In September 2021, the Quintin Hogg Memorial Grounds, a new sports facility affiliated with the University of Westminster, opened its doors. This state-of-the-art facility features RFU (Rugby Football Union) and FA (Football Association) certified floodlit, all-weather, full-sized rugby and football pitches, a dedicated training pitch, and modular changing rooms, to name a few.
The challenge
As a newly established venue, QH Memorial Trust Sports Grounds faced a series of unique challenges that needed to be overcome in order to achieve their goals. These challenges encompassed various aspects of facility management and community engagement, and addressing them was essential for the venue’s long-term success. The two main challenges were to firstly streamline their bookings process that would save staff time, and secondly promote their offerings within the community to increase bookings.
The solution
To address these challenges, QH Memorial Trust Sports Grounds turned to Bookteq, powered by Playfinder. Using the Bookteq Workspace to solve their first challenge; to easily manage their bookings internally. While their venue listing on the Playfinder marketplace helped them solve their second challenge; to reach new audiences and accept online bookings. Here’s how partnering with Bookteq, powered by Playfinder solved these challenges:
- Simple and effective: QH Memorial Trust, praised the Bookteq Workspace for its simplicity and effectiveness. The software made it easy for QH Memorial Trust to set up and manage bookings, as well as edit existing ones.
- Made it easy to find and book the facility: Through their Playfinder listing, QH Memorial Trust Sports Grounds achieved high rankings on relevant search queries. Ranking in the top 3 on Google search page for queries such as; ‘football pitch for hire in Chiswick,’ ‘play football in Chiswick,’ and ‘3G astro in Chiswick.’ This increased their online visibility and reach in the local sports community.
- Operational efficiency: The self-service Playfinder booking platform streamlined the process of finding and booking facilities for the local community. This not only enhanced the user experience but also reduced the administrative burden on the facility’s staff compared to manually entering bookings in the system.
The results
- Doubled bookings in year 2: When comparing ‘May – September 2022’ to ‘May – September 2023’ the venue was able to generate 102% more bookings in the second year of using Bookteq, powered by Playfinder than in the first year.
- Playfinder marketplace bookings increased by 55%: Bookings made on Playfinder increased by 55% during the same period in 2023 compared to 2022. This growth showcases the sport marketplace’s capacity to consistently attract new bookings and customers.
- 14% Additional bookings: Playfinder contributed to 14% of all bookings during the specified time period, bringing in additional bookings and revenue that would not have been possible without this platform.
- Booking milestone: Within the first 18 months of implementing Bookteq, QH Memorial Trust Sports Grounds processed a total of 1,810 bookings, further showcasing how the software has significantly simplified the task of handling increased booking volumes for their staff.
To wrap up
Through the adoption of Bookteq’s easy-to-use Workspace, adept at efficiently handling increased bookings, and increased visibility and bookings through Playfinder, Bookteq, Quintin Hogg Memorial Sports Ground has been able to significantly improve their facility bookings management – with the noteworthy growth in bookings and revenue speaking to the software’s positive influence.
To explore how Bookteq can benefit your sports club, schedule a free demo today. Experience a more streamlined and effective approach to sports facility management with Bookteq, powered by Playfinder.
