April COVID-Themed Newsletter

With the increased focus on a "contactless" golf course environment, technology implementation is more critical now than ever before. Club Prophet has compiled our list of recommended products and features for you to learn more about so your staff can stay safe, your customer processes can become more automated, and you can maintain (or increase) your revenue. We included some extra items at the bottom of this newsletter for those operators that get through the initial "Best Features to Implement" list. 

In addition to this newsletter, Club Prophet is hosting a webinar on COVID-related best practices Wednesday, April 29th at 1:00 PM Eastern, in conjunction with 121 Marketing and Gallus Golf. Leaders from these companies will discuss recommendations for your facility, as well as take questions from the audience. If you can not attend, we will record the webinar for later viewing. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAR! 

The Best Features to Implement Immediately Are:

• Web PreCheck - This new solution developed in conjunction with Gallus Golf allows golfers to pay individually prior to their round, avoiding the golf shop altogether. Golfers can pay on any web-enabled device or through your course's mobile app. Click HERE to learn more and get this ready for your facility. 
• iPad-based Mobile Solution - If your clubhouse is closed, your operation will need to be mobile and implement CPS Air, Club Prophet's native iOS-based solution. Run a slimmed down version of the software anywhere at any time. 
• Online Reservations - Double check your online reservations (or get it going) so that it is easy-to-find on your website or mobile app, the phone system points people to online booking, pricing is accurate, and the system looks correct on mobile devices.
• Contactless Payment Solutions - Our new PAX-300 credit card terminals allow your customers to use their tap-to-pay solution (Apple Pay and Google Pay) so they avoid touching common items like a pin-pad or cash. 
• Email Confirmations and Reminders - Your email confirmations and email reminders should be turned on and updated with verbiage that explains your new policies to all arriving customers. 
• Digital Receipts - Paper receipts should be replaced with digital receipts, which requires the customer's email address to be entered into the system. 
• No Signature, Tips Handled by Staff - When at all possible, signatures should be disabled as a requirement (member charges, credit card receipts, etc.), and all tips should be handled verbally versus handing a customer a receipt or iPad to touch. 
• Reporting and System Access From Off-Site - If your clubhouse continues to be closed, off-site access to Club Prophet, key files, and computers should be considered. Automate reports through Club Prophet to reduce your need to be on-site. 
• Online Billing - Use online billing to avoid paper checks and in-person credit card payments. Consider adding a credit card convenience fee to lessen the burden of non-swiped online credit card charges. 
• Timekeeper - Rather than the entire staff touching one computer, deploy the Club Prophet Timekeeper on the web and allow your staff members to clock in and out using their own device. 

Other Integrated Vendors With Solutions to Implement Include: 

• Gallus Golf - App for your golfers (brand loyalty), GPS and digital scorecard, digital handicap entry, mobile food entry, Web PreCheck (more on all of these during Wednesday's webinar)
• 121 Marketing - COVID-themed messages, payment of items through Campaign Pilot, email messages to communicate with your golfers frequently and automatically
• Payroc - Lower credit card processing rates, touchless payment solutions, e-commerce accounts for online transactions
• PM Computing - Data security, off-site backups, remote access
• Sagacity - Evaluate your performance against competitors in your marketplace, dynamic pricing to take advantage of high-demand
• Priswing - Dynamically price times to generate higher yiedl
• Tee Time Central - Outside agency to help handle your calls in case of limited golf shop staff, or closed golf shop and clubhouse. 
• BAM Texting - Communicate via text to your golfers, call-to-the-tee feature to text golfers when it's time to approach the tee (avoiding bunch-ups).
• eRange/Range Servant - Adjusting pin-pad solution to system for contactless environment.
• Golf EMS - Pay for items and events online versus in-person.
   

Additional Items to Maximize Your Technology Infrastructure:

• Windows Updates on PCs - Get them applied right away. This is very easy to do and takes just a little time. Remember to do it on EVERY computer on your network.
• Upgrade All Windows 7 Computers to Windows 10 - This takes some time but needs done. Windows 7 is out of life and should be updated across your network.
• Test/Update Your File Backup System - If you house your own server, where are your backups stored? What would happen if your server died? Test your plan to be back online for all files, not just Club Prophet.
• Club Prophet Software Version - Do you have our latest and greatest release? Let's get you updated and show you our new features. The updates are free and you will find new features that help you better operate your facility.
• Virus Scans, Malware scans, Disk Cleanup, and Disk Defragmenter - These are all simple tasks to keep those PCs humming. Now is a great time to get hardware upgrades (although many suppliers are not shipping, it might be a good idea to inventory your equipment).  Things like:
  • Networking Equipment - New routers and firmware upgrade
  • Internet Speed - Increasing your bandwidth is sometimes as easy as asking your ISP
  • Other Hardware - Receipt printers, bar code printers, cash drawers, bar code scanners, kitchen printers or displays