The future of bowls club management: why now is the time to go digital

Most of our lives are digital; nowadays, we book restaurants, hotels, cinema tickets and even doctors' appointments online. But bowls clubs across the nation find themselves trapped in a pile of spreadsheets, paper calendars and notes that they rely on to run the club. Bowls club management is behind the times, causing problems and inefficiencies in the day-to-day organisation. This is why the future of bowls club management is digital software.

However, whether a small or large bowls club doesn’t mean this has to be the case. Going beyond today's needs, there will be a need to transform and digitise in the future, as younger generations, who have grown up in the digital world, will expect easy bookings and management at the tip of their fingers.

Bowlr is a digital management system that has revolutionised bowls club management for over 195 clubs across the country. Not only has it helped the management and admin staff keep on top of running the club, but it has also enhanced the experience of members and players.

In this blog, we look at why digital management systems will be the future of club management and why now is a great time to swap pen and paper for a few buttons.

Reducing Administrative Burden

Digital club management software reduces a lot of admin burden in several ways.

• Membership management - memberships, payments, and booking can all be recorded and kept up-to-date in one place, making it easy to track payments, membership numbers and other details.
• Booking and calendar management - keep an eye on rink availability and bookings without needing to flick through calendars and sheets of paper.
• League management - easily set up and manage all aspects of a league with the click of a few buttons rather than waste time and energy making sure all rinks are being used and there isn’t a double booking.
• Rink fees collection - easily get paid for rink bookings and go cashless with an online booking system.
• Accounts - keep a close eye on your financial performance and easily track income and outgoings.
• Communications - easily share club information such as updates, events and the latest news in one place for everyone to see.

Having everything on one system helps you automate your processes, which speeds them up. So, your admin staff can focus on providing a great experience at the club rather than needing to hide away in an office, pulling their hair out while they track money and organise leagues and bookings.

It also reduces the fatigue of each task, reducing the risk of errors and inaccuracies.

Effortless Membership Management

One of the biggest tasks faced by bowls clubs is managing their memberships, that is keeping track of who is a member, new memberships and payments.

Going digital allows you to keep members' data all in one place, that is safe and secure yet easy to find.

A digital management system also offers simplified subscriptions, payments and renewals so you can be confident you are being paid by every member on time.

Having all of this data digitised also allows you to create detailed reports and enhanced analysis of membership patterns so you can make better, more informed decisions for your club.

Enhancing the Member Experience

As we said in the introduction, going digital with your management system doesn’t just benefit your admin team. Members and players will also benefit because their experience will be enhanced.

• Online booking - they can easily book a rink for a time and date that suits them, knowing they will be able to play that game and there won’t be any issues with double booking.
• Easier and consistent communication - an online portal with all club information ensures smooth and consistent communication, so members are up-to-date at all times.
• Reminders and notifications - the members portal can remind them of upcoming events and notify them of any information needed, again improving club engagement and general awareness of happenings.
• Easy payments (if your club has this module) - members can be confident their payments are up-to-date, and memberships are fully paid for with easy online payments.

Future-Proofing Your Club

There is no escaping the future and the changes it will bring. This means needing to update and adapt to keep up with expectations, technological advances and convenience.

Bowls club management is no exception, and as a result, going digital is a must these days.

Not only will it ensure you meet expectations for newcomers over the next few years, but it will also help you draw in a younger generation who rely on digital technology to discover new hobbies.

Why does this matter? Because it means that your bowls club will have an audience in the future to carry on your traditions and share your passion. This will ensure long-term sustainability and financial health for your club.

Why Now is the Time to Act?

With the growing presence of digital technology and younger generations expecting the convenience provided by digital software, your club management will inevitably have to digitise at some point. So, why put it off when there are so many benefits now?

By transforming your club management system and going digital you can reduce admin time, enhance membership experience and futureproof your club.

Bowlr Club Management Software is an easy-to-use digital software that streamlines all of your management processes.

It is simple to use, and we provide comprehensive training before you even begin, so you don’t need to worry about not being able to use it.

Plus, we have worked closely with bowls clubs across the country to produce a system that covers everything you need, from communication with your members to rink availability and booking to taking payments online and keeping on top of your accounts.

Over 195 clubs have taken the leap of going digital with our club management software, and all of them have nothing but positive things to say about it. Don’t believe us? Take a look at our testimonials.

Get in touch with us today to discover more about embracing digitisation for your bowls club and get a demo of our system with our experts.

Call us on 01202 684400 or complete our online contact form to request a callback from our friendly team.