September 2024 Archives

Passt perfekt: 59club kooperiert mit führender Sportbekleidungsmarke Turtleson

Die globalen Experten für Kundenservice-Management, 59club, haben heute ihre Partnerschaft mit der führenden Sportbekleidungsmarke Turtleson bekannt gegeben, mit Blick auf das Jahr 2025.

Die Partnerschaft basiert auf einer gemeinsamen Leidenschaft, die Golfbranche weiterzuentwickeln und zu modernisieren. Turtleson ist bekannt dafür, klassische Sportbekleidung für den modernen Lebensstil neu zu interpretieren, während 59club weltweit für die Verbesserung der Kundenerlebnisse und die Steigerung der Verkaufsleistung in der Golf- und Gastgewerbebranche steht.

Mit regionalen Niederlassungen in den USA, Kanada, Großbritannien & Irland, Europa, dem Nahen Osten & Afrika, Asien, Australien & Neuseeland sowie Korea, musste das globale Erscheinungsbild von 59club eine moderne Marke widerspiegeln, gleichzeitig aber den regionalen Teams die Flexibilität bieten, kulturelle Besonderheiten zu berücksichtigen.

Simon Wordsworth, CEO von 59club, sagte zur Partnerschaft: „Wenn unsere Teams unterwegs sind, möchten wir, dass sie in der Menge auffallen und wahrgenommen werden – das hat uns an Turtleson angezogen. Ihre anspruchsvollen Farbpaletten und modernen Schnitte setzen den Maßstab für Qualität, Stil und Vielseitigkeit. Unsere Uniform ist ein Spiegelbild unserer Marke, unserer Werte und unseres Engagements für exzellente Standards in der Branche. Für uns ist Turtleson der perfekte Partner, um uns weltweit zu begleiten, während wir weiterhin positive, wirkungsvolle Schritte unternehmen und neue Märkte erschließen.“

Seit 2011 stellt Turtleson hochwertige Golf-Lifestyle-Bekleidung für Privatclubs, Resorts und spezialisierte Herrenausstatter auf der ganzen Welt her. Bekannt für ihre faszinierenden Kollektionen und ihren herausragenden Service hat sich Turtleson als führender Bekleidungspartner in Nordamerika, Europa, Südafrika, Australien und Neuseeland etabliert.

Greg Oakley, CEO von Turtleson, fügte hinzu: „Bei der Suche nach potenziellen Partnerschaften suchen wir nach Unternehmen und Marken, die eine ähnliche Vision teilen. Nach dem Treffen mit Simon und dem Team von 59club war uns sofort klar, dass dies das Unternehmen ist, mit dem wir zusammenarbeiten möchten. 59club ist weltweit als Standardmaß für Qualität im Service bekannt, und auch bei Turtleson arbeiten wir jeden Tag hart daran, in unseren Märkten den Maßstab für Qualität und Service zu setzen. Es scheint einfach eine natürliche Partnerschaft zu sein.“

Für Händler und weitere Informationen besuchen Sie turtleson.com oder kontaktieren Sie Anneke Self unter (423) 217-4950 oder per E-Mail: anneke@turtleson.com.

Für Ratschläge zu den Kundenservice-Management-Lösungen von 59club besuchen Sie 59club.com oder wenden Sie sich an Ihren örtlichen 59club-Manager.

Perfect fit as 59club partner with leading sportswear brand Turtleson

59club the global customer service management specialists have today announced their partnership with leading sportswear brand; Turtleson as they head into 2025.

The partnership has been forged with a shared passion for advancing and modernizing the golf industry, with Turtleson famed for reimagining classic sportswear for modern lifestyles, and 59club synonymous for elevating customer experiences and driving sales performance across the global golf & hospitality industry.

With regional divisions spanning the USA, Canada, UK & Ireland, Europe, the Middle East & Africa, Asia, Australia & New Zealand and Korea; 59club’s global uniform needed to reflect the modern brand whilst affording regional teams the flexibility to accommodate cultural nuances.

Of the partnership Simon Wordworth CEO of 59club said “When our teams take to the road, we want them to stand out in the crowd and be noticed, that’s what attracted us to Turtleson. Their sophisticated color palettes, and modern tailoring sets the bar for quality, style, and versatility. Our uniform is a reflection of our brand, of our values and our commitment to excelling standards in the industry. For us Turtleson are the perfect fit to accompany us around the world as we continue to make positive impactful strides as we enter new markets.”

Since 2011, Turtleson has crafted premium golf lifestyle apparel for private clubs, resorts, and men’s specialty stores around the world. Known for their captivating collections and exceptional service, Turtleson has earned its place as a leading apparel partner in North America, Europe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

Greg Oakley, CEO of Turtleson added “When exploring potential partnerships, we look for companies and brands that share a similar vision. After meeting Simon and the 59club, we realized right away this was company we wanted to be associated with. 59club is known throughout the world as the standard measure of quality service and at Turtleson we work hard everyday to set the benchmark for quality and service in our markets, it just seems like a natural fit”.

For stockists & more information visit turtleson.com or call Anneke Self on (423) 217-4950 or email her: anneke@turtleson.com
For advice regarding 59club’s Customer Service Management solutions please visit 59club.com or reach out to your local 59club Manager

An Interview With: Salvador Macedo – Ombria Algarve – Staring the journey with 59club

Located in the heart of the Algarve, just 25 minutes from the beach coast, Ombria Algarve is a unique destination combining hotel, real estate, golf, and leisure.

Driven by a vision projected by the finnish company Pontos Group, Ombria opened its 18-hole signature golf course in spring 2023, integrated in a resort that offers a blend of traditional Portuguese village charm and modern luxury under with a 5-star hotel under the esteemed Viceroy Hotel brand. We spoke with Salvador Macedo, the Director of Golf at Ombria Algarve, to discuss the impact of partnering with 59club and his vision for the resort’s future.

Q: Salvador, you have recently started working with 59club this year. Can you tell us how 59club has helped Ombria objectively evaluate the current customer experience and identify areas for improvement?

A: It was clear for Ombria from the early start that partnering with 59club was essential. We are focused on providing a high-end customer experience, and ensuring we are on the right path across all client touchpoints can be challenging. That’s where 59club excels. The depth of their reporting truly enables us to identify our strengths and pinpoint areas for improvement.

Q: Ombria Algarve recently opened its doors in 2023 with the golf course. For those who may not have heard of you yet, can you share a little about the property?

A: Certainly. Ombria is a visionary project that started over 2 decades ago, with the Pontos Group leadership. It’s a unique concept combining several aspects like any resort: a 5-star hotel, premium real estate, a signature golf course, and many leisure facilities. What sets us apart is, firstly, our location in the natural haven located in the heart of the Algarve, yet just 25 minutes from the beach. Secondly, our project recreates a traditional Portuguese village with small streets, local coffee shops, a mini-market, and more, all served with the highest standards of the Viceroy Hotel brand. Lastly, sustainability is vital for us, focusing on energy efficiency and minimal environmental and economic impact. We are one of the first to use geothermal energy, solar energy, and ensure sustainable golf course maintenance and water usage.

“59club will play a major role in maintaining these high service levels and guiding us to stand shoulder to shoulder with the top golf courses in Europe”

Q: As Director of Golf at Ombria Algarve, can you share your vision for the club’s growth and how working with 59club contributes to achieving that vision?

A: We aim to position Ombria Algarve golf course as a premier customer and service experience destination, with a focus on exceptional service and high-level golf course maintenance. 59club will play a major role in maintaining these high service levels and guiding us to stand shoulder to shoulder with the top golf courses in Europe.

Q: Can you discuss any specific goals or benchmarks you aim to achieve in terms of service quality and member experience at your properties utilizing 59club’s services?

A: As previously mentioned, we are aiming for top-notch service quality and customer experience. We want to be a reference in areas such as tee time reservation, booking confirmation, arrival procedures, on-course presentation, on-course services, and F&B services.

Q: How do you think the ongoing evaluation through 59club’s mystery shopping services will support Ombria in maintaining a culture of continuous improvement and delivering unparalleled experiences for your members and guests?

A: As a team leader, it’s often difficult to find the time to sit down and thoroughly review indicators to identify areas for improvement. The consistency and regularity of 59club’s mystery client visits keep us and the team constantly aware that we need to perform at our best at all times. We can’t afford to become complacent. We have to continually refine our procedures to ensure we deliver the best service to all our clients, and 59club plays a significant role in that.

Q: As a leader in the golf industry, how do you think the insights and best practices provided by 59club will contribute to the growth and development of golf clubs in Portugal, particularly in the Algarve region?

A: We are part of a larger region with a successful background in the golf tourism market. The Algarve, and Portugal as a whole, is known for its great facilities and high-quality golf courses. We feel that responsibility. In an ever-changing and more demanding world, great facilities and amazing golf courses can be built anywhere. Our differentiation, as a region, will come from the quality, friendliness, and authenticity of the service we provide. That’s why it’s crucial to ensure the client experience is flawless throughout, and 59club helps us achieve that.

Q: Finally, what advice would you give to other golf clubs considering partnering with 59club to improve their customer service, staff training, and overall performance?

A: It is crucial to know that our standards are being implemented correctly. Managers can’t be present all the time, so constant assessment with clear, objective information is mandatory for better and more consistent performance. It’s also a great tool to recognize and commend the excellent work your team is doing. They are out there every day, and based on my experience, it’s a great motivational asset for the team to feel valued and engaged with the project.

Preparing to host a major

Andrew Whitelaw led operations at Emirates Golf Club in Dubai – the first property in the region to work with 59club. He is now General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of the 2026 PGA Championship venue Aronimink.

Andrew Whitelaw, Aronimink General Manager and Chief Operating Officer

Tell us about the set-up and model at Aronimink?

It is a traditional American country club and golf is the primary function of the club. The governance structure is fairly typical, with a board of governors – including a President, Secretary, Vice President and Treasurer. We have 14 committees and they are involved in the running of the club. It is a modern governance model and is progressive. We have a forward looking board and we are in the middle of a $30m renovation of the whole property with clubhouse renovations and an upgrade of some of the golf facilities as well as our sport and leisure areas.

We have a new golf learning centre which is now finished. The membership are fantastic, they really love this club and they are very involved and passionate about everything Aronimink. The course is incredible, which is important, and is the basis of everything we do – we are a walking-only course and everybody who plays it will say that the conditioning is as good as you are going to see anywhere. Visually it is stunning and it is most definitely one of Donald Ross’s finest creations.

What is happening now in the planning stages for the 2026 PGA Championship?

The PGA of America have a future sites programme, so for the last three years we have been going to events and meeting the committees who are running all these tournaments from their clubs’ perspectives and learning from their experiences.

The PGA will come on site in the next month and hospitality sales have already started. Our main priority at the moment is working with the local townships or various permits that we need to host such a large event. It is a big year for Philadelphia; it is the 250th anniversary of the United States, the FIFA World Cup is in town that year and the PGA Championship will kick it all off.

How do you calculate a return on investment when working with 59club?

Nearly 15 years ago we started working with 59club at the Emirates GC in Dubai and it was an important piece of how we improved our service at the property. In those days we were focused on customer satisfaction and understanding how we could improve the service side at every touchpoint. We weren’t using 59club to deliver a return of investment or upselling, our main use was to identify gaps

in our service and drive engagement and satisfaction among members and guests. When I moved to Trump Dubai in 2016 we introduced mystery shopping and training and achieved Gold Flag status in the first year. We did the same thing at Portmarnock in 2019.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve had?

Listen carefully and understand what is being said to you before you reply. A lot of people jump in with a response before they completely understand what they are being asked a lot of the time. You don’t always have to be the first person to speak. I have found that invaluable. Also, when you are starting out, always try and do more than you have been asked and take on things that maybe you weren’t asked to do.

Out of everything that 59club do, what do you like the most?

You can’t be everywhere all the time and, when you work in operations, you don’t always experience what the member or guest experiences. I like the view you get of the personal experience of individuals who understand golf who are then able to give you an unbiased view of every aspect of the service journey. If you get the service at a level where it needs to be people are going to return, they are going to come more often and enjoy their experience more. For me this is the key part of the 59club product although there is so much more to what they offer which is of value.

• Featuring over 150 service providers
• Global Insights
• Education
• Industry Interviews
• Partner Features
• Meet your regional team

First Global B2B Customer Experience Insights Magazine has landed

59club’s commitment to elevate Sales & Customer Service across the entire golf & leisure industry, has seen the Customer Experience Management Specialist launch the industry’s first independent B2B magazine, concentrated solely on excelling standards, service optimization and elevating club profitability.

With operations spanning the UK & Europe, Middle East & Africa, Asia, the USA, Canada, Australia & New Zealand and Korea, 59club are perfectly positioned to become the authentic voice of the global golf business, something their clients, associates and those on the inside have been championing for decades.

Thousands of affiliate properties have benefited from the customer service insights and data collected through 59club’s extensive mystery shopping program and real-time customer satisfaction surveys. And now, the eagerly anticipated Insights Magazine will act as a platform to share that wisdom and education with a wider audience, as the new publication fills the void and counteracts any misinformation that the industry has suffered.

Simon Wordsworth, 59club founder & CEO, said; “With opening rates of digital magazines falling, engagement in that digital space can be very difficult and in general any interaction is short lived. We don’t want to be ‘read today, forgot tomorrow’, we’ve just got too much to share for that.

“I wanted us to produce a high quality and informative piece of work that simply ‘lingers longer’in a venue, to remain open at point of interest with the reader, affording them the time and perspective to make positive changes within their business based on fact and understanding. In addition, there are more people within the club/organisation to educate and stimulate discussion. For that reason, digital alone just wouldn’t do for us.

“We can see from our Club Study results what is on our managers minds and the Insights Magazine will allow us to discuss these topics with the trade and other influencing factors.”

The global edition of the aptly named ‘Insights’ magazine will be hard mailed four times per year to club’s within 59club’s immediate and growing network, a digital counterpart is also available to download on mass.

The first edition celebrates the best operators in the world having achieved 59club flag status for excelling Customer Service standards and also features the elite Leaders and Properties within 59club’s Eminent Collection – the list to end all debates, as those included truly are the industries finest service providers. 

Subsequent issues are driven by live industry data, as 59club’s universal intel uncovers the truth behind visitor perception, member satisfaction, onboarding processes, attrition behaviours, and event management, right the way through to the Club Study survey results that are posted every two weeks.

The magazine will also delve into the success and life-lessons shared by some of the greatest operators and most celebrated properties in the world of golf & hospitality. The final publication of the year, will always review the annual customer experience wins & losses, seeking predictions and forecasting for the future.

Each edition will be informative, educational and focus on insights that you can’t find anywhere else, it’s a guard-down approach to excel. 

Read the Insights Magazine now, and for more information about 59club and the lasting change they can bring to the overall success and profitability of your club, simply visit 59club.com and reach out to your regional 59club Manager.