up available tee times and reserve one, make a dining reservation, make a spa appointment, reserve a court, sign up for a class, and more.
  • E-commerce – an online payment option for events, food on the go orders, buying merchandise from the club shop, and paying monthly charges.
  • Account management – the capability to review current bills and historical statements, including the ability to drill down into individual charges

A smart website solution will help ensure that your members view your website as a useful tool that helps enhance their club experience.

Ease in Administering

One of the hallmarks of a great website solution is its ability to make administering the site easy for you and your staff.

The administration functionality should be easy to learn so that multiple team members can make updates. This is an important point. Because empowering your team to make sure the site is constantly up-to-date results in a web presence that feels fresh and vibrant to your visitors. And it mitigates the problem of relying on outside vendors or waiting on the one “web guru” at your club to get to it.

Valuable Intelligence

A smart website solution will capture all the user behavior on your site and then make it easy to draw insights from that data. This can make your club website an invaluable tool for understanding what is important to your members and prospects.

That kind of intelligence can help you make decisions on how to evolve your website, and even evolve the offering at your club.

Powerful Marketing

Your site naturally offers real estate where you can promote different aspects of the club. Maybe it’s an upcoming event. Or a special in the restaurant.

A great club website solution also integrates seamlessly with your club management software to give you extended marketing capabilities. For example, you can promote an event on the website, also including it in your online calendar and updates. Then you can use the extended marketing functionality to send emails to a segmented list of those that you’ve identified as most likely to be interested in the type of event you are hosting. Additionally, you can send text messages promoting the event to the list as well as an in-app notification delivered through the club smartphone app.

This marketing capability helps you drive sign-ups and can help you improve revenue for the club.

Vigilant Security

Your website solution should offer you the assurance that your data is secure. That means putting the measures in place to protect that data. And, offering ongoing monitoring to detect and mitigate any suspicious behavior.

Always Available Support

Problems can have an irritating propensity for showing up at inconvenient times. Like after business hours. Or over the weekend. That’s why you need a web solution that delivers support 24/7. 365 days a year. Especially when you consider that non-work hours and weekends may be the times when your members or prospects are more likely to be visiting your site.

Great support ensures that this invaluable extension of your club is available to your users whenever they need it.

If you’d like more information on how to ensure that you have these 8 crucial aspects covered, request a demo of the Northstar system. You’ll discover a website solution that checks all the boxes to capture all the potential your website holds for your club. Request your demo, today.

Is There an Invaluable Business Tool Hidden Inside Your Club Website?

Is there an invaluable business tool hidden inside your club website

How do you view your website? Hopefully, it’s more than an online brochure. At the very least, it should be a means to help promote your club. But there’s really much more it could and should be doing for you.

Leading clubs understand the full potential that the website holds. After all, web-based technologies allow you to do so much today. For example, your website can give your members the ability to find club events, make reservations, connect with other members, and access their accounts. And for the club, it can enable you to collect member payments, manage club resources, and access member behavioral data to help inform your decisions. With a custom website build, you can unlock these capabilities. Moreover, you may be surprised at just how affordable it is to give your club website this invaluable functionality.

Exploring Everything your Club Website can do

A custom-built club website can enable capabilities that can have an impact across the club. It helps maximize what you and your members can do through the website and the club app.

Account Management 

One of the greatest conveniences you can offer members is to allow them to manage their accounts whenever and virtually wherever they want. With a custom site, you can enable this convenience by making account management available through the website or app.

Members can sign in to view current charges, see past statements (with the ability to drill down into the details), make a payment, and track minimums. And you can message members through the site and push notifications through the app.

All of this gives your members the experience that they have come to appreciate with other online services they use.

Reservations

Building participation is critical to optimizing member engagement and even driving revenues. Making it easy and fast for people to make reservations is vital, especially in today’s world, where many distractions can pull them away.

With top-notch reservation functionality, you can make it simple for members to register for an event, make a dining reservation, and schedule a tee time – whether on their smartphone, laptop, or the club app. And that’s just the beginning. You could make it easy for members to:

  • Reserve a court
  • Reserve a ball machine, a practice bay, and more
  • Register for a golf event
  • See instructors’ schedules and sign up for lessons, requesting their favorite teacher
  • Book a spa visit
  • Book a room

If it’s easy for your members to sign up or make a reservation, their participation at your club will increase.

Events 

The advanced functionality of a custom-built site can improve the success of the events you plan at your club.

For example, you can build a capability that allows you can create an event in the back office functionality of your site. Once you do, it will populate the member website and the smartphone app, displaying on the club calendar and offering a link to make a reservation.

You can even build in “Featured Events” functionality that allows you to highlight an event on the member website and app using rich graphics and links to make a reservation.

Ecommerce 

When you go beyond a simple cookie-cutter site, you can start to include things like e-commerce functionality. This allows you to sell merchandise through your website like club-branded apparel and other items. You can even set up a marketplace feature that members can use to shop for groceries and other essentials via the club app or website.

You can connect your online sales capabilities with your backend inventory and retail POS systems for real-time inventory integration.

Hotel, Marina, & POA 

A bespoke website allows you to customize the capabilities to fit the unique offering of your club.

You can enable online booking for your hotel, allowing members to reserve a room through the website or the club app. You can even offer functionality like touchless door access using the app.

For clubs with marinas, the website can be configured to display slip assignments, offer a member boat directory, and more.

Clubs with property owners’ associations can allow members to manage their accounts from the website or app. They can take care of billing online, initiate and track a work order, and schedule a visitor with the gatehouse, to name a few capabilities.

Administration & Insights 

A custom build can integrate the functionalities that can help alleviate the management of your website. That means making adding new pages and updating information easily – sometimes even automating it.

Plus, you’ll be able to draw valuable insights from the analytics on your site, giving you a deeper understanding of what is important to members. It’s the information that can help you make more informed decisions about your club.

Discover what’s possible

There is a reason why leading clubs opt for a custom build on their websites. They understand the crucial role it can play in the club’s success.

If you’re evaluating your site, take the time to consider a custom solution. You may discover the opportunity to uncover an invaluable business tool inside your club’s website.

If you’d like to see how a custom website solution can benefit your club, Request a demo of the Design Agency solution from Northstar. You’ll discover a comprehensive approach that can deliver an advanced solution as unique as the experience you provide at your club. Talk to Northstar today.

How Your Club’s Website Can Improve your Member Engagement

How Your Club’s Website Can Improve your Member Engagement

It’s no secret. The more your members are engaged, the greater the success of the club. Both today and tomorrow.

The key is to keep them connected. Even when they are not on the premises. Then make it easy for them to interact. And serve them up a regular helping of surprise and delight. There is no mechanism better suited to do all this than your club’s website.

Don’t just create a website. Create an invaluable engagement tool for members.

It’s easy to think of your club website as simply a marketing tool for introducing your club to new members.

Leading clubs understand that a website holds much more potential than that. And they deploy sites designed to be functional and engaging tools.

The optimal way to achieve this is to find club management software that allows you to build your website on the same database that your other systems use (i.e. accounting, F&B, golf, etc.). We’ll look at some examples of the advantages of this single database approach in just a bit.

Taking this approach can turn your website into your members’ club away from the club. Picture them securely logging into your site where they have customized their profile. Imagine them greeted with a highly personalized experience that looks great whether they’re on their computer, tablet, or mobile phone.

This is the kind of club website that has the exceptional ability to strengthen the members’ connection to the club, leading to improved utilization and higher satisfaction.

Empower members to plan and manage their club experience virtually

Choosing a smart website builder opens up a world of possibilities for your users. First and foremost, it takes the work out of keeping them updated on news, events, member’s birthdays, new committees, and more. And that’s just the start. You can give your members the ability to:

  • Look up and reserve tee times
  • Shop at the club’s online stores
  • Sign up for an event, seminar, or a class
  • Book a room, a court, fitness session, spa visit, childcare, and more
  • Make dining reservations or order Grab-N-Go

Plus, you could add in the functionality of a buddy list. For example, when the member makes a dining reservation, the system will present her buddy list. She can then choose those friends she wants to invite to dinner right on the club website and the system will send them an invitation from her.

You can also set up online account statements for members so they can see current charges, minimum balances, and historical statements. And you can give them the ability to pay right online.

This is the type of functionality that strengthens engagement with your club and encourages interaction between members even when they’re not on the grounds.

Streamline how you manage the experience with your club management software

A big factor in assessing the value of a website builder is the ability of the club to easily manage the site.

You can’t overstate the importance of connecting your website platform to all parts of your club to provide instantaneous coordination and to reduce the frustrating task of manually inputting data from one system into another. There are key features to look for as well. Features that easily allow you to:

  • Create forms, announcements, blogs, and marketing content
  • Enter information once and have it update across all appropriate locations on your site – and in your mobile app
  • Build new pages using a template-based, point-and-click interface
  • Tie your online stores into your inventory control system

Plus, your website builder should:

  • Offer a media and photo gallery for easy access to your graphics
  • Deliver insightful website statistics reporting
  • Allow you to assign credentials and permissions – for example, giving the golf director access and allowing him to set up a golf event that populates across the site
  • Automatically generate sitemaps and provide SEO
  • Offer 24/7 support for any help you need

All of this functionality helps transform a club website from a nice brochure to a powerful tool that members and staff can easily use.

Expect more from your website

Today, a website can do so much more than present some nice pictures of your club. It can make the operation more efficient, streamlining work and creating opportunities for you to delight members. Better yet, it can become an indispensable tool for members, helping them interact with the club and others. All of which help foster engagement and build an even better member experience at your club.

Mastering Private Club Marketing to Boost your Loyalty

Mastering private club marketing to boost your loyalty

A recent study in the National Club Association’s Club Trends publication looked at loyalty levels compared to people’s number of years as members. The loyalty levels were highest among those who were in their first 5 years of membership (the honeymoon phase of membership). After 5 years, the loyalty scores dropped somewhat significantly.

It’s easy to equate length of membership with loyalty. If someone has been with the club for decades, they must be loyal, right? It would be easy to assume that you don’t have to do much for this segment of your membership since they seem locked in. But it could be a costly assumption. In the study, the lowest loyalty level was around the 20-year mark.

Losing a solid member is never good for the club. There are costs involved with replacing them. And the club’s reputation can take a hit as members leave and talk to others about why they left.

Revisiting Loyalty

Your members’ loyalty is directly linked to the connection they feel to your club. That may seem rather rudimentary, but it’s funny how we can lose sight of the fundamentals. And how we have to remind ourselves of the basics – usually when we experience an unexpected exit.

The good news is that it is not difficult to fortify the connection your members feel with your club.

The Not-So-Obvious Competitor

The first step to building stronger connections is acknowledging the challenges of today’s environment. Your members have incredible access to information as well as access to others through the digital channels. This allows them to easily discover alternatives to your club – whether that’s a competing club or other options that would replace your offering in their lives. And it allows them a social space outside of your club to discuss it all with friends. You can understand how all of this makes it easier than ever for them to question their membership.

Going Beyond Staying in Touch

It’s easy to push back by saying, “We do a good job staying in touch with our membership.” While that is important (and laudable), we have to do more if we want to build enduring loyalty. We have to foster a sense of belonging.

Belonging happens when members feel like:

  • They are part of the community
  • Their beliefs align with the club’s beliefs
  • The experience is personalized
  • They can engage how they choose

Your club is naturally positioned to engender this sense of belonging. It’s just a matter of consistently doing the things that reinforce the four points mentioned above. This is where a premier club management software solution can help. Let’s look at some examples.

Bolstering the Sense of Community

The feeling of community at your club is, perhaps, the most crucial factor in creating a sense of belonging among your members. What you do on-premise is important. But you also have the opportunity to extend the community beyond the walls of your club.

As mentioned before, notifying members of gatherings and events is the starting point. But consider how you might help them engage. With the right club management software, you can offer reservation features that allow them to see who is coming to an event. Those features can include access to buddy lists, allowing members to quickly make a reservation for themselves and their friends. And it can include messaging capabilities that allow members to participate in group discussion threads.

These are the kind of features that encourage members to engage and further the sense of community they have at your club.

Reinforcing Beliefs

We all like to be around others who share our values and beliefs. This desire played a part in your members’ original decision to join your club. If you want to build belonging, make it a habit to regularly remind members of the club’s beliefs. Weave it into your campaigns that you send with your club management software. Use your website builder to add banners to your site that reinforce the mission, vision, and values of the club. Place those messages in promotional screens on your club app.

By making a concerted effort to reiterate the shared beliefs, you’ll reinforce for members the ideals that support their feelings of belonging.

Making it Personal

When the club feels tailored to them, members’ connection to the club strengthens. Premier club management software can help you amplify the sense of personalization at your club.

By operating on one database, the software allows you to access insights about your members from the technology you use across your operation. Want to send more relevant messages to your members? Use your connected campaign manager module to segment them into groups based on their interests or behavior and then create messages that feel more oriented to them. Want to personalize a dining experience? Equip your staff with tableside tablets that allow them to access member preferences so they can suggest a favorite drink or dish.

These practices help members feel like the club knows and values them. Being acknowledged like this is powerful when it comes to building belonging.

Giving them Options

Another advantage of premier club management software is its ability to give the members choices when it comes to how they engage. Some like to do as much as possible with the digital tools. Letting them interact through an online portal or the club app is key. On the other end of the spectrum are those members who prefer to interact in person. Of course, there is a wide variety in between that will prefer some combination of the two.

Members should feel like they can choose a way to interact that fits their lives. No matter what their preferences are, these options should feel personalized. Whether that means delivering personalized options through the app or giving your staff access to member preferences to personalize their interactions with members.

Feeling like you have choices affirms the feeling that your club recognizes what’s important to you. That can help reinforce that your club is a place where it is easy to feel like you belong.

This sense of belonging conjures up strong emotions. Take the time to regularly look at your practices to see if you can identify ways that you can improve the sense of belonging to connect with those emotions both at the club and outside of it. Doing so can help you build an enviable loyalty among your members.

For more information on how a premier club management software solution can help you build a sense of belonging at your club, contact Northstar. With the Northstar solution, you can unite all parts of your operation in one database, allowing you to access insights that help you deliver an exceptional experience across your club. An experience that reminds your members why they joined in the first place. Request a demo, today.

Nexus Evolves How You’ll Think About Club Management Software

Northstar Nexus Club Management Software

Northstar announced the release of Nexus – an innovation in club management software. Nexus brings together the key components of an exceptional system, evolving each component to advance club management capabilities while helping elevate the member experience.

A Look Back

Club management software has come a long way since Northstar set the standard in 2003. Technology has evolved at an ever-increasing pace. As have user expectations.

As a point of reference, consider that, in 2003, social media had not taken over yet. And the iPhone would not make its debut until four years later in 2007.

Over two decades later, ultra-connectivity has changed the way clubs operate. And it has changed the expectations of the club experience among members.

Enter Nexus

Nexus rises to meet the expectations of today and advance the possibilities of tomorrow through its four key components.

Office

The Office module is the heart of operations. For the latest version of this critical component, Northstar gathered input from hundreds of clubs globally. The result is an advanced offering that brings you exceptional Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, and General Ledger functionality. It also adds in Timekeeping and the Financial Report Designer to help you uncover the insights that can advance your club operations.

Employee App

The Employee App is the youngest member of the Nexus suite. But it is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after additions. The app delivers powerful functionality to the one device that every one of your team members carries.

The Employee App incorporates features from key modules. For example, Club View from the Office module has been integrated. This allows team members to access the entire club roster right from their smartphones to see who is at the club, see all reservations, see who is seated in the restaurant, access members’ profiles, and more.

Additionally, features from the Activities & Spa module allow staff to manage reservations right from the app. They can create any type of booking, including massage, wellness visits, tennis, and squash. And see everything that they have scheduled in list view or calendar view. This kind of control allows your staff to manage their own schedules like never before.

To top it off, the Employee App is customizable, allowing you to apply your club’s design and branding – making the app feel like part of your club.

Member Website

Today, the Member Website is an extension of your club, allowing members to interact in a myriad of ways. That makes it a valuable property.

As part of Nexus, the Member Website evolves its capabilities – all while refining the user experience. Members can make dining reservations, reserve their tee times, and sign up for classes through the site. The club can set up e-commerce to sell merchandise from any of the club shops. You can even give members the ability to order and pay for Grab ‘N Go from the club restaurants. All through the site.

Members can access a complete list of club events through an interactive calendar that also allows them to make a reservation and even pay. Plus they can access their account to check charges, minimum balances, and more.

You’ll also find powerful functionality that makes it easy to manage the site as well as create, send, and track marketing campaigns. With Nexus, The Member Website advances in its ability to help build stronger connections with your members.

Member App

The Member App puts the club at their fingertips no matter where they are, making it easy to schedule tee times, make dining and activity reservations, close F&B checks, and more.

The home screen can be customized by the members with Glances that give them quick links to the parts of the app they use the most. An Instagram-like feed in the app allows them to interact with the club and other members. Plus, buddy lists make it easy to connect with friends at the club and schedule get-togethers. The app even features push notifications which members can opt into to receive announcements and reminders.

Nexus brings together the key components that every club needs to achieve a higher level of operational excellence, while also elevating the member experience. To see everything that Nexus can do, request a demo. And discover what’s possible for your club.