If not please indicate why. What types of events would you like to see more of? However, in a club environment, certainly one with a large membership and/or a multi-million dollar food and beverage operation, an $80,000 loss may be perfectly acceptable. For example, the following question is highly ambiguous and likely to generate highly misleading results: The time frame should be considered in this question. It was the biggest reason why I had interest in picking up BevSpot at Black Rock and bringing it over to Oak Hill.. If I saw a wine on my menu at a restaurant in town, I made it a point to make it a dollar or two cheaper, because it shows that value to members coming into the club., Tim echoed this at Oak Hill. As a rule, a survey should be about two pages in length plus a cover letter explaining why participation is important and to explain the surveys objective. Golf Cart Utilization: golf cart usage as a percentage of total rounds, which typically ranges from 35% to 50% depending on walkability of the golf course. Todays private club members expect more than an exceptional on-site experiencethey also want an exceptional online experience. Response rates in this range will generally provide statistical validity. RCS Hospitality Group, now honored ten times by BoardRoom Magazine for excellence, is the "go-to" group for customer service centric operators seeking state-of-the-art management consulting and hospitality training services that combine 21st-century techniques with the timeless 'art' of hospitality service. But membership interests have drifted from the golf course into new leisure areas. Club Governance, COPYRIGHT CLUB BENCHMARKING 2023. As a rule, survey objectives need to be deep and narrow instead of broad and shallow. . Most owners and operators want to be as efficient as possible without lowering their expected standard of excellence. Learn about why there is an important difference between private club and restaurant operations and the key differences that need to be considered - PBMares - Norfolk CPA firm. Additionally, private clubs are well aware of the numbers when it comes to member turnover. And though this hospitality sector is unique, common financial goals of increased sales and revenue growth are necessary benchmarks for Food and Beverage Directors to hit. We offer these eight ideas to incorporate into your plans for upgrading membership experience and growing new revenue. The best event planning questions to ask corporate and wedding clients. The food and beverage minimum at a country club is typically $50 per person, but it can vary. How often do you visit your private member portal? (Please indicate your handicap and tees played). If so, how many? A requirement for effectively using benchmark standards to improve your specific circumstances is the application of experience to compare and contrast your results with that of the standard, investigate discrepancies and develop focused improvement plans. While the private club industry does not have published statistics, a general rule is that 40-75% is . Beverage programs are high profit centers for independent restaurants. We still have to be able to adjust for things like that, Tim tells us. But clubhouse dining services are actually a great place to grow revenue. Although it is easy to react to the points raised by a vocal minority, it is important to remember this is to the clubs larger membership base to provide the data upon which to make the important decisions regarding the clubs future. Did any particular holes stand out as under-maintained? Were you offered any wine pairing recommendations based on your order? Welcome to the Food & Beverage survey 2021! In summary, benchmarking standards help each operator remain competitive within their market segment. Please rate your level of service from our outside service staff? Are you planning on renewing your membership next year? And raising wine sales by $3,000 a month at Troon Golfs The Clubs at St. James Plantation. Gaining member perspectives on the quality of the course can help you determine where to focus the most attention and how to delegate man-hours. Membership Report Findings The clubs member count relative to clubs of similar size was very low (the 13thpercentile) and the member turnover rate was very high13 percent versus the national median of 5 percent. Too many clubs find themselves stuck in the F&B Trap which we define as rigid adherence to the belief that a club should make a profit in F&B (or "lose less money") and that a club is healthier if it makes a profit in F&B than if it shows a deficit in F&B. David Martin, a long-time Canadian club manager, was responsible for bringing the system into the Summit. How likely are you to recommend our club to someone you know? Each member will have a different perspective on the issue in question and these perspectives will make for a more thorough survey and create leadership buy in into the process. The true root of the problemmembership countwas obscured by the boards singular focus on F&B as the answer to the clubs financial pressure. Retail, food and beverage, and appointment scheduling functions are all covered by Square, all with high-quality hardware options and a reputation for excellent . This is no small feat, especially considering the unique challenges private club F&B outlets face compared to traditional restaurants. If a member comes up short on the minimum requirement they are charged the difference. Was the locker room properly stocked with towels, toiletries, and other shower supplies? On a scale of 110, how would you rate the variety and schedule of drink specials? Another common mistake, and the one that is most difficult to identify, is bias. Private clubs operate in a unique sector of the hospitality industry. The three most common issues associated with the way a survey is formatted involve: A member survey will probably get more attention than the average club mailing received by the members. Some members just want their Dewars on the rocks. Click here to view a sample Club Benchmarking report. Club management needs to consider how they can maximize engagement and support in every single F&B outlet: the formal dining room, the casual dining room, the clubhouse, the grill, and the halfway house on the course. The Club, as one of the nation's best private clubs, has been recognized as a five-star Platinum Club by a respected industry survey of peer club managers and presidents and earned the designation of a distinguished Emerald Club of the World by Boardroom Magazine. This all culminates into an intense interest in the information surrounding what people eat and drink. by Lightspeed. Subscribe to On The Line. whitepapers, Prime Cost gives us a better understanding of the health of the business than food or labor costs alone. This can result in misleading results and lower response rates. Ask event clients the basics. In most cases, each country club department has its own P&L, staff, and vendors, making private club accounting super complex. (1 = poor, 10= excellent). (1= Poor 10= Excellent), How attentive and knowledgeable is the overall food & beverage service? Start a FREE Trial Today! Average number of guest rounds per membership, typically ranges from 5 to 12. Food and Beverage, This will usually result in meaningless data and misleads the members. Average revenue per customer in all categories will continue to climb, with steep increases from 2022 through 2025 overall. Advertising expense is measured as a percentage of total revenue, as are other variable expenses such as bank charges and credit card fees. Using the above example of COGs at 38% and Labor at 50%, Prime Cost is at 88%. In an effort to clearly identify the clubs strengths and opportunities for improvement, the clubs GM became a Club Benchmarking subscriber. Our survey of overall club membership for country clubs continues to show a stagnant membership base. Club Management:Be proactive in using data to help the board understand the business model of a private club and what drives that model. According to the most recent NGCOA Canada Compensation & Benefits Report, the average full-time equivalent head count at public and semi-private facilities in Canada is 18.2. Golf Course Restaurants: Our Guide to Running a Successful Operation. Please take a few minutes to let us know your opinions and suggestions on our Food & Beverage Service. Is pork included? As weve seen in the past, the place for change and better service is at the dinner table. This rough draft process of developing questions is best accomplished with a designated committee. Also, the questions should specifically address the survey objective, but you may want to identify demographic questions that will be needed to segment the results and them more actionable. Generally, a member survey is necessitated because of an issue or opportunity facing the club. The suit and subsequent economic downturn caused member counts to drop significantly and club leaders were anxious to reverse the tide and expedite the recovery process. Operators need more dynamic information which allow for the development and implementation of timely tactical solutions. . Full Member Equivalent: total annual dues divided by a full members annual due. These financial benchmarks were weighed against the need to stay relevant and respond to member desires. Ask questions more often than you give answers. Weve already seen mobile tee time reservation platforms become widely available. What types of events would you like to see less of? Beyond the course itself, members need to feel satisfied with the facilities, the clubhouse, and the service. Consulting's biennial consumer food and beverage study focused on today's food consumption trends included nearly 1,600 survey participants. Public and semi-private facilities employ an average of 52 employees, with significant variances in the mix of staff (permanent, seasonal, full-time, and part-time) by region and type of facility you are encouraged to consult the report for a detailed breakdown of compensation by key position. Financial performance is not just net income, it includes managing the balance sheet (working capital and debt) and ensuring the maintenance of physical assets. Public and semi-private golf course operations have a singular focus maximizing the yield on a finite inventory of available tee times. Rounds per membership, typically ranges from 35 to 48. With trends in club dining changing, it shouldnt create a period of unrest, but rather a time to explore new opportunities for member happiness and revenue growth. It is desired to learn why a member would choose a restaurant versus dining at the club. Please provide us with any suggestions you may have as we are always striving to improve the club. How are the grounds crew staff when you are on the course? (1=poor, 10 = excellent), Please rate the quality of the food. Members want more ways to stay connected to their clubs online and on-site, and integrated private club solutions are an increasingly popular option for clubs focusing on member retention. First, members will be more likely to respond right away if they have a deadline. Latest News, Business Planning, Insight, Operations, Private Clubs, Strategic Planning, Strategy, Success, Benchmarking & Best Practice, Best Practice, Asset Management, Fund & Asset Managers, Semi-Private, Public & Resort Properties, SI Insights, SI Resources, Financing, Market Analysis, Operational Analysis, Member & Customer Surveys, Membership, SI Best Practices. These establishments often provide food and beverage services, equipment rental services, and golf instruction services" (p. 2). The most valuable resource for a club manager is to gather those opinions and collect factual data. With its success, the Bonita Bay Club has been raising its initiation fee regularly. The company is a leader in consulting services that have their basis in functionality . Were the bunkers raked and well-maintained? 1. How often do you attend on-site club events? As club managers assess what the future looks like for their businesses, tech companies whose focus is hospitality aim to make that future user-friendly. Have you worked with an event planner before? The Club is open year round and offers multiple dining venues including casual, formal and alfresco to its 800 member families. The average Country Club Manager salary is $86,102 as of February 27, 2023, but the salary range typically falls between $78,115 and $100,424. Despite the overwhelming evidence, and the best efforts of the GM, the board chose not to accept the facts and instead stayed mired in the F&B ber alles mindset. If you were Superintendent for a day, what would be one thing you would Were the greens trimmed and well-maintained? Reports to: Food and Beverage Manager (MIT) Date Prepared: November 2022 Hinsdale Golf Club is one of the premier private clubs in the Chicagoland area, recently completing a multi-million-dollar renovation of the Clubhouse interior and have investments in many continual renovation and update projects. We know the industry extensively and deliver services tailored to the needs of the private club environment. For 90% of country clubs, the bread and butter comes from golf operations and member dues. This is a seasonal (April- November) full-service premier private golf & country club consisting of approximately 450 members. Salary information was gathered from a variety of reliable sources including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Hospitality Industry Analysts, industry-specific universities, online resources and various studies published by hospitality industry associations. On a scale of 110, how would you rate the cleanliness of the dining area? There are several places available for additional comments. Please rate which capital improvements you would like to see take priority. Generally, food and beverage cost of sales as a percentage of food and beverage revenue average between 26% and 36%, while merchandise cost of sales as a percentage of merchandise revenue average between 65% and 75%, depending on the mix of hard and soft goods sold. A Mcgladrey's club trend report from July 2015 found that "54% of Florida clubs increased food prices by 4% on average, while 41% of clubs increased beverage prices by 4%.". Being able to back up his decision-making process with actual sales data when it came to buying decisions for your menuand pricing was a huge boon to Tim and he was able to discover marked improvements. If you are not using KPIs, you are at a disadvantage and are missing a key tool in your management toolbelt. Food cost percentage is calculated by taking the cost of ingredients and inventory in a given time . The dashboards are produced on a periodic basis, either daily, weekly or monthly depending on the audience. However, Marc still found a need to price aggressively against other restaurants on the island. The format of the member survey is almost as important as the wording of the questions. With some daily-fee courses charging $100 or more for a round, you might already be . As you will see in the detail below, the data clearly showed that through creativity and cost control the GM was actually patching up weak dues revenue with significant profit in F&B. Surveying the membership is a one great way to measure their satisfaction and wants. Dahlia Snaiderman. In the suburbs, food and beverage tends to be budgeted to break even or lose money. Adapting to COVID-19 New. Marie Verschuuren, 63, and her . Podcasts. All-to-often we see clubs cherry-pick small success while turning a blind eye to the disappointing areas of the operation. This can be an invaluable opportunity to identify potential members and encourage them to join your club. The most important are KPIs that allow for timely revenue enhancement and service improvements that improve patron/member enjoyment. This makes the process of returning the survey almost effortless. Ray Carpenter, CEC, has been the Executive Chef of Columbus (Ohio) Country Club (CCC) since January. Employers do not like surprises and negative feedback from the members especially when they are unaware that a survey has been sent. Austin, TX 78712 (University of Texas area) 2324 San Jacinto/24th. (5= Excellent; 4= Above Average; 3= Average/Good; 2= Below Average; 1= Poor . Include a personalized cover letter that includes information regarding the survey objectives, how the information will be used, a few words about the importance of the members input, and contact information if the member has any questions. The author who developed this survey question was either consciously or sub-consciously steering respondents toward a particular response option. Product variance is still an issue. $69k. Evaluate and improve service and hygiene: It helps the restaurateurs to enhance the quality of food and serve better in the future. This takes time but it can change the dynamics and results of the club and set a proper foundation for board vs. club management roles and responsibilities. b. The use of benchmarks allows operators to both measure performance and adjust operating procedures to improve performance and meet the goals of the club. As clubs find new footholds for revenue and member engagement, food and beverage services will continue to grow as an important marquee feature. Smart phones are seen and used on a regular basis. Its going to be on my list no matter what. For more information about our privacy practices please visit our website. BevSpot investigated and came up with some interesting insights about country club bar programs. On average, attrition rates for golf and country clubs hover around 6% to 8%, while city and . How many rounds did your guests play at Oxmoor Country Club in the past 12 months? Home The Unique Challenge of A Country Clubs Bar Program. Those results were attributable, at least in part, to extremely low labor costs in that department. The . Interested in creating better online and offline experiences for both members and management? Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club Food and Beverage Survey: In this survey you will be asked questions about service, food quality, and overall impressions of the 19th Hole, Main Dining Room, and Cocktail Lounge. While the private club industry does not have published statistics, a general rule is that 40-75% is typical depending on the size of the club. Ive always told my employees when they come in that, if you dont have an answer or dont know how to do it, you ask somebody else and we try to make it happen no matter what. Private golf clubs need more than an exceptional golf coursethey need to create exceptional golf experiences. KK&W provides Food & Beverage training that focuses on the fundamentals, product knowledge, describing menu offerings, pairings, crafting a spiel, making recommendations, steps of service "do's and don'ts," emotional skills, habits, accountability and how to deliver exceptional service at a luxury level in line with today's high guest . The Baby Boomers who traditionally . 5 Country club accounting branches. January 27, 2016 Food cost Beverage cost Golf merchandise cost . What type of Oxmoor social events would you like to see more of? Just because we can run 40% margins, it doesnt mean we can let go of control levels in our beverage program. Fair warning: The case study youre about to read may be disturbing for even the most seasoned club leader. Being sat at a table because someone knows its your favorite table, getting your favorite drink, and getting your food specially made the way you like it, all without asking. Thats hospitality and thats what were in the service of providing [at Oak Hill]., Marc stressed this point at Westmoor as well. $50 per month food and beverage . Taking it one step further, Forest E. Bell II, Executive Chef at Congressional Country Club (C&RB, Oct. 2006), says his club takes food safety to the next level by keeping a master list of all of the food allergies among the 3,000 club members and their families not only on file, but also stored within Congr essional's point-of-sale system. . Actual key employee payroll and benefit costs. 188. Additionally, if your private club offers on-site banquets and events to non-members, you can use an automated follow-up survey to assess their experience. Any longer than that, and survey fatigue sets in, and your drop-off rate rises significantly. While we've mentioned the 10 most important questions to ask in a survey, we advise you not to ask them all at once. On a scale of 110, how would you rate the variety and quality of the regular menu? To minimize misunderstandings, be sure to pretest the survey. Maintain the membership at the level necessary to eliminate outside sources of revenue. Too many clubs find themselves stuck in the F&B Trapwhich we define as rigid adherence to the belief that a club should make a profit in F&B (or lose less money) and that a club is healthier if it makes a profit in F&B than if it shows a deficit in F&B. The belief that club food and beverage can be relied on as cash generating profit center rather than an amenity for members is arguably the club industry's most notorious and persistent dragon. (Note: This question can apply to each F&B outlet.). Summit is an average-sized private club with annual food and beverage revenues of slightly under $1 million. Farm-to-table is the most nutritious way to bring . Country Club Public Restaurant4 Difference Food 40% 30% 10% Beverage 33% 19% 14% Labor . The past few years have marked a rebounding period for clubs across the country. They were taking steps that would not be acceptable in most clubs, but the club was generating F&B profit equivalent to dues from 35 members. . The University of Texas Club 3.8. All rights reserved. iPad menu management platforms make it easier to manage beverage programs and cut back the costs of printing, time spent revising menus, and maintaining accurate inventory information. He runs a 35% food cost and does about $1.5 million in annual food-and-beverage revenue, with an 70/30 split between a la carte and banquet. Were staff dressed properly in uniform attire? Have these members make comments on the survey about words or concepts that were unclear. change on the aesthetics of the course? The cost of sales metrics are generally more straightforward and easy to come by, with costs more consistently recorded and tracked. On a scale of 110, how satisfied were you with the complimentary toiletries in the locker rooms? On average, how many days a week do you visit the club? 90%. Morgan told the web publication We Are Golf, The industry is changing in response to technology, a move to family-centric culture and overall casualization. Tee time utilization: rounds played compared to rounds available; and. Additionally, youll be able to easily pull aggregate data to explain largescale trends in member satisfaction to the board. A total of 1000 surveys were sent, with 40 returned as "undeliverable", netting a sample size of 960. The average annual cost for dues at the clubs responding to the survey was $6,245, which is about $520 a month. But how do these operating models work exactly and how do they differ from that of their restaurant kin? Was your order taking in a timely, efficient manner? c. A licensed club may obtain a mixed beverage club events license for on-premises sale and consumption by members Furthermore, more sophisticated operators have set up specific dashboards with differing KPIs for different levels of management and/or ownership. 26 minute read. Evergreen Country Club Survey 1. At a private club, our [food and beverage] buying is dictated by our members, says Tim Gallant, the Senior Food and Beverage Manager of the prestigiousOak Hill Country Club in Rochester, NY. F&B profitability was at the 95thpercentile. Each individual workshop day will run, PNW PGA StayInvolved Education Series Women professionals, join us for a 60-minute video conference. Working closely with CB Co-Founder & COO, Russ Conde, they completed the data entry process and analyzed a variety of standard graphical reports in order to develop a plan of action. No card Information needed! How did you hear about [INSERT CLUB NAME HERE]? As you may have guessed, during this battle key members of the clubs management team, including the GM, were asked to leave. A private club shall provide regular food service adequate for its members and their guests. ), Professionalism of Club Staff / Personnel, Do you consider the day to day course setup to be too easy or too The KPIs for each type of course are different. What club amenities do you use most frequently? Suite 301 There are different branches of accounting used within a country club. For example, is there need to understand the responses by age, gender, years of membership, category of membership? Include a return by date. Utilization of tee times by membership category. City clubs were better in attracting new members over the last few years with a 1.2% increase in 2019. An example of important revenue KPIs for a private club are shown below: Similar to public golf courses, cost of sales as a percentage of revenues are some of the more readily available metrics. For example, a 10-year member may have a very different experience from a first-year member. There are important lessons to be learned on two fronts in this case study. Was this the first event youve attended at [INSERT CLUB NAME HERE]? A successful customer satisfaction survey measures customer satisfaction, or C SAT, through a range of questions. Misconceptions related to food and beverage profit or loss are the private club industry's most dangerous and pervasive issue. Overall Golf Course Conditions (e.g. Click here for more information on Uncorkd. F&B Report Findings The CB benchmark data clearly showed the clubs F&B operation was performing well beyond national norms from a financial perspective. Did you bring any non-member guests to the last event you attended? After the recession hit in 2007, private clubs had to push through a turbulent economic period worsened by membership decline. Going Digital New. This will allow you to maintain more comprehensive member data to better identify areas of strength and opportunity. This is simply due to the culinary and beverage programs being a secondary income generator for these clubs and just an additional amenity to offer to members rather than the feature attraction. difficult? Club Business Model, Were you shown to your table in a timely manner? Wean off revenue driven activities like Marriott guest golf and outside banquets. Labour expenses are the largest category of expenses for golf courses, generally ranging from 52% to 58% of total expenses. The prospects for the clubs eventual recovery seem in doubt absent a dramatic shift in the boards internal dynamics and a willingness to govern based on fact rather than opinion or agenda. In your next assessment, consider using some of the following questions to determine how your members feel about the different areas of your private club: If youve been effectively maintaining membership records using your club management platform, you should have this information already, but this is a simple way to frame the members responses for the rest of the assessment. For instance, food and beverage labour expense as a percentage of food and beverage revenue generally averages between 38% and 50%. Craft and local products are replacing old industry standards. On a scale of 110, how would you rate your pro shop experience overall? However, developing a survey that actually generates usable and actionable data is more difficult than it might appear. Entries: enter online Flyer flyer Pairings & Results: pairings & results Schedule Format Hotel National Car Rental History Schedule of Events Sunday, March 5 Welcome Reception Caesars Palace Monday, March 6 Round 1 Las, WA Golf Rules of Golf Workshops The content covered throughout the workshops will mirror what is presented in the three-day Rules Workshops conducted nationally each year by the USGA/PGA. : tees, bunkers, fairways, etc. 9. The goal is to improve the industry's understanding of a key financial concept; clubs make the CHOICE to cover operating costs from margin on non-dues revenue based on member usage with high-use members covering a higher burden of operating the club, or to cover costs through membership dues revenue which spreads the burden of operating the club more equally among all members.