A Step-By-Step Guide to Transforming Your Business With Text Messaging: Golf Courses
Remember the good old days of pen and paper? Phone call after phone call, trying to manage tee time reservations, cancellations, and last minute changes.
Said no one working in the golf industry.
The introduction of easy to use tools like Lightspeed’s tee sheet management software completely changed the game for the golf industry.
Although these tools have improved day-to-day workflows for golf courses, from better management of inventory at the pro shop to using powerful restaurant POS systems, there is one key ingredient that is missing in this ecosystem.
An effective way to communicate with golfers.
The rising popularity of golf combined with a new set of expectations from the younger generation of golfers (Millennials and Gen-Z), golf courses need to keep their eyes and ears on the ever-changing consumer behavior changes.
Just as there are occasional, avid and veteran golfers, there are varying levels at which you can incorporate text messaging into your golf course operations.
Let’s explore what that would look like.
Stage 1: Getting Started with Text Messaging
As an industry that prioritizes stellar service and a luxurious ambiance for all golfers, why should you implement text messaging?
Puts you in a different league – it allows a golf course to brand itself as a top-tier destination that prioritizes relationships.
It is the most effective form of communication – 95% of text messages are read and responded to within 3 minutes of being received.
Opens doors – it compliments every revenue stream thanks to text payments, creates efficiency for your team by centralizing communication channels, and helps you organically capture feedback.
If the idea of text messaging from your business phone number brings up questions around consent, security, or which phone number to use, we put together The Ultimate Guide to Business Text Messaging to give you as much information as possible.
Let’s take a look at how you can integrate text messaging into your day-to-day workflows.
No More No-Shows
Automate text messages to be sent out to confirm tee times and reservations either a day or two before the booking.
While this is available in some booking systems already, the beauty of integrating a text messaging platform like Ikeono is the fact that you now have access to two-way text messaging.
Not only will confirmation and reminder text messages reduce no-shows, but it opens the door to continuing that conversation in case they need to reschedule so you don’t lose that business.
It’s also open-ended, instead of a golfer simply canceling a round after receiving an automated text and then having the added task to follow-up, the conversation can flow more smoothly and organically to ensure that they can come back.
Never Out of Touch
Picture it. It’s early morning. You wake up and realize that the weather is not looking as expected, and after many years in the industry you know for a fact that some golfers will want to change their reservations.
Luckily, you have implemented an easy way to handle customer communication.
No need to make a bunch of phone calls and leave voicemails, or worse, wait for them to reach out.
Sending real-time updates about course conditions, or potentially any weather-related closures will help golfers plan their visits accordingly and reduce frustrations on both sides.
You won’t end up with a bunch of cancellations and golfers will feel like they are well taken care of.
Stage 2: Taking the Next Steps
Now that we have covered the basics of introducing text messaging to your workflows, how can you take it one step further?
Never Miss a Beat
Having an all-in-one inbox makes the introduction of a new communication channel much easier to manage.
Introducing business text messaging with Ikeono means that you can now handle all inquiries in one place.
Whether it’s a question coming from someone navigating your website, a golfer reaching out on Facebook messenger or receiving a text message, you will be able to handle everything from one screen.
Tee, Tap, Transact with Text Payments
The world of text payments introduces many possibilities. What does that look like for golf courses?
Well, it’s about not letting different windows of opportunity slip away and instead being able to present golfers and future golfers with options at any given moment.
Off the Green
Whether you don’t advertise your prices on your website so that member’s spouses don’t see how much they paid, or it’s a sales strategy to only attract serious golfers, maybe you do even advertise your prices – having the option to quickly chat with potential prospects changes everything.
Even the most seasoned golfer will have questions if they are interested in joining a new club, having the option to quickly answer those questions will set you apart from the competition and the best part is you can close the sale via text message.
Whether you want to capture a deposit, maybe take the full payment for a couple of rounds or give them flexible payment options with Buy Now, Pay Later to pay off their membership.
Text payments allows you to stay in the moment and reap the rewards of an interaction with a future golfer, instead of being a stop in their research journey, you will be the destination.
On the Green
Using text messaging to connect with golfers on the green is one of our favorite use cases.
No wind, sunshine, it’s the perfect day for a round of golf but golfers on your course are wondering if they will ever see the drink cart again.
Putting up a QR code on the golf carts and encouraging golfers to send you text messages when they need a drink or some snacks can vastly improve their time on the course. There’s nothing like having hunger or thirst affect your game.
Text messaging doesn't just fix the dilemma of drink and snack carts availability—it also resolves the payments problem. Typically, the drink and snack cart only accepts cash or maybe retains the golfers' card to be charged later back at the clubhouse, which is inconvenient for both parties.
PRO TIP: Use the power of the collective to keep your greens pristine – ask golfers to text any damage that may occur on the course so that your team can tend to it right away. This will save you time and money by needing to do less check ups.
Stage 3: Maximizing the ROI
Whether you manage a municipal, public or private golf course, getting feedback from golfers will only help you grow and keep golfers happy and back for more.
This is an important time for the golf industry – like the cycling industry, golf has seen a lot of changes post-pandemic.
With a consistent rise in female golfers in the last four years, and the rise of junior golfers, at a 40% increase since 2019, golf courses are going through a period of transformation where they are relearning the preferences and expectations of golfers they serve.
What is the best way to get to know them and make sure they come throughout the season?
Text-Based Net Promoter Score (NPS)
Net Promoter Score is an important tool that is often overlooked in the golf industry but can significantly contribute to golfer retention.
Golf course owners with multiple courses, especially those that are in areas where competition is high should implement and actively monitor their NPS scores.
Let’s take Florida as an example, the state with the largest number of golf courses, where competition is fierce, to the point where golfers may easily opt for another course if there’s an inconvenience.
An Ikeono customer from Florida was able to repair a relationship with a new golfer that was not entirely impressed with how the marshal was controlling the pace of the play.
How?
By asking about their experience via text message.
The golfer was not upset enough to leave a review but had chosen to try another course since he felt as though the course didn’t uphold the level of service he was expecting.
NPS is also a tool that is used for targeted business goals such as course maintenance, staff training, facility upgrades, and more.
At the end of the day, your efforts in continuous improvement via NPS make for satisfied golfers who are more likely to return to your course and recommend it to others.
Google Business Profile (GBP)
How does text messaging and GBP go together?
It starts with the importance of GBP for any business and how Google review-requests via text message can change your rank on search results.
Golf courses need to maintain a complete Google Business Profile – it is paramount in maximizing online visibility and attracting new potential golfers.
Golfers actively engage with your Google Business Profiles to get information, find directions, and read reviews.
Leveraging a tool that allows you to easily garner reviews and in an organic way can be the difference between your golf course appearing in the coveted first top 3 search results or further down the list.
About 99% of consumers will look for reviews before giving a new business a try, and golf courses are no exception.
A complete profile can mean many things but what is important for a golf course is to encourage golfers to not only write about their experience but to also post photos, and in return for you to reply which you can do directly from your Ikeono portal.
Google prioritizes reviews with photos when choosing which reviews to show first, in fact, older reviews have precedence over newer ones if they are accompanied with a high-quality image.
Overall, the importance of reviews is unmatched as it affects both rank and trust from future golfers.
Ready to Start Texting Your Golfers?
Whether the majority of your golfers are first-timers, occasional or avid players, and maybe a few veterans, they all have different needs and expectations.
Some will know the difference between slope rating and course rating and others will only come to the realization that maybe taking a few lessons is a good idea – regardless of their skill level, your course promises a level of experience they should all get.
Incorporating text messaging into your operations gives you the ability to engage with golfers more effectively and adapt to their needs in real-time.
In an increasingly competitive industry, embracing text messaging will undoubtedly contribute to the success and sustainability of your golf courses.