Communications
Making a plan
With the launch of Book a Court at the venue, having a timeline is key to ensuring the rollout is successful.
When we ran the pilot program, we took feedback from clubs about their strategy on informing members before the rollout and they have shared their feedback
1. The gate is setup and training has been completed by the Club Spark champions
This is recommended as the first step as you will want to make sure all the backend of the hardware is setup correctly and that understanding the functions of the gate and how the integration works when booking online. You can reach out to Clubspark support to arrange a session by emailing them here
2. Email to members informing them on upcoming access changes
Use this opportunity to give your members time to understand what is happening, give a date on when you would like to go live on the gate and explain to them the journey the club is taking to use Book a Court. Clubs have gone an extra step on providing meetings or using existing club events to help train members on how to use the hardware - you can provide dates or times in these emails.
3. Run teaching sessions on the usability of the new hardware
Social nights or mid-week seniors are great opportunity to show the gate access to members and give a demo on how this works.
4. Use your social channels to promote
As you get closer to the launch of the Book a Court, use the social media tiles and stories to announce the date of launch.
5. Start inviting your members to sign up to a Club Spark Account
Some of your members may already have sign in accounts but if not, you can invite your members to create a account so they can book courts as well as renew memberships (when it's that time of the year) Inviting your members is easy and you can follow this guide here
Talking to your members
Letting your members know about the changes to court hire is key to keeping them informed and prepared. The best way to let them know is via email and any Member specific communication channels such as a private Facebook Group or WhatsApp chat.
By referring to your timeline as mentioned in the previous section above, you'll be able to get the right information ready to roll out.
We have provided some templates in the next sections to help you build an informative message to your members.
Below you can find the template if you are emailing your members about Book a Court at the club.
Please adjust any tone or information before you hit send.
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Subject: Book a Court is coming to <<XXXXX Tennis Club - Here's what you need to know!>>
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Hi Everyone,
Something exciting and new is coming to <Tennis Club Name>!
As part of our commitment to improving access, security, and court availability, we are introducing Book A Court together with a new Premium Gate access system.
The new system will allow both members and casual players to access our courts without the need for a physical key or assistance from a club volunteer. The gate controller will be installed at > and connected directly to ClubSpark.
What does this mean for members?
Every member will be assigned a unique 4-digit access code. To enter the courts, members will now need to book a court through ClubSpark before they play. Once a booking has been made, your access code will allow entry during your booked court time.
This system helps us:
- Improve security and control access to the facility.
- Ensure courts are available for those who have booked.
- Allow casual players to book and pay online.
- Eliminate the need for physical keys.
Please note: Regular club activities, coaching sessions, competitions, and other scheduled bookings will continue as normal and will not be affected.
This new system will take effect from <Date>.
When You Arrive
Once you have made your booking through ClubSpark, simply:
- Arrive at the club during your booked timeslot.
- Enter your unique 4-digit member access code on the gate keypad.
- The gate will unlock, allowing you to enter the courts.
- Enjoy your game!
There is a gate sign with a QR code which will access the booking page on your phone in case you forget.
Important Reminder
From <Date>, access to the courts will require both:
- An active club membership linked to ClubSpark.
- A court booking made through ClubSpark.
Your personal 4-digit code should not be shared with others, as it is unique to your membership account and helps us maintain secure access to the facility.
Need Help
You can reach out to <<CLUB CONTACT NAME>> on <<CLUB CONTACT EMAIL>> & <<CLUB CONTACT phone>>
Placing a poster at the club or noticeboard can help communicate to your members about the upcoming changed, Tennis NZ will soon be providing a template you can use to place on your club room or near the court access gate.
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