Location: Spain including Balearic & Canary Islands (remote with travel)
Closing Date: NA
59club
A Global leader in the provision of service analysis, offering Financial Benchmarking, Mystery Shopper Audits, pioneering Survey and Feedback Software & Staff Training within the Golf, Leisure, Spa, F&B and Hotel Industries.
Market leading software and assessment criteria provides the resources to improve and maintain ‘sales & service’ etiquette, in turn increasing customer satisfaction, revenue & profits in the process.
59club was established in 2007, with a Head Office based in the UK. We are now operating in Continental Europe, the Middle East, Asia, United States, Canada and Australasia. The EU South is based in the Costa del Sol, Spain.
The Role
This role is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Manager to join 59club Europe South, supporting and growing a portfolio of partner venues who are looking to develop their business and the processes behind what they do. The Country Manager is the face of our business, a great communicator and educator, confident in the analysis and presentation of data with the ability to proactively source new opportunities and forge lasting relationships.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
• Proactively manage relationships, contracts and outcomes with key stakeholders
• Creation and delivery of bespoke training content to partner venues
• Seek opportunities to develop the footprint of 59club within primarily within Golf, Spa & Leisure
• Manage a portfolio of existing clients in line with 59club account management protocol
• Support 59club in the creation of content and product development
• Ensure the accuracy and timely presentation of monthly venue reports
• Train, Support and Monitor the work of 59club Testers to ensure delivery of agreed programme
• Support the effective delivery of 59club events and 59club attendance of industry events
• Inspire, motivate and engage customers to maximize opportunities for collaboration
• Adhere to 59club account management procedures, CRM protocol and database controls
• Drive brand awareness within the country and wider region through key marketing strategies
Person Specification
The ideal candidate will possess the majority of attributes listed below:
• A passion for Hospitality and a background working within the industries supported by 59club
• A working knowledge of the 59club Benchmarking Criteria
• Excellent communication and presentation skills (both written and verbal)
• A working knowledge of Resort and Club Operations
• A track record of delivering KPI’s including financials and business development
• Experience in the creation and delivery of training programmes
• Skilled in managing, administering and presenting large quantities of data
• Willingness to travel to meet the needs of the business (including overnight)
• Driving Licence essential
• The candidate must speak both Spanish and English fluently
Application Process
To apply for this role, please complete the short form below attaching a copy of your CV. For any additional questions, please contact Lee Mathew Waggott – General Manager 59club Europe South (lee@59club.com)
For more information about 59club, please visit www.59clubeurope.com
In die Eminent Collection werden die leistungsstärksten Häuser und Führungskräfte aufgenommen, die über einen langen Zeitraum hinweg die höchsten Standards im Kundenservice erreicht haben.
Die Berechtigung zur Aufnahme in die Eminent Collection basiert ausschließlich auf den Leistungen im Rahmen der 59club Service Excellence Awards, die über einen Zeitraum von mindestens fünf Jahren vergeben werden. Einzel- und Teamauszeichnungen sowie die Auszeichnung von Immobilien mit der Flagge tragen alle zur Eminent Benchmark of Excellence bei.
Bei der jährlichen Preisverleihung von 59club werden herausragende Einzelpersonen, Teams, Veranstaltungsorte und Gruppen in der weltweiten Golf- und Gastgewerbebranche ausgezeichnet, die die höchsten Standards im Bereich Kundenservice und Verkaufsleistung erreicht haben.
Die Gold-, Silber- und Bronze-Flaggen, die 59clubs Benchmark für Exzellenz in der Branche sind, werden ebenfalls jährlich verliehen. Diese hochgeschätzten Auszeichnungen würdigen Mitgliedsclubs und Resorts, die hervorragende Einrichtungen für Golfer bereitstellen und das ganze Jahr über den geforderten Standard im Kundenservice erreicht haben.
Die Qualifikation für diese prestigeträchtigen Auszeichnungen erfolgt unvoreingenommen und wird anhand der Ergebnisse eines detaillierten und objektiven Testkaufprogramms ermittelt, bei dem die Erfahrungen gemessen werden, die Mitgliedern, Besuchern und potenziellen Mitgliedern in den Bereichen Golf, Freizeit, Spa, F&B und Hotel geboten werden.
Conectando a los gerentes con información de la industria y una red global.
Nuestras encuestas de minutos se utilizan para recopilar respuestas inmediatas y diversas de la red global de 59club, cuyos resultados se analizan para identificar tendencias emergentes y luego se publican días después.
Cada encuesta quincenal destaca conocimientos técnicos, conceptuales y filosóficos de negocios de golf, ocio y hospitalidad en todo el Reino Unido, Europa, Estados Unidos, Canadá, Asia, Medio Oriente, África, Australia y Nueva Zelanda. La visión, colaboración y comunidad que Club Study crea inspirará la curiosidad y, en última instancia, capacitará a los gerentes de club para tomar decisiones informadas basadas en datos.
Se anima a los participantes a enviar preguntas que les gustaría que aparezcan en encuestas posteriores, poniendo a los gerentes de club en control de la dirección que toma el estudio para proporcionar una perspectiva de la industria como ninguna otra.
Informes anteriores han revelado la proporción típica de horas que un gerente de club pasa dentro y fuera de la oficina, la composición de la junta directiva o el grupo directivo de un club, la frecuencia de cambios en el menú de alimentos y bebidas y las respuestas emotivas para determinar el nivel de estrés de un gerente, para brindar una idea general de lo que está por venir.
Actualmente, Club Study es un servicio complementario como parte del compromiso de 59club de apoyar al gerente de club para lograr la Excelencia en el Servicio al Cliente aprovechando la perspicacia, la colaboración y la construcción de comunidad.
Conectando a los gerentes con información de la industria y una red global.
Nuestras encuestas de minutos se utilizan para recopilar respuestas inmediatas y diversas de la red global de 59club, cuyos resultados se analizan para identificar tendencias emergentes y luego se publican días después.
Cada encuesta quincenal destaca conocimientos técnicos, conceptuales y filosóficos de negocios de golf, ocio y hospitalidad en todo el Reino Unido, Europa, Estados Unidos, Canadá, Asia, Medio Oriente, África, Australia y Nueva Zelanda. La visión, colaboración y comunidad que Club Study crea inspirará la curiosidad y, en última instancia, capacitará a los gerentes de club para tomar decisiones informadas basadas en datos.
Se anima a los participantes a enviar preguntas que les gustaría que aparezcan en encuestas posteriores, poniendo a los gerentes de club en control de la dirección que toma el estudio para proporcionar una perspectiva de la industria como ninguna otra.
Informes anteriores han revelado la proporción típica de horas que un gerente de club pasa dentro y fuera de la oficina, la composición de la junta directiva o el grupo directivo de un club, la frecuencia de cambios en el menú de alimentos y bebidas y las respuestas emotivas para determinar el nivel de estrés de un gerente, para brindar una idea general de lo que está por venir.
Actualmente, Club Study es un servicio complementario como parte del compromiso de 59club de apoyar al gerente de club para lograr la Excelencia en el Servicio al Cliente aprovechando la perspicacia, la colaboración y la construcción de comunidad.
La cérémonie annuelle de remise des prix de 59club récompense les personnalités, les équipes, les sites et les groupes exceptionnels de l’industrie mondiale du golf et de l’hôtellerie qui ont atteint les normes les plus élevées d’excellence du service à la clientèle et de performance commerciale.
La qualification pour ces distinctions prestigieuses est impartiale et déterminé par les scores obtenus grâce à un programme détaillé et objectif de visites mystère, qui mesure l’expérience offerte aux membres, visiteurs et membres potentiels couvrant l’ensemble des opérations de golf, de loisirs, de spa, de restauration et d’hôtel.
59club, référence de l’industrie de l’excellence décerne également chaque année ses drapeaux Or, Argent et Bronze, ces distinctions très prisées reconnaissent les clubs de membres et les resorts qui offrent d’excellentes installations aux golfeurs, ainsi que le niveau requis de service à la clientèle tout au long de l’année.
59club’s Annual Awards Ceremony recognises the outstanding individuals, teams, venues, and groups within the global golf & hospitality industry for having achieved the highest standards of customer service excellence & sales performance.
59club’s Industry Benchmark of excellence, it’s Gold, Silver and Bronze Flag Designations are also awarded annually, these highly prized accolades recognise member clubs’ and resorts that provide excellent facilities for golfers to enjoy, as well as having achieved the required standard of customer service throughout the year.
Qualification for these prestigious accolades is unbiased; and determined by scores achieved through a detailed and objective mystery shopping program, which measures the experience afforded to members, visitors and prospective members spanning the entire Golf, Leisure, Spa, F&B & Hotel operation.
Nous sommes très heureux de vous confirmer l’organisation de notre deuxième cérémonie des trophées de l’excellence 59Club au Golf d’Ormesson, les 20 et 21 Avril 2023.
Programme du 20 avril :
conférence annuelle autour de la qualité, de l’excellence client et de la formation des équipes avec l’intervention de professionnels,
palmarès et remise des trophées 59Club aux meilleurs sites lors de notre deuxième cérémonie des trophées de l’Excellence 59Club et du dîner de gala.
Programme du 21 avril :
« 59club Trophy » : compétition en scramble à 4 avec tous les acteurs de la filière du golf.
Nous espérons que vous serez en mesure de vous joindre à nous pour l’événement, alors que nous honorons les meilleurs équipes et établissements de France qui ont offert les plus belles expériences clients en 2022, selon les audits des clients mystères de 59Club.
De plus amples informations sur l’événement suivront, mais toute demande immédiate doit être adressée à Colin Bosio, colin@59club.com ou au 0782103118.
Nous sommes impatients de célébrer l’excellence des ventes et des services avec vous !
59club will call on their team of Mystery Shoppers to deliver the agreed agenda of mystery tests. 59club monitor proceedings and deliver a comprehensive and completely impartial online report. The report is measured against 59clubs industry leading benchmarking criteria, confirming your sales etiquette & customer service levels against the best performing venues and the industry average. The audit will provide clear action points that assist you to succeed in line with industry standards.
Service Excellence Awards
Venues who receive the required number of audits per product,
qualify for 59club’s acclaimed Service Excellence Awards –
famously regarded as the Oscars of the Industry. The Awards are designed
to reward individuals, teams and clubs for delivering great service within their respective fields.
Venues who offer the very best service and facilities are honored with
59clubs coveted Gold, Silver or Bronze Designation Flag Award.
My59 Customer Satisfaction Survey Software
My59 contains industry leading Customer Satisfaction Survey Templates,
for managers to utilise the online platform independently as they work
proactively to succeed.
The golftell member app, also included within the my59 software, creates
a channel for club members (and their guests) to privately communicate
their views directly with club management, from the convenience of their
mobile device.
All survey products empower venues to measure their customer
satisfaction against the best performing venues and the industry
average.
Training & Education
59club’s training modules has assisted hundreds of venues worldwide to
excel and perfect their sales & service offering. Training can
address weaknesses highlighted by mystery shopper audits and customer
satisfaction survey feedback, ensuing clear action points are addressed.
Additional 24/7 education is provided by 59club’s interactive online
training platform, with built in push notifications linked to your
performance data.
Service Excellence Guaranteed!
59club affords venues the complete ‘Quality Assurance’ package to achieve Sales & Service Excellence.
Help is just a phone call away, contact us today, we look forward to working for you…
59club, Analistas de Atendimento ao Cliente e Provedor de Treinamento líderes da indústria, opera na Europa, Reino Unido, Irlanda, EUA, Canadá, Oriente Médio, África, Ásia, Austrália e Nova Zelândia.
Com inovadores questionários de satisfação de cliente, cliente mistério, auditorias, ferramentas de análise financeira, programas de formação a colaboradores, o 59Club, na Europa, fornece soluções de gestão e dados globais às industrias do golfe, lazer, spas, F&B e hotéis, de forma a maximizar resultados de vendas e proporcionar uma melhor experiência aos seus clientes.
59club, el proveedor de capacitación y analistas de servicio al cliente líder en la industria, opera en Europa, Reino Unido, Irlanda, EE. UU., Canadá, Medio Oriente, África, Asia, Australia y Nueva Zelanda.
Con una gran cantidad de encuestas innovadoras, tales como Satisfacción del Cliente, Auditorías de Comprador Anónimo, Herramientas de Comparación Financiera y Programas de Formación del Personal; 59Club Europe South facilita soluciones para la gestión de rendimientos y datos mundiales para los sectores de Hoteles, Golf, Ocio, Spa, Hostelería y Eventos, con el fin de elevar el Rendimiento de Ventas y la Experiencia del Cliente por todas las sedes de nuestros clientes.
59club, the Industry leading Customer Service Analysts and Training Provider, operates within, Europe, UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia & New Zealand.
With a wealth of ground-breaking Customer Satisfaction Surveys, Mystery Shopper Audits, Financial Comparison Tools and Employee Training Programs; 59club UK provides performance management solutions and global data to the Golf, Leisure, Spa, F&B and Hotel Industries, to elevate Sales Performance and the Customer Experience across their respective client properties.
TPC Scottsdale (Scottsdale), We-Ko-Pa (Fort McDowell), Pinnacle Peak Country Club (Scottsdale), Ancala Country Club (Scottsdale), Arrowhead Country Club (Glendale), Continental Golf Club (Scottsdale), Kokopelli Golf Club (Gilbert), Raven Golf Club (Phoenix), Stonecreek Golf Club (Phoenix), Superstition Springs Golf Club (Mesa), Tatum Ranch Golf Club (Cave Creek), The Legend at Arrowhead (Glendale), Chaparral Pines Country Club (Payson), McDowell Mountain Golf Club (Scottsdale), Ocotillo Golf Club (Chandler), Palm Valley Golf Club (Goodyear), Rim Golf Club (Payson), The Stone Canyon Club (Oro Valley), The Golf Club at Dove Mountain (Marana), The Gallery Golf Club (Marana), The Wigwam (Litchfield Park), Arizona Biltmore (Phoenix), Randolph Dell Urich Golf Course (Tucson)
Bermuda
The Mid Ocean Club (St. George’s)
California
David L. Baker Golf Course (Fountain Valley), Los Robles Greens Golf Course (Thousand Oaks), Meadowlark Golf Club (Huntington Beach), Shandin Hills Golf Club (San Bernardino), The Club at Ruby Hill (Pleasanton), The Oaks Club at Valencia (Valencia), Tierra Rejada Golf Club (Moorpark), Valencia Country Club (Valencia), Sonoma Golf Club (Sonoma), Baylands Golf Links (Palo Alto), Monarch Beach Golf Links (Dana Point), Tijeras Creek Golf Club (Rancho Santa Margarita)
Colorado
The Broadlands Golf Course (Broomfield), Greeley Country Club (Greeley), Kings Deer Golf Club (Monument), Arrowhead Golf Club (Littleton), The Club at Pradera (Parker), The Pinery Country Club (Parker), The Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks (Silverthorne), Pine Creek Golf Club (Colorado Springs)
Connecticut
TPC River Highlands (Cromwell)
Florida
TPC Sawgrass (Ponte Vedra Beach), Vanderbilt Country Club (Naples), Azario Lakewood Ranch (Lakewood Ranch), Golf Club of the Everglades (Naples), The Palencia Club (St. Augustine), Baypoint Golf Club (Panama City), The Club at Weston Hills (Weston), Eastpointe Country Club (Palm Beach Gardens), Black Diamond Ranch (Lecanto), Grand Haven Golf Club (Palm Coast), Tarpon Cove Yacht & Racquet Club (Naples), The Fox Club (Palm City), Eastpointe Country Club (Palm Beach Gardens)
Georgia
Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee (Eatonton), TPC Sugarloaf (Duluth), Reynolds Lake Oconee (Greensboro), Bobby Jones Golf Course (Atlanta), Cobblestone Golf Course (Acworth), Legacy/Fox Creek (Smyrna), Osprey Cove Golf Club (St. Mary’s), The Georgia Club (Statham), Big Canoe (Jasper). St. Ives Country Club (Johns Creek), The River Club (Suwanee)
Illinois
TPC Deere Run (Silvis), Pinecrest Golf Club (Huntley), Eagle Brook Country Club (Geneva), Fresh Meadow Golf Club (Hillside), Ruffled Feathers Golf Club (Lemont), Tamarack Golf Club (Naperville), Bull Valley Golf Club (Woodstock), Crystal Woods Golf Club (Woodstock)
Kokomo Country Club (Kokomo), Chariot Run Golf Club (Laconia)
Kansas
Manhattan Country Club (Manhattan)
Louisiana
Metairie Country Club (Metairie), TPC Louisiana (Avondale)
Massachusetts
TPC Boston (Norton), The International (Bolton)
Maryland
TPC Potomac (Potomac) , Glen Riddle – Man O’ War (Berlin), Glen Riddle – War Admiral (Berlin), The Links at Lighthouse Sound (Bishopville), Rum Pointe Seaside Golf Links (Berlin), Renditions Golf Course (Davidson), Hunt Valley Country Club (Phoenix), Montgomery Country Club (Laytonsville)
Michigan
The Old Club ( Harsens Island), Treetops Resort (Gaylord)
Minnesota
TPC Twin Cities (Blaine), Majestic Oaks Golf Club (Ham Lake)
Mississippi
Grand Bear Golf Club (Saucier)
Missouri
The Courses at Forest Park (St. Louis), The Highlands Golf & Tennis Center (St. Louis)
Nebraska
Ashland Golf Club (Ashland), Jackrabbit Run Golf Course (Grand Island), Pacific Spring (Omaha), Oak Hills Country Club (Omaha)
Nevada
TPC Las Vegas (Las Vegas), TPC Summerlin (Las Vegas), Cascata Golf Club (Boulder City), Rio Secco Golf Club (Henderson), Desert Pines Golf Club (Las Vegas), Las Vegas Golf Club (Las Vegas), Painted Desert Golf Club (Las Vegas), Angel Park Golf Club (Las Vegas)
New Jersey
TPC Jasna Polana (Princeton)
New York
Fenway Golf Club (Scarsdale), Country Club of Rochester (Rochester)
North Carolina
Cross Creek Country Club (Mount Airy), Pine Island CC (Charlotte), Hope Valley Country Club (Durham), Cleveland Country Club (Shelby), Colonial Country Club (Thomasville), The Cliffs at Walnut Cove (Arden), Carolina Trace Country Club (Sanford), River Run Country Club (Davidson)
Ohio
TPC River’s Bend (Maineville), Oak Shadows Golf Course (New Philadelphia), Union Country Club (Dover), Signature of Solon Country Club (Solon), Fox Meadow Country Club (Medina), The Club at Tartan Fields (Dublin), Weymouth Country Club (Medina), Country Club of the North (Beavercreek)
Oregon
Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club (North Plains)
Pennsylvania
Butlers Golf Course, (Elizabeth)
South Carolina
Palmetto Bluff (Bluffton), Haig Point (Hilton Head), Palmetto Hall (Hilton Head), Mixson Club (N. Charleston), Patriots Point Links (Mount Pleasant), Cobblestone Park Golf Club (Blythewood), The Cliffs at Glassy (Travelers Rest), The Cliffs at Mountain Park (Travelers Rest), The Cliffs Valley (Travelers Rest), The Cliffs at Keowee Falls (Six Mile), The Cliffs at Keowee Springs (Six Mile), The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards (Six Mile), Dolphin Head Golf Club (Hilton Head)
TPC Southwind (Memphis), The Ooltewah Club (Ooltewah), The Grove (College Grove), Westhaven Golf Club (Franklin)
Texas
TPC San Antonio (San Antonio), Boot Ranch (Fredericksburg), Harlingen Country Club (Harlingen), The Hideout Golf Club & Resort (Brownwood), Max Mandel Golf Course (Laredo),Bear Creek Golf Club (Dallas), Clear Creek Golf Club (Houston), Cowboys Golf Club (Grapevine), Iron Horse Golf Club (N. Richland Hills), Lake Park Golf Club (Lewisville), Lake Ridge Country Club (Lubbock), Lantana Golf Club (Lantana), Mansfield National Golf Club (Mansfield), Meadowbrook Canyon Creek GC (Lubbock), Plantation Golf Club (Frisco), The Golf Club at Cinco Ranch (Katy), The Golf Club at Twin Creeks (Allen), The Golf Club Fossil Creek (Ft. Worth), White Bluff Resort (Whitney), Canyon Springs Golf Club (San Antonio), Onion Creek Country Club (Austin), River Place Country Club (Austin), The Dominion Country Club (San Antonio), Twin Creeks Country Club (Cedar Park), Broad Bay Country Club (Virginia Beach), Gentle Creek Country Club (Prosper), Shadow Hawk Golf Club (Richmond), Black Hawk Country Club (Richmond), Golf Club of Houston (Humble), Blackhorse Golf Club (Cypress)
Utah
Talisker Club (Hideout), The Country Club (Salt Lake City), Jeremy Ranch (Park City)
Virginia
Winchester Country Club (Winchester), Hidden Valley CC (Salem), Kingsmill Resort (Williamsburg)
Washington
The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge (Snoqualmie)
Wyoming
The Golf Club at Devils Tower (Hulett), Three Crowns Golf Club (Casper)
Paul Armitage, new COO of Open Golf Club and managing partner for 59club Western Europe & North Africa
Golf Business News Interview with Paul Armitage, a partner in 59club Europe West and North Africa, covering France, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Morocco and Tunisia and recently appointed COO of Open Golf Club
GB Paul,
your new roles must involve you in a lot of travelling. How are you coping in
the COVID-19 crisis?
PA Well,
we can still travel around in France, which is most important for the new job
because we have got golf courses dotted around all over the country.
GBN How
many courses are in the group?
PA Owned
and operated there are 11 – one of them is in Belgium and ten are in France –
and then we run a ‘marketing network’ in addition. Golf courses have been
brought in under the banner of Open Golf Club and we actively promote them in
exhibitions and IGTM. There are about 40 at the moment, all over Europe.
GBN You
previously spent six years as Managing Director at Le Golf National, host of
The Ryder Cup Matches in 2018. You must look back on that period with enormous
pride and satisfaction because it all went so well.
PA Yes,
and that’s one of the reasons why it’s time to move on. When I was first
employed back in 2014 I was handed a lot of missions and all those boxes have
been ticked. I could have chosen to run all the day-to-day operations at the
Club but I’m the sort of person that needs a challenge. I like to be able
to change things. That doesn’t mean I need full autonomy so I can do what I
want – no – but I like to have an objective and to go through it from A-Z,
changing things on my way to succeed.
GBN Who
has been appointed as your successor?
PA When
I announced my resignation, which was in December last year, I wrote a letter
to my boss suggesting that he should give my deputy manager a chance. Philippe
Pilato has been at Le Golf National for 25 years, almost since the day it
opened.
He
was a golf pro and he looked after the Academy. I thought we’ve got ‘a hidden
gem’ here because we needed to implement customer service and a lot of tender
loving care to put into what we were going to serve out to customers in the
immediate future.
We
were going to raise the bar, raise the prices and bring in a new experience. To
get that to a successful end you need somebody who’s got a lot of empathy and
love.
I
said to Philippe look I think you are going to have to change jobs. He looked a
bit down, thinking oh I’m going to get the sack here and I said no, no, you’re
going to have to go home and think about this but I would like to identify a
director of customer service for Le Golf National. Why do I want one? Because
the Club needed someone who every day gets up and thinks about how they can
give a wow or a great experience to customers. There was nobody in particular
on the staff who was doing that.
He
came back a few days later and said yes, let’s do it.
So
that’s where he came from and he’s been a very, very, extremely good customer
service manager. Then last year I took him up to Director of Operations – golf
operations – and now he is GM!
GBN What
have been the benefits to Le Golf National from hosting The Ryder Cup? Is there
a payback for the huge investment of time, money and people?
PA There
has definitely been a pay-back especially in the case of Le Golf National.
First, the Ryder Cup obliged the French Golf Federation and Le Golf National to
change, to not consider itself as a local pay-and-play public golf course but
as a world class destination. I think we have created something there which is
unique as a model because it’s probably, even at 150 euros or 175 euros, the
cheapest round of Ryder Cup golf in the world. And it’s open. It’s not like
many major golf destinations where you have to be invited by a member or you
can’t get on. And the third thing is that we’ve got an extremely good standard
for those who come from those kind of places where they’ll not be too surprised
to come in and they’ll have customer service and a team, badged up and
welcoming, and bag-drops and buggies and everything you need at a
world-class major tournament destination.
So
I think that’s the major benefit. We have repositioned Le Golf National
completely keeping at the same time a local, regional and national customer
base happy.
GBN And
what about golf in France generally?
PA
I think that this year everybody is struggling to have a normal year. I think
COVID has knocked that on the head. There’s a lot of golf being played this
year but there’s not a lot of normal golf, if you know what I mean: people
travelling, playing in as many competitions as they have done in the past.
I
think that France is resisting well though – official golfer numbers are down
by around 3% this year.
The
Ryder Cup in France also delivered as far as the media is concerned. Although
we didn’t get live coverage on free to view terrestrial TV, we got a lot of
media coverage, much more than we would have got from a French Open, so golf
was definitely in the spotlight thanks to the event.
Now,
when you talk to anybody about golf in France, there is the demystifying
process which has been started so it looks and feels less elite. People in
France definitely identify themselves more easily with golf.
A
lot of people this September are coming into Open Golf Clubs for our ‘Golf
Discovery Days’. They started last weekend and participation and sales have
been quite good, in fact very, very encouraging for a COVID year when
everything is supposed to be doom and gloom.
GBN
And then golf is coming in the Paris Olympics in 2024?
PA
Yes. I actually think that the Olympics could do even more good for golf in
France.
We
will get public TV coverage because it’s public television which has the rights
to show the Olympics so there’s absolutely no reason why they should not put
golf on TV. It’s almost definite that France will have both boys and girls in
the Olympics. We probably won’t get a medal, but It won’t be like a Major
Championship, at least we’ll have participation. I mean this month in the US
Open there were four French players and I think that’s a record.
So
from a ticketing point of view there should be a younger public coming to the
Tournament because the ticket price will be very much accessible and it’s more
of a general public environment. So, I think that the Olympics could do even
more good for golf in France and is definitely great for French Golf 6 years
after the Ryder Cup.
GBN Right,
let’s talk about 59club because soon after you wrote your letter to your
colleagues at Le Golf National in December, you must have been making your
decision about getting involved with the 59club. We announced that in Golf
Business News back in February.
PA Yes,
indeed. I did everything the right order and there was absolutely no surprise
to anybody about 59club. It was all talked through with the Federation and the
staff and hopefully they will be using some of the 59club tools soon too. And
the same with Open Golf Club.
There
was absolutely no issue either with 59club because Open Golf Club will use the
tools and are interested in the success of 59club. My role at 59club is to set
up the business with Simon Wordsworth and our associate partner in France
called Sylvain Marcati who comes from customer service in another industry to
golf. I was determined to get this product on to the French market from 59club
which helped me hugely at Le Golf National from 2017 onwards to improve our
standards.
I
think we were capable of improving them ourselves but we weren’t capable of
benchmarking to know if we were doing enough and getting there quick enough and
moving things in the right direction and also the training aspect of 59club,
the tool is very powerful. I wanted the French market to benefit from the
wealth of products which only Le Golf National and another golf club called
Terre Blanche were using. Now we’ve got nearly 30 golf courses working on it
already.
If
golf in France wants to survive we have to stop, and this is important to say,
we have to stop playing just the price game. We have to stop just using price
as the way of satisfying the customer and getting new customers through the
doors.
We
have to use the service quality aspect to get results as well and get the
prices up because golf has an insatiable thirst for investment in machinery and
staffing. It costs a lot of money to run a golf course. So yes, if we all get
on the bandwagon of customer service and improving our standards then there’s
no way a customer can say, why did you put the price of the green fee up by a
pound or two?
And
that’s why I brought it in. So we’ve gone through quite a few weeks of
translating it. COVID came along and to be honest it’s put us back half a year
or a year on our business plans but I’m not bothered because it actually came
at a perfect time to get it just right. So we have spent ‘lockdown’ getting the
tools translated correctly into French and now German. They will be going into
other languages soon.
GBN
Yes, because you’re involved in other countries too, aren’t you? Not just
France?
PA Yes.
We have created a company which will look after all of Western Europe apart
from Spain and Portugal. We also have Morocco and Tunisia. We’ve got France,
Germany, Austria, Holland, and Benelux so we’ve got a lot on our plate. A lot
of it is taking shape right now and we are even looking at other European
markets as we speak.
GBN Your
objective to move away from concentrating on price, has that gone a long way?
PA
There were a lot of golf courses just communicating price and not service or
standards. Online prices were going, and in fact are still going, way too low
because if you start with a rack rate of £40 for a green fee and then you offer
50% off that price; or you are in a network and you’re offering 50% off
with a loyalty card then there’s not much left for the operator after
commissions and you’re paying VAT. There’s probably only £15 a round left for
you.
Out
of that you’ve got to cut the grass, you’ve got to pay the staff to smile and
you’ve got to get them in on a Sunday, which can be costly and difficult to
recruit in France, etc., etc.
We
should train up every single general manager in France, England, wherever about
yield management. There’s no shame in saying we don’t know how to do it. Why
would you sell a green fee on a Sunday morning for 15 euros? Well some people
are doing it because they think that it’s the right thing to do. They think
that if they don’t do it they won’t have a customer.
Well
that’s not yield management, that’s shooting yourself in the foot. So, yes, I’m
heavily into the business of helping managers to increase their customer
satisfaction and their customer service which automatically, according to the
lessons learned from Le Golf National, will turn into turnover.
People
will come back. Repeat play thanks to quality is a reality. Customer service
will do that once people have had a chance to compare. Word of mouth is still
your best advertisement!
So
all of that has gone through my thought process over the years. I have
moved away slightly from discounts without thought process. Which doesn’t mean
that I don’t do it at all, but I have really professionalised my attitude
towards yield management. I still do reductions, but I want to do them when I
have a good chance of increasing my revenues! Not lowering them!
GBN What
is the impact of COVID on golf in France?
PA
We’re pretty much back to what I would say is going to be normal as far as
golfing is concerned.
GBN
Normal or better than normal? There’s been a lot of talk about an increase in
rounds played during July and August.
PA Oh
yes, in terms of business July and August have been record months. They have
been record months on a few Open Golf courses.
GBN
Just a few moments left so can we talk about The Open Golf Club specifically?
That’s the most recent announcement we’ve had about your career to date. You
have been appointed as COO, I believe.
PA
Open Golf Club is highly respected company here in France. They have been under
the radar for quite a while. It’s a family business which today is still
family-owned. Laurent Boissonas has taken up the reins. He wants to try and
keep the spirit of a family company, but he definitely wants to modernise
process and operations.
We
have some wonderful facilities. They are premium places like Le Touquet with
the hotels and 45 beautiful holes and then 30 minutes up the road is Hardelot,
which is a European Tour qualifying stage venue – although not this year
because there won’t be any, thanks to COVID, but next year I guess. Hardelot
has 36 magnificent holes, very, very well-known to the Brits but not so
well-known to the French.
Then
we’ve got a van Hagge like Le Golf National at Seignosse, which is a
magnificent golf course just north of Biarritz. In the mountains behind Cannes
we have two golf courses and then around Marseille we have three and then in
Paris we have two.
So
we’ve got some wonderful sites. These golf courses are not desperate for
investment either because the family have always kept high capex levels on the
courses and they are pristine but we need to look at positioning the chain even
more in the higher end of the golf market, making sure people know who we are
and what we are about.
There’s
a definite objective to do more customer service, modernising our approach by
using modern tools such as online booking services. We also run all of the
restaurants and hotels and we have a strategy there with some out of the box
thinking.
So
we will be coming up with new concepts in 2021, bringing in new lifestyle
concepts.
The
9 hole concepts and the 6 hole concepts, they have a reason to be – there’s no
doubt about it – but it’s still a lot about having a day out with friends or
corporate friends. but you may need to do a couple of hours of work or an hour
of work and deal with your emails before you go for the beer after a day of
golf or after breakfast. We’re looking at that kind of aspect.
So
yes there is lots of work to be done at the golf courses we own and then the
other part of my job with Laurent is we’re going to kick off some new business
revenue flows and we’re also going to be looking at good opportunities to grow.
GBN
Within France or beyond?
PA I
think we would look beyond but not too far.
GBN
You are a very busy man, Paul.
PA I
just love it and my family know it. I just love to be thinking and creating. I
like to get into the office early and jot things down. It gives me a couple of
hours before everyone else comes in just to formalise ideas. It’s exciting
working on new concepts and when I’m happy at work I also perform better at home.
GBN
That’s great Paul, thank you very much. Is there anything else that you would
like to tell our readers?
PA Yes.
Stay safe during the COVID crisis but come over to France as soon as it’s over
and play some golf!
59club, le principal fournisseur de formation
et d’analyse des ventes et des services, a publié aujourd’hui my59 Mentor, son
expérience d’apprentissage virtuel intelligent, qui permet aux personnels de
revenir triomphalement au golf.
La nouvelle plateforme virtuelle présente les
programmes de formation de vente et de service de 59club, qui ont été acclamés
par la presse, depuis les stratégies de vente et de fidélisation des membres
jusqu’au perfectionnement des demandes de renseignements sur les ventes aux
entreprises et à l’amélioration de l’expérience globale des clients, en passant
par le golf et l’hôtellerie.
Les sites peuvent profiter de l’expérience du
mentor virtuel pour élargir leurs connaissances existantes, former de nouveaux
employés, améliorer les compétences du personnel et offrir des parcours de
développement personnel à tous les aspirants. Des marques blanches
supplémentaires, des vidéos et du contenu supplémentaire provenant de
contributeurs comme le célèbre Gregg Patterson, sont également accessibles sur
la plateforme, disponible 24 heures sur 24 et 7 jours sur 7 à la convenance des
membres du personnel.
La plateforme est également le véhicule idéal
pour stocker et communiquer directement avec l’équipe toutes les politiques et
les manuels de formation internes à l’entreprise, en fournissant également la
technologie nécessaire pour créer des cours de formation en ligne, vérifier les
résultats de l’apprentissage et suivre les acceptations de responsabilité au
sein d’une plateforme virtuelle conviviale, facilement accessible et en marque
blanche.
Le PDG du 59club Simon Wordsworth a déclaré :
“Nous avons reconnu la nécessité pour les organisations de contrôler leur
expérience d’apprentissage en ligne, nous avons donc construit une plateforme
que nos partenaires peuvent gérer sans aucune connaissance en matière de
codage. My59 Mentor a été développé dans un souci de simplicité ; sa conception
propre et intuitive fait de la plateforme une expérience conviviale pour les
administrateurs et les étudiants, quel que soit le dispositif utilisé.
“En cette période difficile, nous
comprenons le défi que représente la motivation du personnel et la nécessité de
renforcer le développement personnel, et c’est pourquoi l’éducation doit rester
une priorité. L’ensemble de notre contenu éducatif attend d’être découvert sur
la plateforme, quel meilleur moyen de motiver le personnel et de lui donner un
élan, en s’assurant qu’il est au top de sa forme et prêt à partir.
“Il n’y a pas un seul club de golf,
restaurant ou lieu d’accueil sur la planète qui, à court terme, continuera à
fonctionner comme d’habitude. Chaque club ou établissement sera confronté à des
problèmes aigus et importants découlant de la pandémie de COVID-19 – problèmes
que my59 mentor peut atténuer”.
Les notifications intelligentes
“push” seront directement liées aux données de l’évaluation mystère
et de l’enquête de performance d’un lieu, orientant le membre du personnel vers
la leçon pertinente au sein de la plateforme, car My59 Mentor agit
instinctivement pour renforcer les compétences du personnel et remédier à toute
lacune.
Les sites peuvent créer leurs propres
programmes d’éducation numérique en interne et personnaliser l’apparence de la
plateforme. Héberger les manuels du personnel et les fichiers d’aide pour
communiquer les connaissances et la politique de l’entreprise directement à
l’équipe, tout en rassemblant tous les contenus numériques et papier existants
dans une médiathèque. La plateforme offre également un moyen efficace pour les
responsables de communiquer avec leur personnel au sujet de leurs politiques et
procédures COVID-19 initiales, et du protocole progressif par la suite.
Dans my59 Mentor, il y a une fonction intégrée
de “Quiz” qui teste les connaissances avant et après les cours pour
évaluer les progrès. Une fois le test terminé, les personnes peuvent
télécharger des certificats pour authentifier leur réussite. Ce processus se
prête naturellement à l’organisation et à la communication efficaces des
nouvelles procédures opérationnelles COVID-19, démontrant que tous les membres
du personnel ont lu et compris clairement les nouvelles politiques au fur et à
mesure de leur entrée en vigueur.
Alcanada (Mallorca), Finca Cortesin (Costa del Sol), Infinitum Golf (Tarragona), La Hacienda Alcaidesa Links (Sotogrande), Camiral Golf & Wellness (Girona), Pula Golf Resort (Mallorca), Son Muntaner (Mallorca), Son Quint (Mallorca), Son Vida (Mallorca), El Paraiso (Costa del Sol), La Cala Resort (Costa del Sol), Golf de Andratx (Mallorca), Valle Romano (Costa del Sol), Real Club Sevilla Golf (Sevilla), Emporda (Cataluyna), Las Ramblas Golf (Murcia)
Portugal
Quinta do Lago (Algarve), Aroeira (Lisbon), Palmares (Algarve), Details: Old Course, Victoria, Millennium, Laguna & Pinhal (Algarve), Ombria Algarve (Algarve), Castro Marime Golfe & Country Club (Algarve), Vale Pisao (Porto)
Italy
Marco Simone (Rome), PGA Argentario (Tuscany), Olgiata Golf Club (Rome)
Greece
Costa Navarino
Bulgaria
Lighthouse G&CC (Cape Kaliakra), Pirin Golf, Hotel & Spa (Bansko)
Cyprus
Aphrodite Hills
Turkey
Antalya Golf Club
59club Europe West
FRANCE
AUVERGNE RHONES ALPES
Golf de Bresson, Golf de Chassieu, Golf de St Etienne, Golf de Grenoble Seyssins, Golf de Lyon Salvagny
BOURGOGNE FRANCHE COMTE
Golf de Quétigny
BRETAGNE
Golf de Dinard, Golf de Pléneuf-Val André, Golf de Saint-Laurent, Golf de l’Odet, Golf de Baden, Golf de Rennes St-Jacques, Golf de Val Queven, Golf de Ploemeur Océan, Golf Lac au Duc Ploermel 9T, Golf de Rhuys-Kerver, Golf de Saint Cast
CENTRE VAL DE LOIRE
Golf de Tours Ardrée
GRAND EST
Golf de la Grange aux Ormes
HAUTS DE FRANCE
Golf du Touquet, Golf d’Hardelot, Golf de Dunkerque, Golf de L’Ailette
ILE DE FRANCE
Golf National, RCF la Boulie, Golf des Yvelines, Golf d’Ormesson, Golf de Bellefontaine, Golf de Guerville, Golf de Marolles en Brie, Golf de Villennes, Golf de Saint Aubin, Golf de Rueil Malmaison, Golf de Saint Quentin, Golf de Chantilly, Golf de Lésigny, Golf de Meaux Boutigny, Golf de Crecy La Chapelle, Golf de Bussy Guermantes
NORMANDIE
Golf de Vaudreuil, Golf de Houlgate
NOUVELLE AQUITAINE
Golf de Seignosse, Golf de Gujan-Mestras, Golf de Pessac, Golf de Bordeaux Lac, Golf de Niort-Romagné, Golf du Domaine des Forges, Golf de Mazières en Gâtine, Golf de Rochefort Océan, Golf de Pau-Artiguelouve, Golf Lacanau-la-Méjanne, Golf d’Arcangues, Golf de la Grange aux Ormes, Golf de Moliets, Golf du Chateau de Vigiers, Golf Biarritz Le Phare, Golf d’Arcachon, Golf du Medoc Resort
OCCITANIE
Golf Nimes Vacquerolles, Golf de Grand Rodez
PAYS DE LOIRE
Golf de Saint Jean de Monts, Golf de Savenay, Golf de La Domangère, Golf d’Avrillé, Golf de Pornic, Golf des Fontenelles, Golf Le Croisic, Golf de Nantes Erdre
PROVENCE ALPES COTE D’AZUR
Golf de Sainte-Maxime, Golf de l’Estérel, Golf de La Grande Bastide, Golf d’Opio valbonne, Golf de Marseille la Salette, Golf de Servanes, Golf de Sainte Baume, Golf de Pont Royal, Golf Grand Avignon, Golf de Terre Blanche
Belgium
Cleydael
Golf & Country Club, Brussels Drohme Golf Club
59club Nordic & Northern Europe
Denmark
Royal Copenhagen Golf Club (Copenhagen), Aalborg Golf Klub (Aalborg), Køge Golf Klub (Køge), Esbjerg Golfklub (Esbjerg), The Scandinavian (Farum)
59club continues its growth with the creation of the Western Europe and North Africa division in order to improve sales and services, by increasing customer satisfaction, turnover and profits
January 30, 2020: Golf and leisure clubs, hotels, restaurants and spa destinations can now benefit from an in-depth vision of their operational successes and areas in search of improvement thanks to the formation of a division dedicated to France ; Belgium; The Netherlands; Swiss; Germany; Austria; Morocco and Tunisia.
The new division will be managed by the highly decorated Director General of Golf National in Paris; Paul Armitage, who, alongside his other commitments, will also co-own and lead the expansion of 59club in Western Europe and North Africa. It is the latest addition to the world’s leading customer service specialists – currently operating across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the United States. United.
59club is renowned for their performance management tools, customer satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping audits, while training and education services are widely regarded as the best in their class in the industry. industry.
With many world leading sites, 59club offers an acclaimed path to measure and develop levels of customer service and sales performance for staff. Their know-how and expertise hold the key to growth, which considerably increases the acquisition, satisfaction, loyalty and profitability of companies of all sizes.
59club has been present across Europe for over 10 years after engaging with many leading golf and hospitality sites, including European Tour Destinations; Le Golf National, Terre Blanche, Diamond Country Club and Golf Club St Leon-Rot alongside Monte Rei, Alcanada and La Manga among many others. With a dedicated local presence, the grip of the 59club in the region is ready to perfect the golf, leisure and hospitality experience offered to consumers while pushing the club’s revenues to new heights.
59club’s online dashboard allows these managers to compare results to the industry benchmark, top performing properties and even direct competitor sites of their choice, making it one of the the only way for sites to measure their performance within their market.
After the launch of 59club Western Europe and North Africa, 59club CEO Simon Wordsworth said: “We are absolutely delighted to expand our range of services in Europe and North Africa and to start with launch of this new business. 59club is a people affair, we could not ask for better partners to lead this division than Paul Armitage and Sylvain Marcati who will drive our expansion in the region. We have the utmost confidence in both of them. Our data collection and analysis tools will help golf clubs and other hotel establishments get the most out of their activities and put customer service back at the forefront of club and resort management. It’s great to see our product now available in French. “
Paul has worked in the golf industry since 2003. He held several site manager positions before joining group headquarters and successfully developing brands such as LeClub Golf.
Paul joined the French Golf Federation in 2014 to help prepare Le Golf National, not only to host the 2018 Ryder Cup, but also to elevate levels of service and experience to resemble those of other golf destinations in major tournaments around the world.
Working with 59club tools to help improve standards and with Paul’s knowledge of the needs of modern golfers – it’s a combination for success. So it was an obvious choice for Paul to help bring 59club to wider markets across Western Europe, Morocco and Tunisia.
“Customer service must be the number one priority of all golf and hotel managers,” said Paul Armitage, partner at 59club Western Europe and North Africa. “In today’s world, competition is fierce. Once you lose a customer because of poor service, it’s likely they’ll never come back. This is why 59club was created. It is the only benchmarking tool specific to golf, leisure and hospitality in the world that provides this type of objective analysis, ensuring that operators make informed decisions to increase customer loyalty.
“I am extremely proud to have excelled with the help of tools provided by 59club to the Golf National, and just as enthusiastic about the idea of generating the same important successes for my peers across the region, as an association with 59club offers. ”
PGA National (West Palm Beach), TPC Sawgrass (Ponte Vedra Beach)
Georgia
Bobby Jones Golf Course (Atlanta), Cobblestone Golf Course (Acworth), Legacy/Fox Creek (Smyrna), Osprey Cove Golf Club (St. Mary’s), The Club at Lake Sinclair (Milledgeville), The Georgia Club (Statham), TPC Sugarloaf (Duluth)
Illinois
TPC Deere Run (Silvis)
Indiana
CC of Indianapolis (Indianapolis)
Louisiana
TPC Louisiana (Avondale)
Massachusetts
TPC Boston (Norton)
Maryland
TPC Potomac (Potomac)
Minnesota
TPC Twin Cities (Blaine)
North Carolina
Cobblestone Park Golf Club (Blythewood), Cross Creek Country Club (Mount Airy), Pine Island CC (Charlotte)
New Jersey
TPC Jasna Polana (Princeton)
Nevada
TPC Las Vegas
(Las Vegas), TPC Summerlin (Las Vegas)
Ohio
TPC River’s Bend (Maineville)
South Carolina
I’On Club (Mount Pleasant), Mixson Club (N. Charleston), Patriots Point Links (Mount Pleasant)
Tennessee
TPC Southwind (Memphis)
Texas
Harlingen Country Club (Harlingen), TPC San Antonio (San Antonio)