RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY REVIEWS
inventory and promoting more effectively. might show that a completely different set Joking aside, external resources, inputs and
Align these to a critical evaluation of of objectives needs to be set. The problem experience can play a key role in getting
operating processes and proper financial that we have, as you alluded to at the a clear, unencumbered and fresh view of
management, and changes can be effected outset of our discussion and in other what the problems actually are and a new
almost immediately. However, these must be articles, is that the majority of our staff perspective on how to tackle them. Golf
balanced with both mid and long term goals capability and skills sets are custodial and estates also need to break down the old
across a range of areas where immediate so not only do we have to upskill or rewire barriers that seem to isolate us and be
results are largely not possible. our staff and management capabilities, but prepared to share common challenges,
the journey to reach our mid- and long-term problems, successes and failures we may
goals will not be an overnight process. The have had, in order to develop a communal
good news is that we can work on the pool of expertise and information.
John: I have found that many clubs don’t
understand their members’ needs, nor what
they want. In a recent discussion with a
facility wanting to get to five-star levels,
I pointed out that a coffee shop doesn’t
bigger goals and changes to our skills sets
and attitudes at the same time.
John: This has been an eclectic discussion,
and outside of the generic challenges, every
have a doorman and courtesy car, so that John: Yet if we haven’t got staff wired to be estate has its own specific hurdles, so in
it might be that these elements are not effective in this type of environment, then terms of the broader picture, can you share
relevant to the customer and the inputs where will the skills come from? one thought for the best way forward in
required to get to these levels will not
achieve either the ROI or the anticipated
customer satisfaction. I suggested that
profiling the members and guests would
be a better way of assessing what goals
should be set. Are these things within the
grasp of every estate golf facility, and is
it true that there is no gain without pain?
Francois: These can be achieved by every
estate and club, and I really believe that
the pain levels can be managed. I totally
agree that business intelligence is essential
to making any informed decision. Just
because I might feel that a red carpet and
a doorman are necessary, an evaluation of
the needs of the club’s members and guests
a macro sense?
WE MAKE GREAT
EFFORTS TO
BUILD A SENSE
OF COMMUNITY
WITHIN OUR OWN
ESTATES
Francois: Experienced consultants like you
are an excellent route to take, especially
when things work out and we can take
all the credit for the achievement. If they
don’t, then we can blame the consultant!
Francois: We make great efforts to build
a sense of community within our own
estates, so I would like to see this process
extended into our dealings with each other
as individual estates. We are associated
through ARC, but in real terms we very
often remain isolated from each other. In
doing this, we fail to share with each other
and so can end up groping about in the
proverbial dark, when through effective and
ongoing communications we could shine
a collective light onto common problems
and issues and share potential solutions.
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