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Stay updated with the latest news, insights, and trends from our team. Our blog is a space where we share valuable tips, industry updates, and expert advice to help you stay informed and inspired. Whether you're looking to learn something new or keep up with what's happening, you'll find fresh and engaging content right here.

Why Pros at Premier Clubs Choose a Comprehensive Golf Software Solution

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Why pros at premier clubs choose a comprehensive golf software solution

There are a lot of systems out there vying for the golf pro’s attention. Everything from tee sheet solutions to pro shop management software.

Smart golf pros are always looking for ways to optimize their operation. But getting an honest evaluation of all these offerings can be a challenge.

So how do you go about determining if a solution is right for your club? Consider this. When it comes to the software they use to manage the golf operations, pros at some of the most prestigious clubs recognize the advantage of a system that provides a comprehensive solution.

A Comprehensive Solution Provides More Features

The comprehensive solutions have been architected to take into account the entire operation. As a result, they deliver a rich feature set that premier clubs look for.

For example, with Northstar’s system, you get a tee sheet module that is one of the best in the business. But then it goes on to include powerful functionality that helps pros run their lotteries and their golf events. Additionally, it ties in the POS system and even offers inventory management capabilities. The rich feature set of a comprehensive solution gives golf pros the robust functionality that helps them optimize their operations.

A Comprehensive Solution Provides more Integration

There are two types of integration you need to consider. First, does your golf software solution integrate with the rest of the club? For example, when you sell a prepaid golf package, does it flow seamlessly through to the financial module and get billed to the member? Can the member reserve a tee time through the club app and have it automatically populate your tee sheet? A comprehensive solution has these integrations built in which makes life easier for the golf pro and makes for a top-flight experience for the member (more on that in a bit).

Second, you want a solution that integrates with specialized third-party systems that deliver exceptional value to golf operations. For example, the Northstar system integrates with high-value specialty solutions like Cap Patrol in order to help your club determine accurate handicaps for your members. Northstar has also announced integration with Golf Genius in order to seamlessly integrate the software’s capabilities like the pairing functionality for tournaments. That integration will launch in the first quarter of 2023.

A Comprehensive Solution Ensures the Best Experience for Members

A comprehensive solution gives you the ability to access capabilities that deliver an exceptional experience for your members. For example, the Northstar system delivers website and app solutions. These allow members to see available tee times and make a reservation from the club website or the club app. Once they do, the reservation flows through to the tee sheet to block that time. Additionally, members can access their buddy lists to set up a foursome and even send an invitation. It is this kind of functionality that makes the Northstar system the quickest, easiest, and most convenient solution for members.

A Comprehensive Solution Reduces the Work for the Golf Pro

When you step back and look at your entire golf operation, a comprehensive system’s advantages become apparent. For starters, you don’t have to learn, manage, and troubleshoot multiple systems. A comprehensive solution allows you to do everything from one system. From scheduling tee times and selling golf packages to ringing up pro shop sales and tracking inventory.

With Northstar’s comprehensive solution, you can easily manage the club’s lottery system – whether its a random or weighted lottery. And it can handle multiple golf courses. It has built-in group management capabilities that allow the group’s leaders to manage the group and even send out invitations when they plan an outing. As mentioned before, it includes powerful pro shop management features – from the POS system to inventory management.

With a comprehensive solution, golf pros don’t have the burden of porting information from one standalone system to another. And since it is integrated with the entire club, it can deliver invaluable reporting that can help you understand your members like never before and optimize the workings of your operation.

It’s just a smart practice to stay on top of innovations in golf operations software. But before you make a decision, make sure you evaluate whether that decision can give you the features and member experience-enhancing capabilities that are native to a comprehensive solution. Once you do, it will become apparent why some of the most prestigious golf clubs around the country opt for solutions like Northstar’s.

If you’d like to learn more about the advantages of a comprehensive software solution for your operation, request a demo of the Northstar system. You’ll discover the features, integrations, and advantages that have made Northstar the choice of elite golf operations around the country. Request your demo, today.

How to Keep the Lifeblood of Your Club Flowing With Your Accounts Receivable System

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How to keep the lifeblood of your club flowing with your accounts receivable system

Let’s face it. If we think of a business as a body, then cash flow can be thought of as the blood. It’s accounts receivable we rely on to get those needed cash infusions from customers to keep the body going.

Accounts Receivable is your Invaluable Tool to Regulate Cash flow

It’s common to think of the accounts receivable function as just something for the bean counters in the basement. But it’s a fact that the entire club needs cash flow for day-to-day operation.

That needed cash flow is provided by member dues, house charges and ancillary fees. Accounts receivable ensures that cash keeps flowing.

Premier clubs know that the accounts receivable function, done right, makes business run smoother. An agile, responsive accounts receivable process can easily identify customers who have not paid or whose payments have been declined. And it can start the amelioration process quickly, whether that is by deactivating a membership, by charging an additional fee, or by some other mechanism.

But it can be much more than simply a punitive tool. In fact, the right system can inspire customer loyalty.

Clear and concise communication. Ease of use. Automated payment options. Flexibility in payment mechanisms and in scheduling. These are just some of the ways in which accounts receivable eases the payment process for members, resulting in increased satisfaction.

Seamlessly Integrate with the Member Website or App for Ease of Use

We live in a busy time, and it can be easy for members to lose track of what’s owed. This is where integration with the member website and the club mobile app (and underlying database) becomes so valuable.

With this integration, members can see upcoming payments or past due amounts on the website or the mobile app. They can add in a payment method and make a payment. They can even use the app or website to see past statements or to communicate with the accounts receivable department.

If they have a dispute, they just click on the item and use a simple intuitive process to file the dispute. No waiting on hold to talk to someone. Once filed, they can get back to enjoying the club amenities until the issue is addressed.

Automation and Integration can Ease the Burden and Empower your Staff

Having the accounts receivable process integrated with the website and mobile app as well as other systems eases the burden for your staff. For instance, dunning is a detested necessity in business. A report or trigger can be designed that notifies staff that a user is in arrears. With a few clicks, a prepared dunning script can be sent. Alternatively, if a personalized notice needs to be delivered, the staff member can compose the note and have it delivered through the website or app.

Other process automation could include:

  • Deactivation or activation of members based on predefined rules
  • Preparation of EOM (end-of-month) reports
  • Creation of periodic reports on categories you define

Along with this functionality, a premier system will allow users to create their own customized reports. For example, you may want to get a view of top and bottom spenders by membership category. Or, identify where the majority of spending is concentrated by membership category.

All this functionality helps the staff generate new insights to help improve operations. And it frees them to work on other critical issues at the club.

Unlocking Additional Functionality with an Integrated Accounts Receivable System

Integration of accounts receivable keeps things running smoothly. As we noted, it can reduce the need for dunning, or in the worst cases, deactivation of membership. Plus there’s other functionality that can benefit both staff and members. This includes:

  • Allowing members to choose the day of their payment
  • Securely storing ACH account or credit card info for automatic charging – alleviating staff from running hundreds of credit cards
  • Giving members the ability to pay easily, and immediately crediting the payment to their accounts, allowing immediate resumption of services in the case of membership deactivation
  • Change Automation – If members change their tier of membership, this could involve changes in monthly benefits or the dues assessed. Having the system automatically update and send communications to members reduces the possibility of confusion or a misunderstanding.

Make your Accounts Receivable Function do more for you and your Business

A smart, integrated accounts receivable system can become a formidable tool for keeping accounts current and members out of arrears. It can also prove itself as a labor saving device. Think of those countless hours chasing down delinquent accounts. Now, with a process in place, this can be a simple task that allows staff and members to be aware of the issue long before it could become a problem.

Most of all, it can prove to be another method for delivering more convenience to your members. Whether that’s giving them more options for making payments, allowing them to easily communicate with the A/R department, or handling disputes. It’s the kind of tool that can give accounts receivable a hand in improving the member experience.

Northstar Technologies can streamline your accounts receivable function by integrating it into 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 a view of what it can do for you – request a demo, today.

A Tool at your Fingertips to Access Fast & Accurate Live Data for Managing Club Operations

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A Tool at your Fingertips to Access Fast & Accurate Live Data for Managing Club Operations

As a private club executive, have you dream of having a quick state-of-the-club overview at your fingertips? Remember when you needed to answer a board members’ question about operations, and you would have to interrupt the accounting office to create special reports that could take weeks? Well, now you and your department heads can access live departmental data to help manage the club directly from your laptops and tablets.

As a longtime Club GM, some of my most vivid, nightmarish, memories are of the confusion and pressure that precedes “THE BOARD MEETING”. The administration office is trying to get the committee minutes from the department heads, the financial statements, the GM’s report, the President’s report, the minutes from last month, the CFO’s report, the list of items to approve, new business, old business. etc., etc., etc. All of this data must be squeezed into a giant three-ring binder called the “THE BOARD BOOK” and all of the before-mentioned items must be correctly ordered and match the AGENDA.

How would you like to have an integrated system that electronically organizes all the information contained in the old three-ring binder? Each board member would get a tablet that has the Agenda and all the pertinent information (kept for a year or more if desired). This system would be flexible to accommodate all the typical club quirks. The system could expand into the individual committees as well as the Board Meeting. Well, Northstar has done it. It is called BOARD BOOK and it is available with CLUBVIEW.

ClubView does not stop with Board Books but covers many aspects of the club operations. You can access a member’s profile in the Member section, while the Just Arrived section will give you information about which member is currently at the club. Red Book lists all the events in the club including an instant Banquet Event Order system (so no more running about with outdated paper BEO’s). Got you interested? Wait there is more – I have not even mentioned the Leads Pipeline, the Metrics, the Milestones, the POS, or Kitchen Display System. See the attached video for a quick overview on ClubView or better yet see the video and then sign up for the Northstar Solutions Café Webinar on Improving Club Operations & Decision Making with ClubView on Wednesday, May 15th, 2019.

It’s Time to Treat F&B Like the Most Universally-Used Amenity That It Is

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It’s time to treat F&B like the most universally used amenity that it is

Your Food & Beverage offering may just be the most universally used amenity at your club. We don’t often think about it that way. But we should. Because, as a universally used amenity, it is one of the major factors affecting member satisfaction.

Think about it. Not everyone golfs, but everyone eats.

Building the Member-wowing F&B Offering

Today, members’ expectations are heightened. Whether we like it or not, they compare the offering at the club with every other experience they encounter outside of the club.

The good news is that you still have an advantage. The club is a place of belonging. A place where members can go to feel acknowledged, understood, and even pampered.

One of the best ways to streamline f&b management is to leverage technology. Smart clubs recognize the importance of deploying technology to align their F&B offering with these member-centric emotional drivers. In doing so, they build a complete offering that delivers personalization, convenience, and surprise & delight.

Let’s take a look at what makes for a complete F&B offering. First, from the member’s point of view. And then, from the club’s perspective.

The Member’s Point of View

Most of the technology will go unnoticed. And that is as it should be. There will have been hints of it. But the members won’t remember it. What they will remember is the seamless enchanting experience that the technology helped deliver.

There are a couple of exceptions. For example, there is the feature that enables members to make a reservation from the website or the club app. This allows them to make plans virtually anytime and anywhere. Premium solutions even allow them to access their Buddy List on the site or app in order to invite friends for dinner.

Another example is a feature like Northstar’s Grab ‘n Go which is part of a complete f&b management solution. This innovation allows members to order food for pick up through the website or app. Maybe a member is golfing and wants to grab a snack at the turn. A member can order through the app and it will be ready as she or he is finishing the front 9. Or maybe a member is heading to the club pool. She can order before she leaves home and find her order waiting as she checks in at the club.

And since Northstar’s Grab ‘n Go is part of a complete F&B solution, the kitchen staff can even send a push notification to the member through the app to let them know the order is ready.

The Club’s Perspective

The F&B POS gives your staff the tools to help create those exceptional guest experiences. For example, easy-to-use touch screen POS terminals in the Northstar system make it a snap to split a ticket by simply dragging and dropping.

Everything is integrated from all the F&B terminals to the Kitchen Display System (KDS) to the Tableside Point of Sale Tablets. All of which helps you create consistency of service throughout the club. And it gives you the powerful reporting that helps you continuously improve this valuable amenity.

Here are a few key features of a complete club F&B management solution.

Hostess View

The hostess station is where the table is set for an exceptional experience. The technology gives hostesses a full view of their dining rooms. So they can balance the workload among servers as they assign tables to members. This ensures waitstaff have time to spend with members, enhancing the dining experience.

Premium systems go a step further, giving hostesses real-time table status with course information. This enables them to better predict table turnover. Additionally, systems that run on one database like Northstar’s allow the hostess to call up members’ profiles as they arrive at the restaurant. This gives the hostess the opportunity to personalize the experience.

Tableside Tablet POS

When your waitstaff has time to dote on the members, the entire dining experience elevates. This is why a complete F&B system will equip servers with Tableside Tablet POS. The mini-tablets allow servers to input orders right at the table. That results in a reduction in lost orders and order errors. The tablets feature real-time communication with the Kitchen Display System. That means that the kitchen staff immediately has the order as it’s entered at the table. Plus, the system has been shown to save 4-6 minutes per order.

With Tableside Tablet POS, servers don’t have to constantly run back to the kitchen to check on orders. The kitchen sends a notification to the servers’ mini-tablet once the order is ready. This allows the servers to spend more time with members. Additionally, with Northstar’s system, the mini-tablets allow the servers to access the one database in order to see each member’s preferences. All of this gives your servers the ability to create a dining experience that will be unrivaled outside of your club.

Kitchen Display System

The Kitchen Display System is at the heart of the complete F&B management solution. With leading systems, it’s customizable to fit the unique parameters of your food and beverage offering. It monitors all kitchen operations, helping streamline the workflow. Moreover, it connects with all other components of your complete F&B system, helping improve communication, efficiency, and reporting.

Harnessing your Greatest Advantage

The greatest advantage you have is the sense of belonging at your club and the experience that you can create to amplify it. It is what separates you from the world outside of the club.

A complete F&B system helps you maximize that advantage by integrating everything from POS terminals, Hostess View, and Tableside Tablet POS to your Kitchen Display System, Grab ‘n Go, and Banquets and Catering. When you connect it all, you give yourself the opportunity to build something special with the most universally used amenity at your club.

Dig into all the advantages that a complete F&B system can bring to your club. Request a demo of the Northstar f&b management solution – a part of complete club management solution built on one database to help serve up an exceptional member experience. Request a demo, today.

Engaging members with the club, as well as each other – the only reasons to have a Smartphone Club App

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Engaging members with the club, as well as each other – the only reasons to have a Smartphone Club App

There is a lot of technology available to help clubs enhance the member experience. The club app is perhaps one of the most prominent additions clubs can embrace. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the different functionality that exists. How do you decide what’s important?  And then how do you then compare offerings?

The one killer benefit that you absolutely need to demand

There is one benefit that will ensure you’re not dealing with buyer’s remorse. Or find yourself feeling like your app is out of step with your club a year down the road.

What’s that benefit? True Integration.

Integration means that your club app is not another piece of standalone technology. Another system your staff and members have to learn. Other system,s you have to figure out how to cobble with the others. Another system that may not keep pace with the evolution of technology at your club.

An integrated app offering is one that operates on the same database as your club management software. And that club management software database encompasses the entire club. No disparate systems. One database for all parts of your club.

Why is one database so important?

Keep your members informed and engaged, in one place:

  • Real-time news feed keeps them up to date with “what’s happening”. Read and see what the club is offering – and they’re invited to participate.
    • Integrated Buddies lists allow them to invite their friends too. Get more people to that Dinner Dance, Golf Tournament, or Crab Feast!
    • Events and other member activities flow from the back office (set up) to the Club App – and then back to the office for reservations & billing.
    • OR, staff can use their device to take a picture of a member event – and post it to the feed – WITH a link to the next event reservations screen.
  • Close any open F&B Check right from their Club App. Paperless and Convenient!

Full Integration is truly the killer benefit in a rounded club mobile app.

  • Members have access to all facets of the club, with information updated in real-time, which  creates a rich and truly seamless experience
  • You reduce implementation and maintenance issues since it’s all part of one club management system. One number to call for Support.
  • Your staff don’t have to learn a new system.
  • You gain a deeper understanding of how your members use your app and club, helping you to better orient the club offering to the things members demonstrate are important to them.

What else to look for

Integration is key to powering all the functionality the ideal app delivers. Now let’s look at some of the other aspects that create a great club app.

Personalization

The club app should deliver the same sense of belonging that a member feels when he or she steps foot in the club.

For example, with the Northstar ClubNow Mobile App, you can display a video of your club’s facilities right on the home screen along with your club’s logo. Unlike other apps on the market, the ClubNow App allows members the ability to customize the menu options that appear on their app. So each time your members open the app, it feels unique to their club and unique to each of them.

Intuitive user experience

The app should be easy for your members to use right from the start. In other words, it should be intuitive with icons and functionality that just makes sense.

For example, a member can tap their image on the ClubNow App home screen, and be taken right to their profile. Access and pay open F&B chits right from the home screen. Notifications that alert to communication from the club. Also, there is a menu icon at the bottom of the app screen that allows users to access other navigation options. In the ClubNow App, this menu gives members immediate links to areas like:

  • Grab ‘n’ Go ordering
  • Reservations for dining, golf, and activities
  • The member’s buddy list so they can connect with their friends through the app

The entire construction of the app experience puts the links that members use the most right at their fingertips. And it makes the extended navigation easily accessible.

Advanced communication options

The younger generations represent the future of the club. These are generations that live on their smartphones and have an expectation for the communication abilities of the club app.

They expect automatic notifications. They expect the ability to connect with other members through your app. And more.

With the ClubNow App, notifications get taken to the next level thanks to the connection to the Northstar complete club software solution.. This allows your staff to generate and deliver notifications based on a large range of parameters like demographics, spending habits, birthdays, and A/R Status just to name a few – there are truly countless ways to select whom you wish to communicate with. So you can deliver highly-relevant notifications to your members through their app.

For more information on choosing an app solution for your club, request a demo of the ClubNow App – part of the Northstar complete club management software solution. It’s the solution built on one database to create one source of truth to help you make the best decisions for an exceptional member experience. Request a demo, today.

The 2 Things Younger Prospects Look for That Your Club App Could Deliver

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The 2 things younger prospects look for that your club app could deliver

In 2020, a major shift happened. It wasn’t televised. Heck, it wasn’t even really noticed.

And what was that shift?

As of 2019, Millennials outnumber Baby Boomers. 72 million to 71 million.

What does that mean for the typical club? It means that the same tried and true methods are no longer the way to attract and retain new members. The National Golf Foundation has published that club membership among Millennials has gone down 36% from the early 90s.

So, what can you do to attract and retain the younger generations? There are two pillars that modern clubs need to build their efforts on. Technology and community.

Younger prospects simply expect technology to be integrated into the experience

The younger generations grew up in a different world than Baby Boomers. They are the digital generations. They grew up experiencing the comforts and efficiencies that technology could deliver. Here are a few examples of the expectations that have been created by the technology:

  • Smartphones – Smartphones are ubiquitous and we all rely on them for so much. We order food. We pay bills. Communicate with friends. Look up information. Receive notices. And more. It is amazing how much we use them in our daily lives. And research shows that that usage increases as you move from Boomers to Gen X to Millennials to Gen Z. For the younger generations, a mobile experience is not a nice-to-have feature. It’s a must-have.
  • An integrated seamless experience – Technology has conditioned the younger generations to expect everything to be available, anytime and anywhere. That’s a big shift from the old days. Reservations, payment of bills, and changes in membership status are a few examples of tasks that Baby Boomers would have just expected to stand in line for. The younger generations expect everything to be in one database and all the parts of the club – from the golf course to the kitchen to the back office – connected and communicating.
  • Personalization – Think of them as the Amazon generations. Younger prospects are used to an environment where their preferences are remembered, creating an experience that feels highly personalized. The online store Amazon, for example, remembers what they like and tailors the store to their needs and wants. It’s not fair that they should compare the experience that your club management software delivers to the experience created by a company with such vast resources. But they do.

There are people of all ages that love technology. It’s just that there are more of them in the younger generations. Whether it’s their car or their home, they gravitate to the newest thing out there. They expect total integration with every experience. And, they have that same expectation from the experience at your club.

The evolution of the idea of community

We all crave social interaction. It’s vital to our well-being. The club is a classic example of an ideal setting for fulfilling that need for social connection.

That need has not changed through the years. But how the younger generation is getting that need met has shifted. Social media has driven the change. According to statista.com, 77% of Facebook users log in daily. And by far the largest demographic using Facebook is, of course, Millennials and Gen-Z. And it’s not just watching cat videos. Younger members also expect to be able to keep up with their friends. Thus, they want to have a dialogue, want to be able to interact and want to be engaged. In short, social media has extended the interactions beyond any physical location.

Clubs must take note and adapt, building these functionalities into their technology offerings. Here are some examples from the club management software of premier providers:

  • Chat functionality that allows members to quickly message each other from the club’s app
  • Instagram-like interface for club members to scroll through activities and news
  • Push notifications from the club alerting them about an upcoming reservation and other timely reminders
  • Texting capabilities
  • Functionality to allow members to easily plan a get together with friends – all from the app or website

Building your club’s future

Research shows that the younger generations have a preference for investing in experiences over possessions. That’s great news. Because there is no better place to foster the kind of experiences they seek than your club setting.

Now it’s just a matter of taking an approach that delivers the technology and community-building. These are the two pillars. The pillars that will foster that feeling of connectedness the younger prospects desire. The pillars that will help you build the next generation of members at your club.

The Northstar complete club management software solution delivers the technology and community-building functionality that your younger prospects not only desire but expect. The solution is built on one database, delivering connectivity across your operation that empowers you to deliver an unrivalled personalized experience to your members. Experience it for yourself – request a demo of the Northstar Technologies solution today.

What Artificial Intelligence Club Solutions can do for Country Clubs?

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What Artificial Intelligence Club Solutions can do for Country Clubs?

You may not immediately think of country clubs when you consider the industries where artificial intelligence (AI) will have an impact. But, the fact is that we all operate in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

AI is a major player in that landscape today. It is having an impact on everything from enhancing customer experiences to improving operational efficiency. Being informed about AI developments and exploring its potential applications can help your club stay ahead of the game. Here are some things to keep an eye on.

Enhancing Member Experience

AI will be used to analyze member preferences, track usage patterns, and provide tailored recommendations for activities, events, and more. Imagine AI making recommendations for everything from menu choices to tee times. All of this will help personalize and enhance the member experience at country clubs.

Optimizing your Staff’s Time

Analytics tools will help automate reports and insights, reducing the time your staff spends manually producing these. Furthermore, advancements like the virtual assistant can take care of tasks that previously would require your staff’s time. Imagine them freeing up to spend more time interacting with members and all the activities that boost the member experience.

Powering Member Management

In the not-too-distant future, country clubs will be using AI to maintain and grow their membership base. AI-driven databases will be able to track member engagement, helping clubs identify at-risk members and develop strategies for retention. Predictive analytics will also help forecast membership trends.

Through the acquisition of Happometer, Northstar has already stepped into this realm. Happometer is an advanced technology platform for managing member and team experience that deploys AI to analyze feedback and identify insights and sentiment.

AI will also help assist in identifying potential new members, analyzing demographics, understanding their interests, and mining social media data. Additionally, AI will be able to help create targeted marketing campaigns that improve the ability to resonate with potential members.

Engaging Members

Chatbots and virtual assistants will become integral to member services – all powered by AI. Imagine having a digital concierge available 24/7 to handle reservations and inquiries, and provide information about Artificial intelligence club facilities and events.

Northstar has already started to implement a robust solution into its complete club management system. The technology will help members quickly get the information they are looking for using natural language to query the virtual assistant. They can request to see open tee times and dining reservations and even have the virtual assistant book a time for them. This gives members yet another option for how they can choose to engage with the club.

AI will offer numerous benefits to country clubs, enhancing and advancing the member experience while improving how you operate. It is important to note that this is happening at a fairly rapid pace. That makes it important to identify the partners that are leading the way with incorporating AI, today. Leveraging that proactive approach will help clubs take advantage of everything AI has to offer.

For more information on the advancements in the Northstar complete club management solution, contact a Northstar representative. To see the system in action, request a demo. 

The Real Threat of Inflation for Country Clubs

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The Real Threat of Inflation for Country Clubs

Inflation is at historic highs, reaching levels we haven’t seen for four decades. It’s unprecedented for Millennials and GenZ. They simply haven’t seen these kinds of price spikes in their lifetimes.

Clubs have already seen the effects. For example, with elevated fuel prices and an increase in course maintenance costs, clubs are reevaluating their green fees. Some may be able to absorb the higher costs for a short while, but prices will inevitably go up. And it’s not just out on the golf course. Inflation is affecting all aspects of the operation as we see increases for everything from labor to food to shipping.

How Big of a Concern is this for Clubs?

It would be easy to think that inflation is less relevant since most club members can absorb the increases easier than the general public. But even if members are less affected financially, it can have an impact. Nobody likes sudden price hikes. It can affect the behavior of members, leading to a pullback in the usage of the club.

Understanding the Real Threat

You could spend all your time and effort trying to manage price increases. But the increases are not the primary threat. Your members are seeing the effects of inflation outside of the club. They will understand the need for raising prices. After all, it’s happening everywhere.

The primary threat to the club is the surprise of price spikes.

Nobody likes to be hit with a higher price out of the blue. This unpleasant surprise can have a bigger affect on members than we may realize. This may be explained by a concept from behavioral economics called Loss Aversion (the pain of losing can be 2x as powerful as the satisfaction of gaining).

Be Proactive

By being proactive, clubs can take the surprise out of the price spikes. The key is to communicate early and often. A complete club management software solution can be instrumental in the effort, giving you the tools to deploy email and website updates as well as text and in-app messaging.

Get out in front of price increases if you can with your messaging. This gives you the opportunity to manage the expectations of your members. If you have already changed prices, treat your communication as a follow-up to keep members updated. They may not like the unannounced spike in prices, but they will appreciate your follow-up efforts to keep them in the know.

Within your messaging, be as transparent as possible. Let members know the club is seeing increases across the board. Use specific examples if you can – this helps lend credence to your communications. One of the great benefits of all this is that, by being transparent and reporting on the effects, you won’t feel the need to defend your price increases.

Make it an Ongoing Effort

Think of this communication effort like any ongoing campaign you create in the communication module of your club management software.

Use all of the channels available to you. For example, consider making it an ongoing part of your e-newsletter. Give it a spot on your website – maybe make it a special member-only page that shares what is going on. Use your messaging capabilities to celebrate great values or specials at the club, sending timely notes via email, texting, and in-app messaging.

Your members will appreciate ongoing updates. Most importantly, it will keep them engaged with the club.

Don’t be Afraid to do This

The club is a special place. It offers so many amenities and something members simply cannot find just anywhere: a sense of belonging. Sometimes we get so close to it, that we forget just how special it is. Make a point to celebrate the specialness in your communications. It will help remind members what a great value the club provides to their lives.

Additionally, set their expectations. Let them know that you will continue to work hard to manage the rise in costs and that you will continue to report to them. You might even consider asking for their feedback. Getting their input can make them feel even closer to the club.

Nobody likes inflation. But it is a reality that all clubs have to deal with. The good news is that with transparency and communication, you can remove the surprise that can cause people to withdraw. And along the way, build even stronger ties with your members.

To learn more about using your communications to help manage your members’ expectations, request a demo of the Northstar solution – a complete club management solution built on one database to help your club deliver exceptional value to your members. 

How your Club Management Software can Help you Get a Fitness Offering in Shape

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How your club management software can help you get a fitness offering in shape

Lately, clubs of all shapes and sizes have been taking a closer look at their offering when it comes to fitness facilities. Reports continue to confirm that a fitness offering ranks high in importance for younger prospects considering a club membership. After all, many in this group already belong to a gym and a fitness offering helps make the decision to join easier as they can see how it would replace their current gym membership fees.

Clubs are examining how they can take advantage of the trend. Those without facilities are looking to add equipment, classes and programs, and even staff. Those with an offering in place are looking at how they can up their game – evolving it from a minor amenity to a significant part of their club experience.

Technology does the heavy lifting

Your club management software plays a crucial role in helping your fitness offering become everything it can be. It should enhance the experience for your members while helping to streamline the management of the offering on your end.

Your younger members want the technology integration. They expect to be able to do things like check the workout class schedules from their smartphones – as well as sign up for a class, check their favorite personal trainers’ calendar and schedule a session, and even pay for classes right from the club app.

Of course, any time you add or expand amenities, it triggers a series of issues. From managing the new facilities to handling the staffing.

The good news is that the same technology that gives your members the digital tools they want can also help streamline how you manage the new or expanded fitness offering.

Manage it all without breaking a sweat

Top-notch club management software can help you track the usage of the facility and all the programs. This helps you identify the things that need your attention. It also gives you the ability to understand what classes are popular so you can continue to evolve the offering to fit your members’ preferences. Additionally, you can spin up new offerings and test them to determine their viability. Whether that means adding a pilates class or incorporating a high-intensity training session.

The scheduling component of the software makes it easy to see class registrations and then staff accordingly. You can even manage personal trainers’ appointment calendars.

Furthermore, the software can tie into the rest of the club. For example, with the Northstar complete club management software solution, your fitness offering’s technology can easily connect with your accounts receivable and accounts payable modules. This allows you to streamline the backend operations.

Since it all operates on one database, you gain valuable insight as well. Like what type of members are frequent users of the fitness facilities and what other offerings they use at the club.

All of the functionality, integration, and insights help you effortlessly build and maintain an exceptional fitness offering that fits the specific desires of your membership and prospects.

A fitness facility continues to be high on the list of wants of prospective club members. Capitalizing on the trend can help advance the success of your club. And finding the right technology ensures that you deliver a valuable offering that also helps streamline the work of bringing that offering to life.

See it in action. Request a demo of Northstar’s solution for managing your fitness offering. It’s part of a complete club management software solution built on one database. A solution that gives your members the advanced technology they desire while giving you the powerful management capabilities and invaluable insights. Hence, this helps you strengthen the offering at your club. Request Demo today.

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

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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.