So you purchased and installed the CPS On-Line Reservation plug-in to your StarterHut Tee Sheet (or you are thinking about it). There are many reasons to do so no matter what type of club you are. You automatically collect email addresses, phone numbers, addresses, etc., of your customers (vital for targeted marketing). Your tee sheet is open for reservations 24 hours a day, and hopefully you have cut down on phone calls to the pro shop to book tee times. So maybe it is not working out for you like you planned?

What are doing now to promote it? You probably put a blurb in the club newsletter (but hopefully you sent out an email blast) telling your customers that online booking is available. You probably posted a flier on the wall in the locker room. You put a link on your website for "Book a Tee Time" then you sat back and waited, and waited, and still the majority of your bookings are happening in the pro shop by your staff.

Here's the deal, if you don't train your dog to go outside, he is going to go on the carpet. So how do you train your customers to use the online reservations?

The club I belong to has a members' web site. In the 4 (or so) years that I have been a member, it hasn't changed at all. So I never look at it anymore other than to send the link to a friend I am planning on taking out for a round of golf. It's a nice site, nice photos, etc., but it is completely static and never changes. We don't have online tee times (since we don't even really need tee times but that's another story), so there is no need for me to go there - ever. If you don't keep your website, as well as email blasts, promotions and fliers fresh and dynamic (how many fliers are posted on your bulletin board in the locker room that are old enough to be antiques?), people won't read them; and they certainly won't read them twice. As in teaching, repetition is the key to housebreaking your dog, I mean customers.

You need to get your customers using the online booking system on a regular basis. Here are some ideas on keeping your carpet clean:

    1. You need to constantly remind your customers that online booking is available and show them how to get there.
        a) Put a note on the bottom of your sales receipts
        b) Put a note on the bottom of your Statements/Invoices
        c) Continue to put blurbs in your newsletters
        d) Add a comment to your recorded greeting on the phone
        e) Send out an email blast with the link to your online tee times
        f) Include your web address on your logo jar balls
        g) Display Signs, Banners, Fliers, etc. (Note: Use a large font if your customers can't read them without glasses you're 
            just wasting paper).
    2. Let's say you allow your golfers to book 2 weeks in advance. Make the 2 weeks start at 8pm so that the only way to
        book the "prime times" are by doing so online wait until the next morning to call the shop and the "prime times" are
        gone.
    3. Allot certain times to only be available for booking online.
    4. Add some promotion to your web bookings - Entry into a prize drawing or maybe a free sleeve of balls if you book
        online (or some other gift).

As with all of your marketing efforts, measure what works so you can weed out the things that don't -- and don't stop using the things that do work! Leave the "But not everyone has a computer..." argument at the door. If they can afford to play golf, they can afford a computer. Besides, you will never get 100% away from taking bookings in the pro shop; the goal is to get as much relief from that phone as possible.

To set up a Note that will print on your sales receipts: Go to Tools > Options > Hardware/Receipt > Receipt Options and enter a Receipt Footer note then click Save.

To set up an Invoice/Statement or Invoice Note: Go to Tools > Options > Sales Options > Invoice Message and enter your promotion then click Save:

 

Try something; your options are only limited by your imagination. Whatever you try, make sure to let your customers know with a consistent and recurring reminder. Otherwise, be prepared to keep scrubbing that carpet!

Enjoy :)