This article explores how people, such as members of private golf clubs, want to receive customer service when getting with a product or service like an online reservation.

A recent report from Verint Customer Engagements shows how people like to reach out for support when they have a problem using a product or service online.

Key findings

For people under 45, it’s split just about 50/50 between getting help over the phone and getting help online.

For people over 45, around 64% prefer to get help over the phone.

The average age of a new golf club member has come down to 54.9 years indicating that customer service and support is going to be largely telephone dependent for a long time to come.

What it means for your club and your pro shop

You won’t find many GMs or Head Pros that want to cut corners on customer service.

And you won’t find many Assistant Pros that would rather troubleshoot software than teaching a lesson.

The data from this survey tells us at least half of members will prefer support on the phone from a staff member for the foreseeable future.

The real cost of this trend

Top clubs are starting to analyze the cost of pro shop staff supporting members over the phone.

A potential customer recently told us they take approximately 300 calls per week from members asking for help specifically with the reservation software they use. That averages 3.5 calls per hour each lasting between 5-7 minutes. Minimum wage in this area is $16.75/hour.

300 calls x 5 mins = 25 hours x $16.75 = $418.75/week

That’s roughly $1,675 per month supporting members over the phone that need help using their tee time booking software.

What to do about it

Look for ways to decrease the number of support requests from members. Look for the most common reasons people call and find ways to proactively address those common problems.

The only thing better than offering great phone support  for members is to create a process that doesn’t require phone support in the first place. Members are happiest when things just work!