One of Scotland’s busiest golfing destinations, Blairgowrie Golf Club, has turbocharged its administrative efficiency, improved its support and reduced its support costs. By installing a far more joined up and fully integrated software package created by three developers – Open Solutions, Bedford Beck and HandicapMaster – the club’s gone from using three separate databases to one, and gained a far more user-friendly system. Based on a network that includes four touch screen EPoS tills, it also re-used all 1,600+ members’ cards, overcoming another major administrative challenge.
The new system ticks all the boxes that Blairgowrie’s manager Dougie Cleeton required: “Chiefly, full integration, time saving efficiency, and an easy to learn and use system. We made a point of talking with the other clubs using the same integrated package, and their feedback was very convincing.”
Cleeton comments: “We were able to re-use one of the old touch screen EPoS tills and all the members’ cards, which was a major factor in keeping the change-over completely hassle-free for the members. Changing cards can be an administrative nightmare, especially when you’ve got over 1,600 members, all of whom would otherwise have to get the new cards in their hands in order to do something as simple as coming to the club and buying a drink or booking a tee time.”
He reflects on the new software’s design “Their software is significantly more intuitive and user-friendly. In turn that not only made all the staff training easier, but actually using the system is that much more straightforward as well.”
Cleeton continues: “All our expectations for superior administrational efficiency have been delivered, major parts of the package are significantly less expensive to support, and our staff like using the new software because it’s far more intuitive. Our members are almost unaware of the massive changes that have gone on behind the scenes, which was exactly what we wanted to achieve. Perhaps best of all, we and our new technology partners get on very well with each other.”
He summarises: “These developers listen to all our comments, and are willing to improve our systems and their software. As a result we’re much happier they’re taking our points on board and providing my team with the service and support that a very busy club like Blairgowrie and its demanding membership really needs.”
Blairgowrie Golf Club www.theblairgowriegolfclub.co.uk
Open Solutions www.opensolutionsinternational.com