Listening and reacting to member feedback.
The Starting Point:
Members are at the heart of Stonebridge Golf Club. Although the 27-hole parkland course attracts lots of social golfers, the competitions are one of the main attractions for many. In 2018 the West Midlands club hosted 304 competitions with 6,026 rounds. Members compete for lucrative prize money and the club brings in a steady revenue stream. But there were some gaps that the club only recently become aware of after setting up the Players 1st platform to get feedback from members. Kelvin Pugh, the general manager, responds to comments on Players 1st directly to open up the conversation and improve relationships between the club and the membership. For example, players were missing out on the results if they left before the announcements and prize giving. Thanks to this process, the club has discovered new ways to improve the competitions, from registration all the way through to results.
“It’s obvious now, but we introduced a competition results summary which is emailed to all competitors at the conclusion of each member competition. A really simple solution to an issue we were only made aware of from capturing member feedback. By reading through comments and tracking changes in our satisfaction scores, we have also invested in upgrading our Master Scoreboard access, which enables members to register to competitions more easily, and provides the visibility of those already signed-up. ” Kelvin Pugh, General Manager
“Improving satisfaction scores and increasing membership turnover”
As a result of using Players 1st, most service areas have seen improvements. Management scores have increased by 3 points year on year. When asked if ‘the club’s management listens when members make suggestions and new ideas’, respondents are so positive that scores have gone up 6 points year on year. The atmosphere is also improving, with scores for ‘I feel well informed of the club’s competitions’ improving by 6 points. The score is now higher than the national benchmark. The new insights have been such a success that the club has now installed an honours board and trophy cabinet in the new clubhouse bar. Showcasing competition winners’ successes shows members that the club really appreciates its members’ investments of time and money
What the club said: “We’ve had great response rates to our members’ survey with Players 1st, which shows that members are willing to give their feedback. Listening and acting on members’ feedback has had a positive impact across multiple service areas at the club. Our members have been very receptive to the improvements made across the competition set-up, and we plan to continue to invest in other areas of the club. Our NPS* score has increased by +18 year on year which we believe is a combination of greater member engagement and the club acting on this insight” As a result of acting on member feedback, the improved satisfaction scores have attributed to some positive financial gains at the club. The first wave of member feedback was conducted in Autumn 2017, and Stonebridge has achieved year-on-year increases in membership turnover of nearly £19k from 16/17 to 17/18 which was repeated again between 17/18 – 18/19 where they achieved over £15k from membership turnover revenue.
*Net Promoter Score (NPS) is an index which measures the propensity of members/customers to recommend the club/product/service to others. It is a widely adopted tool within businesses.
About Players 1st
This software helps golf clubs recruit and retain golfers, increasing revenue by improving customer experience and loyalty. They’re one of England Golf’s preferred partners so any affiliated club can get a free 30-day trial. Visit players1st.golf/england for more information. England Golf can help clubs work through the process, including with any action plans based on the feedback received.
