How Clubs Are Getting Creative with Data

Real Examples of Clubs Taking Their Data and Dashboards to the Next Level

Club Data Services' mission is simple: unlock the data in your club's systems, combine and visualize that data in a series of Power BI dashboards and reports and work with managers to turn those insights into revenue-driving action.

"I have to admit, though," said Jeremy Hoch , Club Data Services, LLC 's co-founder, CEO and 25-year club technology consultant. "What some of our clients do with their data is amazing. I never expected this level of creativity or impact."

A quick look at Club Data Services' website reveals rave reviews from an impressive and broad selection of private club clients. But it's not just who's using it that's so impressive—it's how.

"Because we overlay data from multiple sources into club-specific custom reports, we can provide the real-time data dashboards clubs need day to day," stated Larry Klimantiris, Club Data Services' chief technology officer.

"We see managers using these reports to impact tomorrow's financials—not just describe what happened last month."

Real-Time Labor

Hoch explained that a real-time labor report is the biggest impact data has on their clients' balance sheets. Managers can see exactly how many labor hours they have left in a week and make game-time decisions about overtime or cutting staff.

"I've had multiple managers tell me the best part of our service is that they can manage the club from anywhere—it's all right there, on their phone or tablet," he continued.

Member Experience and Capital Investment

Of course, the most important metric in any club is preventing churn and maintaining dues—also known as optimizing member experience.

"One GM we work with says the data dashboards give them an 'unfair strategic advantage,'" said Klimantiris. "For example, they track amenity usage very closely—F&B outlets, gym, pool, pickleball—and make strategic decisions about when to expand, reduce or close services in alignment with member preferences."

Not only does that keep members happy while saving money through optimized labor and other variable costs, but it also guides their long-term capital investment planning.

"If clubs know what members use and don't use, they can predict usage bottlenecks and invest their dollars wisely," Klimantiris added. Their dashboards not only inform capital investments; some clubs use them to track their capital projects' progress and spending.

"In some cases, we provide the tool for diagnosis, prognosis and execution throughout the capital improvement process."

Business Continuity

"I've been told our reports are the best onboarding for a new general manager," Hoch explained. It makes sense. Data dashboards provide an unbiased, comprehensive historical and current view of a club's operations. That's a better orientation than most GMs get in the best of circumstances.

Data can also protect clubs from the loss of institutional knowledge and processes.

"We worked with a CFO who was retiring, but her reporting process was very specific and difficult to hand off in the time she had to train her replacement," said Mitch Swaney, Club Data Services' lead developer. "So, instead of spending hours of her retirement time and the club's money bringing her in to consult, she had us automate her financial reports. The GM—and the new CFO—were very happy."

The Human Impact of Data

Cold, hard data is meant to drive business decisions, no question, but Hoch said the key to their offering is the service side of the business.

"Data is a key; it's not a door. We don't just hand you the key to have it sit on a shelf. We show you the door, explain what lives on the other side, and prepare you for what you'll find there," Hoch explained. "We're as much about service as we are about providing the data."

The result goes far beyond cutting unnecessary costs and driving revenue.

"Believe it or not, we've had clients tell us they're less stressed and that our dashboards help them sleep better at night," Hoch summarized. "When data has that kind of human impact—whether for club managers or members—we're accomplishing our real mission."

Club Data Services is the recipient of the BoardRoom magazine Business Intelligence Awards for 2023 and 2024. To learn more or request a demo of their reports and dashboards, visit www.clubdataservices.com.