Monday Morning Match is a quick post – maybe a quote, inspirational story or idea – intended to spark some motivation inside each of you so your week gets off to a fantastic start on Monday morning.
A New Trick from the Old Pros
When I was in the golf business, I learned a great trick to managing the daily tee sheets so we could provide the best experience for our members and/or guests as they arrived to play. Most courses will book tee times anywhere from 8 to 15 minutes apart, depending on how many groups they are trying to get out on the course each day. It is common for most municipal courses to squeeze as many groups as they can into each hour so they can maximize revenue. It isn’t uncommon to see some courses stagger tee times 7 minutes apart on busy weekends or holidays when a majority of the golfing public wants to play.
Many private golf courses and country clubs make the decision to put more time between groups so they players aren’t feeling rushed and don’t have the group behind them running up their tail on every hole. This is easier to do when you have hefty membership dues or guest fees helping to pay the bills.
Unfortunately, not every group that books a tee time shows up to the first tee on time a few minutes before they are scheduled to tee off. Sometimes they take extra time on the driving range or putting green, sometimes they are filling up their coolers with beer in the clubhouse and often they aren’t even at the course yet. They’re stuck in traffic or lost trying to find the course.
What we used to do (and many other courses use this trick too) was build in a “Starter Time” on the tee sheet every hour or, during busy times or days, maybe every other hour. These times were blocked off and weren’t able to be booked by anyone. They could then be used by the golf staff or course starter to adjust for late arrivals or squeeze in special guests or members who maybe didn’t have a tee time scheduled in advance.
Sometimes they weren’t used at all but it allowed for the golfers to have a little extra “space” out on the golf course. Ask anyone who has played on a busy municipal course what it’s like to play a 6-hour round where you have to wait for the group in front of you on every shot and two or three groups are backed up on every tee. Getting to play a round of golf where your pace of play is quick but not rushed and you hardly ever see the groups in front or behind you is worth a little more, both when it comes to what golfers are willing to pay and the memorable experience they may have at the course.
What Are You Building Into Your Schedule?
Do you follow a daily or weekly schedule? Are you in control of your activities or are you allowing everyone else to dictate where you’re going to be and what you’re going to do?
Perhaps building in a “starter time” to every day of your schedule (or perhaps even a couple each day) would be smart so you could handle some of those “fires” every salesperson seems to experience when they flare up. You know what I’m talking about, right? Those urgent calls from the client that need to get taken care of right away, the quick response needed by the lender or title company for the closing that is supposed to be happening later that week or that pesky co-op agent who is freaking out over some insignificant detail?
Don’t just drop what you’re doing and handle the next problem. That’s allowing someone else’s “urgent and important” problem to control your schedule. You first need to determine if the issue is urgent, important, both or neither. If it is important, see if you can slot it in to your schedule later in the day. If it truly is urgent, you could address is during your next available “starter time.” If it’s neither urgent nor important, you will need to make the best business decision on how to schedule it, send it to someone else or shoot it – kill it immediately so it won’t invade your previously scheduled priorities.
Remember, real estate is just the widget we work with. We don’t buy or sell houses; we work with the people who live in the houses. The true product or service we have to offer is our experience, our knowledge and most importantly…our time. How will you spend yours this week?
Pencil in a few “starter times” and then you’ll be able to relax, knowing that you can still complete all your tasks like building relationships, solving problems and having fun and who knows…maybe you’ll even have some time for a round of golf.
Just don’t forget to call the course and make your tee time!
Photo Credit: Derek Gavey
Photo Credit: Jinx!
Photo Credit: RaganMD