Augusta, GA, October 10, 2011 – Club Car, a brand of Ingersoll Rand, has added enhanced reporting capability to its mobile communications system known as Visage to help golf course operators increase food-and-beverage revenues and manage their business more effectively.
The new web-based reporting tool captures the menu choices golfers make from their golf car and relays the information to the Visage control center. Operators can download the information to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to gather information about their f&b operations, including which items are selling best and which are generating the highest profits.
The added insight helps operators make informed decisions regarding their menus, purchasing, inventory and staffing, according to Randy Marquardt, vice president of global marketing for Club Car.
“Should we be promoting hotdogs or ham-and-cheese on rye? Could we cut back on staff on weekday afternoons without affecting our ability to fill customers’ orders in a timely manner? What would the take rate be if we offered sausage biscuits before 11 o’clock? Operators can now have the answers to those questions at their fingertips,” Marquardt said. “It’s functionality that has a direct impact on financial performance.”
The enhanced reporting tools will help facilities like the Waldorf Astoria Golf Club in Orlando and SilverRock Resort in LaQuinta, Calif., realize even greater value from Visage.
In its first year with the Visage system, the Waldorf Astoria reported that revenues increased 100 percent over its planned budget. “Our assumptions were shockingly under what we actually generated,” said Rob Turner, director of golf. “The menu feature provided us with an additional revenue source we didn’t expect in the first year.”
Randy Duncan, general manager and director of golf at SilverRock, said, “From a pure revenue standpoint, (Visage) has helped us increase our sales by reminding golfers to order before making the turn.”
Club Car’s dedicated Visage sales staff can also help operators apply the enhanced reporting capability to their operation, according to Mike Read, director of new technology sales.
“Our team sees what some of the best operators in the country are doing to leverage this technology,” said Read. “These best practices can make the investment in Visage pay off from the day it’s installed.”
Visage utilizes a combination of cellular, wireless and Global Positioning System technologies to create what Club Car calls the “new face of customer experience.” Visage is a joint development of Club Car and GPS Industries LLC.
Visage helps operators increase revenues, lower operating expenses, manage their assets and improve customer experience with tools that include two-way cellular communications; real-time positioning to keep the golf shop aware of each group’s exact location; and the ability to limit vehicle access to sensitive areas, which can reduce labor time and costs.
About Ingersoll Rand
Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR) is a world leader in creating and sustaining safe, comfortable and efficient environments in commercial, residential and industrial markets. Our people and our family of brands-including Club Car®, Ingersoll Rand®, Schlage®, Thermo King® and Trane® -work together to enhance the quality and comfort of air in homes and buildings, transport and protect food and perishables, secure homes and commercial properties, and increase industrial productivity and efficiency. Club Car has been one of the most respected names in the golf industry for more than half a century. The Club Car product portfolio has grown to include much more than golf cars, now encompassing golf and commercial utility vehicles, multi-passenger shuttle vehicles, rough-terrain and off-road utility vehicles and street legal low-speed vehicles for commercial and consumer markets. Ingersoll Rand is a $14 billion global business committed to sustainable business practices within our company and for our customers. For more information, visit www.ingersollrand.com or www.clubcar.com.
Contact:
Tim Walls, Club Car, tim_walls@clubcar.com, 706-863-7190
Bill Bryant, Bryant Marketing Communications
bbryant@bryantmarcomm.com, 678-366-3232
