Ealing Council, based in West London, partnered with Bookteq in March 2020, using our Fully Managed service to bring their facilities management online, increase usage of their outdoor sports venues and gain access to the extensive Playfinder marketplace, helping to boost visibility of their venues online.
Ealing Council Results
- 45% increase in utilisation of sports facilities
- 140% increase in revenue from Oct ‘20 to Sep ‘21
- Cut admin costs and saved staff countless hours
- Improved booking experience for customers
“With Playfinder and Bookteq what blew me away was that we felt part of the family from day one…What stood out most was how they listened and wanted to support us to make the customer journey and the customer experiences as straightforward and positive as possible.”
Chris Bunting, Assistant Director, Ealing Council
The Problem
With 12 sites operating across their parks and open spaces areas, including football pitches, cricket pitches and tennis courts, Ealing Council needed a smart and easy-to-use online booking system that would make their facilities more accessible to the public and encourage utilisation of their outdoor sports venues throughout the borough.
The day to day running of these venues was also costing the council valuable time and resources by having to manually take bookings and chase debtors. They needed a way to free up time for their staff, so that they could focus on other important aspects of venue management, most notably keeping their parks and outdoor spaces safe for the public during Covid-19.
The Solution
Partnering with Bookteq, and integrating their sports venues with the Playfinder marketplace, has allowed Ealing Council to be at the forefront of the leisure sector’s need to match the growing expectations of the public, who want to quickly and easily book venues on demand.
All 12 venues are now listed on Playfinder, allowing customers to search, select, book, and even pay with ease online. In doing so, Ealing Council have made their facilities more accessible and increased visibility and overall usage. Meanwhile, an experienced team at Bookteq HQ manage the day to day booking operations, including taking bookings, handling cancellations and chasing debtors, all via Bookteq’s easy-to-use venue management software.
“Our sports bookings through Bookteq have been seamless. My staff are loving the work…it takes the pressure off them and enables them to focus on other activities, like making sure our parks and open spaces are safe during the pandemic.”
Chris Bunting, Assistant Director, Ealing Council
The Results
Since using Bookteq to support them with their venue management, Ealing Council has been able to save countless hours, whilst still increasing utilisation and improving access to their sports facilities.
All 12 venues saw an immediate increase in usage, with overall utilisation rates increasing by 45% from September 2020 to September 2021. The increased exposure through Playfinder, and now being ranked in the top #5 of Google searches for local pitches and courts in the Ealing area, allowed people to find and book venues much easier.
With more bookings, also came more revenue for Ealing Council. The summer of 2021 saw an additional £10,000+ in revenue, when compared to the previous year. The easing of lockdown restrictions across the UK during this period, meant having an online booking system in place was essential for Ealing Council’s success in coming out of lockdown and being ready to deal with the influx of bookings.
If you’d like to achieve similar results for your council, or to learn more about how Bookteq’s council booking software and services can help you manage your sports facilities and space hire, get in touch today via our live chat or email sales@bookteq.com.
