“ROAD GAME GREENS” SHARPEN STANFORD GOLF TEAMS’ SKILLS Siebel Varsity Golf Training Complex Opens
PALO ALTO, Calif., April 15, 2008 … Robert Trent Jones II Golf Course Architects (RTJ II) has teamed with Stanford University to create what is arguably the most innovative practice facility in golf.
Ready to debut this week, the Siebel Varsity Golf Training Complex is crafted on 30 acres of previously undeveloped land adjacent to the Stanford Golf Course.The distinctive quality of the facility lies in its six green complexes, each inspired by a different architectural design style that Stanford plays most often, complete with bunkers, native grasses and sand textures.
The concept was to provide practice conditions that emulate actual conditions that the teams encounter in competition; thus they’ve been dubbed “Road Game Greens.”RTJ II and the Stanford golf coaching staff together chose specific characteristics of six designers: Alister MacKenzie, Pete Dye, A.W. Tillinghast, Tom Fazio, Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and Robert Trent Jones, Jr.
“We wanted to create a competitive advantage,” said Jay Blasi, the project architect for RTJ II, which has its international headquarters virtually next door in Palo Alto.“The players can practice here what they see around the country, on a facility designed in the spirit of the architects whose courses they play regularly.”
Hitting areas and putting greens vary not only in style, but in their surfaces, as well.Players can get the feel of hitting and putting on bentgrass, Bermuda grass and fescue. Practice bunkers provide three completely different sand textures – coarse, desert waste-bunker sand; pure white, fluffy sand; and beige, medium-coarse sand.
Located adjacent to the second fairway of the Stanford Golf Course, the Siebel Varsity Golf Training Complex is laid out in an L-shape, with two 400-yard sections – one 200 yards wide, the other 100 yards wide – that overlap at the turn.With the greens strategically placed around the perimeter of the property, all six complexes can be used at the same time that other players are hitting into adjacent landing areas.Or, players can hit to greens from an enormous variety of approaches.“You are limited only by your imagination,” Blasi said.
How does a golf course reward is best customers? In trying to stimulate the imagination of course managers, we present a second example of how a major corporation in 2008 is focused on customer relationship management: Airlines.
Flying a million miles takes a decade, about $300,000 in airline tickets and untold number of nights away from one's family.
The airline industry has changed over the past 20 years. Remember, the steak, red wine and the ice cream dessert carts on flights from Denver to the East Coast?
While those days are gone, the airlines are absolutely focused on serving their best customers well.
Presented below are the rewards given to UAL upon crossing various mileage thresholds. Notice that there are no price discounts on future flights. A lesson that a golf course manager should heed.
What is shown below are the "presents" UAL offered. For crossing 2 million miles, a customer was given the choice of:
1) A custom engraved classic 80gb IPOD.
2) A monogrammed Tumi portfolio case.
3) An engraved business card case from Tiffany's.
4) $200 gift certificate for the selection of premium wines.
Million Miles and Beyond Rewards
Rewarding a Million Miles and Beyond
If you have flown one million, two million or three million miles, or more, on United, we congratulate you on these incredible milestones. To show how much we appreciate your remarkable loyalty, there are different levels of rewards. We are delighted to offer the following to our very best customers:
One (1) Million Mile Rewards
When you have flown one million lifetime base flight miles on United, United Express or Ted, you are rewarded with some exclusive benefits including:
Premier Executive® status for life
Two (2) confirmed Regional Upgrades at the end of every year
Three (3) Systemwide Upgrades to use for a one-class, one-way upgrade on United or United Express flights to any destination we fly worldwide, subject to terms and conditions.
Two (2) Million Mile RewardsEffective January 1, 2008
Upon reaching two million United lifetime base flight miles on United, Ted and United Express, you are invited to enjoy these additional rewards:
Complimentary annual membership to the United Red Carpet Club® for life
Your choice of an exclusive gift
Four (4) Systemwide Upgrades to use for a one-class, one-way upgrade on United or United Express flights to any destination we fly worldwide, subject to terms and conditions.
Three (3) Million Miles and Beyond RewardsEffective January 1, 2008
Once you have flown three million and beyond lifetime base flight miles on United, Ted and United Express, your exceptional loyalty will be rewarded with the following.
Personalized status upgrades
Your choice of an exclusive gift
Four (4) Systemwide Upgrades to use for a one-class, one-way upgrade on United or United Express flights to any destination we fly worldwide, subject to terms and conditions.
Since American Airlnes started its frequent flyer program nearly 30 years ago, the concept of customer relationship management has taken on many forms. Finding the right reward that shows reflection on the part of the grantor is a difficult challenge.
I was recently impressed by Marriott Rewards. Realizing that those who stay in their hotels often are frequent airlines travelers also, Marriott provided a free 1 year subscription to Clear, the new fast pass to airport security. I thought the connection (promotion) was well designed and is presented below.
Il Fornaio, the Italian restaurant chain, also has a well thought out loyalty rewards program. By visiting the restaurant monthly, you receive a gift, i.e., olive dish, calendar, Olive Oil, bread, etc. By visiting the restaurant six consecutive months, you are entered to a special FREE evening of wine and appetizers in which one patron receive a trip to Italy and a visit to Il Fornaio’s vineyard.
Loyalty programs in golf are usually centered around a free round of golf. After the round is played, the "present" is often forgotten. I wonder if for a courses best customers, logo balls, custom head covers, a monogrammed hat or special bag tag would have a bigger, far lasting impact.
While certainly tougher to execute, the effort made would certainly made a more lasting impression.
How do you think loyalty programs would be more effective for golf?Let’s chat.Call 303 596 4015 to share ideas.
In this competitive world of golf operations, how does one course differentiate itself from another? Granite Links Golf Club at Quarry Hills in Quincy, MA has done something unique with their web site. They display on the home page, "Celebrity Sightings" listing an impressive array of visiting players. Click here to view this novel approach.
We attended a Mile High Club Manager's meeting today in which the educational program was provided Ms. Erica Murphy, Training Manager for the Broadmoor Hotel. No wonder that resort excels. Between July 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007, 87 different training sessions were conducted with each class lasting between 3 to 4 hours.
The mission statement of the Broadmoor is, “To go above and beyond our guest's expectations through our commitment to commitment to maintaining a positive attitude, providing exemplary service and superior accommodations.”
Erica felt that the key to implementing the mission statement was in the hiring process. "You can teach a turkey to climb a tree, but it is a lot easier to find a squirrel." You can teach the mechanics of any job. You can't install the smile and the love of serving people.
The Broadmoor's Service Standards are:
1. Make eye, contact, smile and greet the guest or employee immediately (if within a 10 foot range.)
2. Use the guest's or employee's name.
3. Escort guests or employees to their requested location.
4. Immediately approach a guest or employee who seems to be lost and offer them assistance.
5. Learn what is expected from your department so that you can anticipate the needs of the guest and employees you service.
6. Follow up on requests, even when it is not the duty of your department.
7. Never say, "I don't know." Say: "I’ll find out." I don't know translated, means you don't care.
8. Never appear hurried even if you are very busy.
9. If unable to comply with a guest's wishes, offer them an alternatives. Avoid negative expressions like: That's against hotel policy," or "This is not my table."
10. Keep the Broadmoor spotless. If you see something that is out of place, pick it up! Remember, we are all a part of the Broadmoor Beautification Committee.
11. Act professionally in public areas at all times. Stand erect and avoid leaning against walls or furniture.
12. Always recommend the Broadmoor restaurants and shop to our guests before suggesting other alternatives.
13. Take "ownership" of a guest's problem. Ensure the matter is resolved and that the guest is satisfied with your solution.
14, Respond to a guest's request within 10 minutes.
15. Know the services the hotel offers and the local of banquet facilities and meeting rooms.
I am writing to apologise for theincidentof unsolicitede-mailsthat I know so many of you were exposed to recently.
The emails were indeed connected to the HTML release of our latest Golf Benchmark Survey and I am sorry for the inconvenience this may have caused you.
The problem arose through a configuration error by our IT services provider. Needless to say, we have since parted with this provider.
I would like to assure you that, to our knowledge, none of your personal information was disclosed, and that controls have been put in place to prevent any similar occurrences going forward.
I apologise again for the inconvenience and hope this does not detract from your usage of the Golf Benchmark Survey.
Yours sincerely,
Andrea Sartori Partner Head of Golf Advisory Practice KPMG in Europe, Middle-East and Africa
Demand Pricing Selling the Fringe Times is Key to Financial Success By Jeff Levine, Senior Vice President Operations, Century Group
The Barriers to Liquid Commerce
Travelers are very familiar with demand pricing. Airlines, car rental agencies, and hotels all have sophisticated software and staff to manage price based upon availability, time, and demand. Very rarely do you pay the same price for a destinations, all depends upon what’s booked and booking patterns (demand).
Demand pricing is not something you see very often in the golf industry. However, several more sophisticated operators are beginning to move in this direction. Unfortunately, there are two obstacles to making this happen:
1. Technology: the golf industry software is behind these other industries. Most software companies are very good at tracking and collecting money. Some are even outstanding in tracking customer or member information. However, none have the ability for sophisticated customer relationship or yield management.
While some systems, like Delphi or the American Airlines reservation system are very sophisticated, such sophistication comes from a large investment on the part of those firms. The golf market is not big enough to justify this investment by small entrepreneurs who head the leading golf software management companies. The software development cost to build a yield management system for golf would exceed $2 million.
Therefore, to implement sophisticated yield management, in all likelihood golf course operators will have to select an independent yield management vendor, requiring that firm integrate to their existing POS supplier.
2. The aptitude and attitude of golf course personnel at public golf courses.
They are typically phobic, and the introduction of a golf management system creates inherent resistance. Those who reject change cite costs, the inability to train staff, and objections to abandoning the human touch of customer service. But the adoption of a comprehensive golf management system, when properly implemented, will increase the net income of a golf course by approximately $25,000 annually.
Today’s Practices
With technology and the aptitude and attitude of golf course personnel limited, what are the alternatives that can be used to implement liquid commerce?
Currently, most golf course managers use a traditional approach to setting green fees. They will set a weekday and weekend price, based upon a minimal amount of data. Prices may be based upon competition, or what an owner wants to charge, or what the manager thinks the course is worth in the market.
Years ago, one of my close colleagues said that golf rates are usually established based upon ego and by those who don't pay for golf. How would they know?
The most important question managers can ask themselves is: How many people are paying my high posted rate? Most people are pretty proud of this rate, even if only 2 to 10 people are paying this rate and they are using three different 3rd party vendors to actually sell tee times. This pricing strategy fuels the start-up and success of so many 3rd party methods of selling inventory, which establishes a disastrous pattern, whether it be discount vendors, some certificates etc.
Incorrect pricing fuels these businesses because an ineffective posted rate results in the inability to sell inventory. Operators then fall into panic strategies to fill in an empty tee sheet. The end result is usually a pretty good round count, but few paying the posted rate and many paying the e-mail or other 3rd party discount rate.
The 3rd party companies gain market strength because they are in control of your inventory and you rely on them to produce rounds. This is caused by establishing an ineffective posted rate. If you take the daily average of this number, it’s usually pretty close to what your posted rate should be.
Alternatives to Bolster Revenue
We have had the opportunity to experiment with several yield management practices over the years, starting with a very complicated golf version of airline pricing (using Excel), to a more simple effective approach that our team uses today.
The daily-fee golf business boils down to the simple fact:
1) Customer activity drives revenue.
2) There are many segments of players with different demographics that will play at different times of the day, week and year.
To us, a segment is defined as a customer type. All we have to do is figure out what rate they will pay (the market will tells us this number) for what time within all the choices they have -- time of day, day of the week, time of year.
Sound simple? As you know, it is not. But the key element to any successful rate strategy is to understand customer activity and customer demand and then anticipate the level of demand in an upcoming period of time. Weather, Time of Year and Course Conditions are the driving factors in this determination.
I know there are several management companies and individual operators that take a more yield-management approach to their pricing; some are certainly more effective then others.
Making Your Numbers Dance
So how do you make your numbers “dance”? Price by segment and by time, based upon activity. It takes a little more work, but when someone asks you, what is your posted rate and then asks how many people are paying this rate, you can be proud that this is the busiest segment of your pricing strategy.
Your posted rate (greens fee) should be set at a price that most people will pay, without discounting. This will allow you build to round velocity; we like to see 60 to 80 posted rate rounds played per day.
(Thursday, 21 February 2008) Written by Jim Keegan
The following email was broadcast throughout the golf industry by a very wise industry veteran. We thought you would enjoy reading his insights."
Unfortunately the problem is deeper than that and the solution may be impossible to cure.
In the Southwest, during the winter months, golf rates on most golf courses soar. The rates in the Southwest deserts range from $75 to well over $150. How are you to get the average player (particularly if we are trying to encourage them to infuse their children into the game) to pay those kind of rates. So, they can only play in the worst weather 110 degree plus weather or winter in other cities. Oh, it's not the problem of the golf courses or management.
As few as 10-15 years ago the average golf course could be constructed for $1-2 million. Today, the costs have soared to $8, 10, 15 million. The carry costs of construction, maintenance and marketing have created a situation where affordable golf is difficult to find. Add to it that the average round of golf takes 5 hours to play and you compound the problem.
It makes the business we all love a very tough place to make a living. The "Golf Business" has turned into the "Golf, Dining, Wedding, Private Party and More Business" just to survive. With the money being made by the PGA, USGA, etc. they should do all they can to promote the average guy and his family to play the game and find a way to subsidize the business if necessary to keep the game alive and growing.
But that's just my opinion.
Charles Stricklan Managing Member/President Lions Gate Partners, LLC 5619 East Cactus Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85254
(Thursday, 21 February 2008) Written by Jim Keegan
More Americans Are Giving Up Golf
Published: February 21, 2008
HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. — The men gathered in a new golf clubhouse here a couple of weeks ago circled the problem from every angle, like caddies lining up a shot out of the rough.
If you had a limited access to your financial information but could choose what data sets you receive daily, what are the numbers you would pick? We would like to proffer the following statistics are all that you need to manage a golf course:
1) Rounds 2) Total annual expenses 3) REVPATT (revenue per available tee time by green fees, cart, merchandise, food and beverage) 4) Course utilization as a percentage of capacity. 5)Customer spending segmented by quartile summarizing aggregate spending and dollars per visit. 6)Customers acquired and defectors. 7)Numbers of e-mail addresses acquired. 8) Full-time and part-time workers by department. 9) Maintenance budget.
From the first three numbers you could ascertain your profitability.From course utilization, you could ascertain the ability to increase rounds through dynamic yield management.Customer spending, acquired and defectors you could target through email to drive rounds.Employees and maintenance would give you benchmarks for controlling costs?
Sometimes, I wonder if it searching for the details of an operation, we miss the big picture?
With equity and $8,000 annual dues are available today in Korea. In China, some courses are bemoaning that after sellilng 400 non-equity memberships at $400,000 with annual dues of $3,000, the market seems flat. They expect to sell only 50 memberships this year, hopefully at $500,000.
Travel, while viewed by some as a luxury, is actually I believe a necessity as a strategist. The perspectives gained from around the world makes one realizes that most view the glass half-empty.
We who are citizens and residents of America feel that are ways are superior. Nothing could be further from the truth. In China today, I have seen a 133,000 square foot clubhouse, 45 holes that were being hand watered in 34 degree weather and an operation whose commitment to customer service was unparalleled.
The lesson for me was easy. We learn far more by listening than by talking.
Versions of You Tube or My Space are emerging for the golf industry niche.
Having now completed our annual trips to the PGA Merchandise and the Golf Industry Shows, it was interesting touring the convention floors. Back 9 Links has assembled an impressive website. Private Club Links and Golf Smack are not far behind and are also crafting formidable offerings.
I expect that with the golf business remaining challenged, these firms will offer a "subsciption" to private club members providing introductions between private club members on a very secured basis.
The GPS industry has gone through some turbulent times.
When it was first introduced it was expensive, and it still is. While traversing the PGA Shows in years past, the discussion of litigation was a pronounced theme.Who owned the patents and what the patents covered were subjects of frequent debates.It was always humorous to hear from vendors that only they had correct license to operate with the full authority of the patent holder.
The more things change, the more things stay the same.At the most recent show, we heard that the owner of the patent, Mr. Cornish, was dismayed at the profuse generation of hand-held devices and was filing legal action not only against the long standing GPS vendors but the new vendors as well.
One individual postured that GPS in the golf industry could go “dark” during the legal debates.It will be interesting to watch it evolve.
Customer surveys are a marvelous way to find out the barriers toincreased play. Over the past 90 days, Golf Convergence has conducted golfer surveys for the City of Ann Arbor, City of Ocala, City of St. Paul and the Willow Run Golf Course. For each survey, we ask a series of salient questions regarding the client's golf course. We also validate those responses through generic questions.
In the most recent survey, we asked, "What are the primary barriers that prevent you from playing golf more often?" (Choose up to two answers.)
The survey revealed:
Question
Response
I don't have enough money?
24.5%
I don't have anyone to play with?
21.2%
I don't have enough time?
79.6%
I can't get to the golf course easily?
1.9%
I am not very good.
6.2%
I can't get a tee time when I want it.
13.2%
With all the money spent by golf course owners for marketing, customer service, course conditioning, technology, etc., these survey results make me wonder if those expenditures are all worthwhile.
(Wednesday, 23 January 2008) Written by Jim Keegan
In a recent survey undertaken by Golf Convergence on behalf on one of its northern clients, there was a huge debate between the course owner and the staff as to what type of golf course the daily fee player prefers.
The client's course was extremely tight, with many hazards, and the opportunity to use the driver on this 6,600 yard course was limited to perhaps as few as eight times by a 12-handicap or better golfer.
The course owner felt that because his course was "tight" or more of a "championship experience," he could charge a higher price. Thus, a survey of the core golfers in the local market was undertaken.
The question posed was, "If you were to design your own personal golf course, what design type would you choose?"
Survey says,
Option
Response
Wide fairways with few hazards so I can hit my driver on nearly every par 4 and 5
47.2%
Tight, with numerous hazards where multiple choices are available off the tee and driver is used less often
52.8%
What is the signficance of the Results?
The superficial observer might conclude that this course should be the price leader in the market place. Unfortunately, among the other questions asked, this client course was perceived as the area's 3rd best golf experience. Thus, it was relegated to be a price follower.
The following excerpt is taken from Mr. Tucker's article on January 22, 2008, in Worldgolf.com. I found his comment that the golf industry has run out of fresh ideas as refreshing. What do you think?
"Aside from Golfweek's scandalous cover shot that dominated headlines and show floor gossip, it was adjustable golf clubs. They were approved by an expert panel to be allowed by the USGA, so long as not adjusted during the round."
The obvious question: Wasn't allowing 14 clubs in your bag long ago the original "adjustable club" ruling?
"The significance of the adjustable club ruling is that it gives the average player a chance to enjoy the same benefits as the Tour players enjoy," said the USGA's Dick Rugge last week at a symposium.
What is perplexing is who this ruling really benefits. Considering most tour players have equipment sponsors in their back pocket, they could just keep 20 drivers and a dozen sets of irons in their trunk.
On the other end of the spectrum, the vast majority of amateur golfers still have horrific slices, can't make four-footers consistently, and don't even sniff 100. Metal woods, cavity backs, titanium and lower MOI's haven't changed that. Now adjustable clubs are the answer?
It seems adjustable clubs may help the microscopic percentage of golfers who are good enough to perceive a benefit to slightly altering their clubs based on conditions, but are not good enough to get club sponsorships.
That is, unless the manufacturers can fool consumers into believing that they need to change out their clubs based on conditions. Whatever happens, golf will remain a mysterious game played between the ears, and adjustable clubs will only cloud most players' quest more.
The honest truth is that the golf industry has run out of ideas for the time being. Last year the "buzz" was square drivers - which seem to be failing. Apparently few of us like hitting a club that looks like a brick and sounds like a cow bell."
One of the most valuable tools a golf course owner can use is the financial benchmarking tool produced by Golf Datatech for the NGCOA and in cooperation with the PGA. The product is called PGA Performance Trak. The Performance Trak includes more than 40 reports, a few of them being revenue by department, operational expenses, maintenance costs, capital expenditures, and staffing levels.
On January 19, 2008, at the PGA Merchandise Show, each of the software vendors was requested to attend a presentation hosted by the PGA. The intent was to get each software vendor to voluntarily export clients' financial information to expand the depth and breath of the PGA performance tracking system.
Such a request was valid. While the national statistics are good, because of lackluster participtation by some, the state and local statistics are insufficient to draw meaningful conclusions. Of 482 PGA Professionals in Michigan, for example, only 82 participate in Performance Trak. Another example is Minnesota. Only 65 of that state's 435 PGA professional participate.
Unfortunately, the PGA representatives were soundly rebuffed by the software vendors. Why? It is simply a lack of trust. The software vendors don't trust the motives of the PGA.
Just as Turner Sports was naive in 2000 thinking that software vendors would provide access to their clients' tee sheets for free, the PGA thinking is also misguided.
Stuart Healey, President of Handicomp, stated that 20 years ago the USGA asked that software vendors participate in a research project that the Association was undertaking. Shortly thereafter, the USGA launched its competitive software product, GHIN.
Harry Ipema, President of Fore Reservations, commented that his sole focus is responding to the requested needs of his clients. None of his more than 1,400 customers have requested that he participate with the PGA.
For the PGA to achieve is noteworthy objectives, the following will have to occur:
1) The PGA will have to enter into NDA and non-compete agreements with each software vendor.
2) The PGA will have to pay each software vendor upwards of $10,000 in programming costs to create the interface.
3) The PGA will have to pay each software vendor $2,000 in annual support costs to keep the software interface integrated.
While the investment will cost the PGA more than $250,000, no money could be better spent in 2008 than money spent to expand the great capabilities and potential of PGA Performance Trak.
In a press release dated January 16, 2008, /EZLinks reported the following:
"32,743,425 total rounds of golf were reserved by EZLinks software, which averages more than 89,708 rounds reserved per day, each and every day of the year.
1,289,681 rounds of golf were reserved using EZLinks web reservation technology.
EZLinks 24 x 7 Reservation Center answered 1,591,497 tee time phone calls on behalf of more than 300 golf courses.
EZLinks 24 x 7 Reservation Center captured 496,318 email addresses on behalf of its golf course clients.
25,914 RACK RATE rounds were reserved at ezlinks.com. These incremental rounds generated $1,380.810 in revenue for EZLinks clients.”
Of 32,743,425 rounds, only 25,914 were booked at the rack rate.That implies 99.93% were booked at a discount.Anybody can sell rounds at a discount.What added value does EZ Links provide?
EZ LinksJeff Wright responds:
"The 32 million is the total number of rounds booked through our system. I’m not sure how it implies a majority of those are booked at a discount. In fact, a majority of the of the 32 million are booked at the golf course by the golf course. All of the rounds booked by our reservation center are booked at the courses rack rates. We simply act as an extension of the golf shop. Our software enforces all of the courses' rules and regulations. Course operators have complete control of every round that comes through their tee sheet.
Our value is opening up a golf courses' tee sheet to any number of sales and distribution channels, such as:
In each one of these situations, the course has 100% control of the pricing, allocation and booking policies. The 25,000 number represents incremental additional rounds booked at ezlinks.com at the course’s rack rate."
The purpose of the following examples is to give golf course operators insight and comfort that the challenges they face are not unique to the golf world. No Go - Vonage: avoid at all cost if you plan have your primary business phone contacted via your Internet router that provides your email. If you send an email with a large file attachment, the bandwidth is consumed to the extent that callers to your phone can't hear you. It is garbled.
No Go - Courtyard by Marriott with a Dell Computer: Many Marriott Hotels use the Internet provider Merlot to handle your incoming and outgoing email. The settings between the Dell computer and Merlot are incompatible such that you will only receive incoming email. You cannot send email messages.
No Go - Blockbuster: using a DOS-based computer system from 1986 with limited storage capacity,stores are required to purge their database after 90 days of customer inactivity. Expect to see these stores close within the next couple of years.
No Go - National Car/Alamo Rental/Blockbuster: This company posts Internet specials on Saturday for the upcoming week. The specials posted are not integrated into the company's rental databases. Therefore, when you click on a special and attempt to purchase, you are not told the special is no longer available but rather shown without notice the highest rate they offer. Hard to believe a company of National's size can't integrate its Internet specials with the core reservation engine.
On October 5, 2007, I received a membership information package from a Country Club in Castle Rock. The Club sent invitations to residents of Castle Pines, seeking members in all membership classes from equity to social.
With the equity membership of $52,000, in traveling so extensively, I inquired as to the social membership and was provided the following information:
$1,000 initiation fee
$84 per month
$150 per quarter food minimums
I recalled receving a similiar offer 90 days ago, and I called the club. At that time, the membership committee person responding to my query indicated that I was more than welcome to have dinner by myself, charge the meal, and remit by check the charges incurred as a basis of helping me evaluate whether I wanted to join. The views from the restaurant are amazing, so I logged the offer, thinking that upon my return from an extended business trip I would explore the social membership.
When I called to determine if I could arrange dinner based on the invitation of October 5, I was informed by the receptionist that I had to be accompanied by a member for dinner. I pressed the matter and requested to speak with the General Manager. He declined to speak with me, but stated, through the receptionist, that prospective members had to be first interviewed by the membership chairman.
Based on the information previously given to me in July, what should the GM have done?:
1) Had the membership chairman call me and arrange for dinner as originally promised, in which I bore the cost of the meal?
2) Tell me through the receptionist that no dinner could be arranged?
3) Spoken to me to explain the Club's policy?
Based on him opting for Answer #2, the literature went in the waste paper. I never cease to be amazed at how many times poor service is given in a business that is all about service.
