Lightspeed Golf

Avantages

Last year our golf course made the decision to switch from paper tee sheet and an antiquated POS system.  We didn't make this decision lightly either.  Cost, practicality , ease of use were just some of the many factors we considered when we went shopping for a replacement.  We even did a site visit to one of our local courses who was using the Chronogolf product.  The manager very generously spent a couple of hours with us showing us how he used it and what he considered the pro's and con's .  
Our board of directors made the decision in February to go with the Chronogolf product and I was appointed the person in charge of implementation and training.  I have to say before I started, I was apprehensive , actually dreading the switch.  Well, I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised.  After an initial conference call, I was appointed a trainer/facilitator to help our golf course and myself navigate this process.  My trainer represenative, was polite, patient and very accessible.  I say patient because I certainly have basic computer knowledge , but I was worried I did not know enough technical stuff.  Anything I did not know represenative walked me through it.  We built our tee sheet and POS system basically using the template they provide yet still customizing it for our own specific needs.  We worked away on the off season an we were ready to go live on time for our opening.  
I love the cloud based aspect , for us this made accessing information so much quicker.

Inconvénients

The one time this summer that Chronogolf experienced a system wide issue as a result of AWS being down, they were very quick to reach out to all of us through a message on the tee sheet and email that the problems we were experiencing were theirs not ours.  That saved us time , instead of running around test our wifi and routers thinking the problem was us.

Avantages

- The system works seamlessly with Lightspeed POS and makes our day to day tasks so much more efficient. As a result we are so much more accurate with all our work.
- The subscription selling process is so simple and customizable for each customer it gives my staff confidence they will get it right first time every time.
- The dynamic pricing model is brilliant and moves with our demands to reflect a price which is reasonable for the amount of traffic we have on a given day. Once set up you don’t need to worry about it again.
- We use the events page to sell our junior camps online. This is a great portal to have as we can send our customers a link so they can read all about the camps and sign up online. This can be used for social events and banquets to sell ticket also.
- With both pieces of software integrated (POS and Tee Sheet), it saves us double work setting up memberships and green fee types in both. Lightspeed is also integrated with Xero accounting software so our accountants can see their accounts the following day!
- The software has a chat system and the Chronogolf staff are always there to help. Most issues are solved immediately but any that aren’t are resolved with a couple of days.

Inconvénients

- The organisation of the system takes time but once a member of staff has responsibility for this it works well.
- The system can be slow at times but this is rare.
- Golf shops products need to be made up from scratch but this also gives us the ability to create them the way we want too.
- When sending out sms or email messages from the tee sheet it doesn’t keep a record of what was sent to look back at.

Avantages

Not much to say, not much was good. Restaurant software was OK, but barely.

Inconvénients

The reports Lightspeed provides are a joke. There is no rhyme or reason to how reports are carried through to accounting systems, and total amount NEVER match, leaving the client to sort through an accounting nightmare all on their own. They offer literally no help in terms of navigating the system, simply stating that "they can't tell you how to handle your money". When you have to ask for help over and over again, you eventually receive short, smart-alek responses, as if you're not worth their response in the first place.

Avantages

There are many aspects of Chronogolf that make it a complete software package. It has features upon features such as creating numerous price sheets to customize booking privileges and pricing, a tournament module to keep all social events and golf tournaments organized in one calendar. The promotions section is one of my favourite as it gives me the ability to create promo codes for events such as fathers day or mothers day. I am very excited for the Dynamic Pricing module and I am very interested in integrating it into our facility in 2019. It would not be fair to review the software and not touch on the service and continuous enhancements or software upgrades. The customer service staff is second to none. The online chat makes it easy to get an agent and the agents seem very knowledgable and polite when assisting with all questions or concerns we may have. As for the software updates… they are always creating enhancements to the software. Many of these enhancements I believe are driven by the requests sent in by current users of Chronogolf and some are simply generated by the company itself. The final aspect of Chronogolf that I would like to review is the member and guests experience. We have had a great number of members and guests tell us that online booking with Chrono has been an enjoyable experience. The dashboard is clean and giving members the ability to see and book directing into the tee sheet with other members they might know is one of their favourite features.

Inconvénients

There are some reporting questions I had about reporting in the Lightspeed POS system but CSR at Chronogolf was quick to point me in the right direction.

Avantages

Very easy to use and differentiate between different member types. Online booking is simple for our customers.

Inconvénients

It may not be a Golf con, but it would really help our POS if Lightspeed fully integrated with Moneris on all of their platforms. I know they do with Restaurant, so why not with Retail?

I'd love if there was a mass-edit option for member types on Golf and Retail. At the end of each season, members lose their designation and only get it back when they pay their dues. This would save us time having to manually change their member types.

Avantages

After my first year as Director of Golf at my facility, I decided that we needed a more efficient method of collecting data. We had never had a point of sale at the club and I began the search for one. Two years ago
we investigated over a dozen pos systems and then narrowed it down to several. After interviewing the "users" of the systems, we came down to two contenders, Chronogolf being one of them. Many of the pos systems were pretty similar, but it was the personal attention I felt we were getting from Chronogolf. After two seasons with Chronogolf, I was not disappointed. The system is user friendly and the tech support is
excellent.
We have also signed up with the email marketing system and after some instruction, I am happy to report that I enjoy using the
program. It seamlessly integrates with Chronogolf. The Club had also engaged the website team to build a new website. It was a pleasure working over last winter with the support team on the
website.
Once again, they are supportive and responsive to any changes we need to make in that regard.
So in conclusion, we are very pleased that we have partnered with Chronogolf and now use the Chronopitch email marketing and their website support.

Inconvénients

Not much comes to mind. If a member of the staff is having an issue they can send a request directly from the screen and within minutes a reply is received. The instruction is clear and all problems are solved in a reasonable time frame

Avantages

I love that it is so easy to use. I also love that my rep gets back to me so quickly with answers. He also will reach out just to check in.
I try to schedule tutorials with him. Very helpful

Inconvénients

Is it strange to say there are too many reports? But seriously you can get lost with the ways to analyze the data.

Avantages

As a golf course manager, I have been using Chronogolf since May 2014 and without a doubt I highly recommend this tee sheet booking and member management software. It’s easy to recognize the different player types on the tee sheet based on their individual colors and the starters use tablets to view the tee sheet and manage the pace of play. It is also easy to access the Chronogolf dashboard online for the players. These aspects are very important to make sure all golf operators that use the platform can benefit from these features, especially by its speed of execution. Being able to book online directly from home or a phone is an advantage for the proshop staff. Managing the tee sheet with our daily discounts is remarkably simple and seeing reports from anywhere is very easy. Chronogolf allows you to build a complete customer database without an extra cost. You can promote your golf course and tee times online and on social medias with Chronogolf to make any available spots more visible.

Inconvénients

There are a lot of updates and features which is sometimes hard to keep track, but I like knowing the opportunities are out there and continue to evolve.

Avantages

We have been using the Chronogolf platform since its creation in 2012. We are proud to say we help create the product by giving our opinion on the upgrade that needed to be done in the golf management system industry. Nowadays, the program has evolved to a much more complete system that gives your business flexibility in sales creativity. It’s a great system which makes the tee time booking a lot more efficient for the client and our staff. It also provides you the possibility of promoting your golf course online, which gives you the power of managing your quiet time of the day and increase your sales. The system itself is user friendly and easy to use, whether it’s from booking reservation to events and tournaments, online payments, email bank, technical support, player and pricing options, statistics, market segmentation, reports and way more! The variety of options that Chronogolf offers to its users is like no other product on the market. It is a real marketing tool for your business, combined with his own POS (Lightspeed) to give you the full business tool package you need!

Inconvénients

They take their time to release certain features but I cannot complain since they release features that are so integral to our day to day business.

Avantages

- Chronogolf / Lightspeed Retail / Lightspeed Restaurant - user friendly and there are constant improvements / innovations
- Packages and Subscription module - easy to use, track and manage
- House Accounts - automatic payments are very valuable to our operation
- Lightspeed Restaurant - a good way to manage a restaurant / bar in an efficient and effective manner
- Promo Codes - are a great way to track and manage promotions and discounts for customers

Inconvénients

- The Sync between the tee sheet and Lightspeed Restaurant is not always automatic, which impacts the management of our Loyalty Program.
- We would like to see certain improvements in the Dynamic Pricing module, but since this has been newly introduced, I would like to wait and see the additional features they add
- The app is not yet up to speed in terms of performance compared to the current app we are using

Avantages

Integrated Services and Software
Expansive staffing
Constant Visual improvements
Easy to contact staff
Great customer service
Functional Programming
A youthful and modern staff
Automated communications from Chrono
Pricing Structures

Inconvénients

Meeting the individual demands or needs of golf courses can become difficult.

Logisitical Limitations (getting better!)

Programming Limitations (getting better!)

Avantages

Cloud based, all we need is an internet connection and I can use Lightspeed anywhere! The Food & beverage software blows away any other product.

Inconvénients

One thing that I would like to see is to sell multiple packages to different people but paid by one person in one transaction. ex. two sisters or husband and wife.
One glitch is customers in F&B can charge to a house account even though they do not have one. They do have a work around but its not the best.

Avantages

A lot of things that people were saying to us about Chronogolf were positive. We realized that we could utilize our tee sheet a little more effectively. One of the things that I really like about Chronogolf is that it is cloud-based which makes it easy to access from anywhere. The other thing is the openness to feedback where certain features weren't available at the time , but we kept getting feedback from the Chronogolf team that they might not be able to introduce these features right away, but it was in the process of being built and that word has held true. If there are any problems my staff is having, I don't have to be at the office to solve them. Our members absolutely loved it because they are able to go online and make reservations. It reduced phone calls that we were getting in the Proshop.

Inconvénients

We are very happy with all the systems we have in place. Even though you have to jump from the tee sheet to the Point of Sale, it's not such a big deal, it's only a tab away. I can't wait for what's to come!

Avantages

I appreciate the fact that if there isn't something me or my staff can figure out, I can reach out to their Live Chat Support and they will do everything to regulate the problem for us. They are a reliable source of information and knowledge. They are also available very regularly.
The membership structure on Chronogolf is easy and transparent. It makes our membership management better and it makes booking online very easy for our members, new and old alike.
I love the integration with Lightspeed and the fact that we can have house accounts for our members that can be viewed efficiently and accurately. The integration with the Point of Sale is excellent for our inventory management and control.

Inconvénients

Can't think of any. I enjoy every aspect of the software, any suggestions I have had have been met with sincere consideration and often appear in regular software updates.

Avantages

The intuitive nature of the platform allows both the players and the business owner to experience smooth and pain free interactions. The feedback from our customers has been terrific and both management and staff have had no issues adapting to the use of the many features available. Chronogolf and Lightspeed works seamlessly and the design and integrations are clear, easy on the eye and easy to navigate.

Inconvénients

There are a lot of new updates and features added that we need to adapt, it is constantly changing and mostly for the better. Luckily, when this comes up, the Chronogolf support team is always available to help us understand and adapt to these fantastic additions.

Avantages

Click and point, very easy. Users can have easy access on phone.

Inconvénients

We have a 9 hole course so it is a bit limited for something we are trying to do. Always a way around.

Avantages

Tee sheet is intuitive once you have it set up. More structured from back end when setting up but once done very easy for staff. Integrations are great and moving from Tee Sheet to Retail is easy.

Inconvénients

Too many clicks to check people in - they are fail safes but can be ponderous when you have a line up of people waiting to pay.

Avantages

The Canaan Country Club recently ran an anniversary special which was extremely successful in bringing in many new members. With the sudden rise in memberships, we needed to find a tee time system that would keep us organized. We chose Chronogolf by Lightspeed and we LOVE it! This program is so user friendly, which was exactly what we needed, as we have a few employees who have never even used a computer before! Our club has never used a tee time system either, but this program was so easy to learn that it made a very smooth transition for us. Every feature and function in this program works together to make booking tee times simple and easy, while keeping you organized in the shop and on the course. My favorite feature is the Customer Support chat box located in the corner of the program window which offers live help whenever needed. The customer support team is a great comfort to us. I would recommend this program to any golf course.

Inconvénients

Haveyet to find something we don't like about the software!

Avantages

Having worked with a number of software packages in the golf industry I can say that Chronogolf is definitely the most user friendly and intuitive. The integration options only serve to enhance its capabilities. Being a newly constructed course it is great to see that they are willing to work with our business as we continue to grow. With any system there will inevitably be functions that require additional training above and beyond the initial set up stage, and I can happily say that the live support has made this effortless and timely. Reporting options from Chronogolf allows for a quick view of Key Metrics while Lightspeed allows for more specific sales reports to scrutinize each category.

Inconvénients

While both Chronogolf and Lightspeed both operate efficiently and communicate in real time I could see potential benefits to working with one software provider. That being said they are always working on upgrades and additional functions to improve the user experience. Would highly recommend for any course.

Avantages

We have been working for several years with Chronogolf, Lightspeed Retail & Restaurant and we do not regret our choice! Having multiple events and weddings per day, we needed a complete solution for Food & Beverage and the Restaurant POS is perfect for our needs. The Chronogolf software is easy to use for both the managers and the staff. The Chronogolf team is proactive and improves their software many times per year.

Inconvénients

Every software has their small issues, however the Chronogolf team is always there to fix our problems quickly.

Avantages

This product is the best and most easy to learn and use out of any others I had worked with over my career.

Inconvénients

Can't think of any cons as they pertain to our usage of the software.

Avantages

We were one of the first Chronogolf customer and since the very beginning, we have not stopped complimenting the service we receive. The clean and sleek design of the interface makes it easy to navigate and understand the software. When there is a problem, there is always someone to answer us quickly and correct the issue if necessary. There are also many training videos for how to use the software which allows us to learn the features when we have time or at home.

Inconvénients

When we have issues, we reach out on the support chat and they quickly find solutions.

Avantages

Abercrombie Country Club switched to Chronogolf a few years back and the system has surpassed any and all expectations we had. The software is all-inclusive, providing all your club needs together in one place. Very user-friendly software for staff and Chronogolf provides exceptional customer service for any needs you may not be able to accomplish on your own.

Inconvénients

The only thing I can say is I know I do not use the system to its full potential but the Chronogolf team is always helping us and letting us know what is new in terms of features and options within the system.

Avantages

After using the same POS system for many years, we felt the time was right to look for a new platform. We searched all the latest technology and found Chronogolf by Lightspeed would be our best fit. Now that we have used it for a full season, we are very happy with our decision. The reporting we are able to do exceeds our expectations, as well as the unlimited marketing opportunities we are able to access. We are now taking advantage of the add ons such as ChronoPitch and have developed a new phone app as well.

Inconvénients

We've tailored the software to facilitate our needs, can't really complain

Avantages

For managing reservations, nothing is easier than the Chronogolf software. Also, from setting up tournaments to processing payments, everything runs smoothly. The platform is constantly evolving and allows golf club managers like myself to monitor the day-to-day operations using the detailed report tool.

Inconvénients

We had a few issues with the internet that made the situation a bit challenging, but other than that, everything is working great!