Transforming Facility Management with Pitchbooking at Aberystwyth Town Football Club

Give us some background on who you are, and your role at the club

I am Colin Jones and I serve as the Club Director, overseeing our operations and ensuring that our facilities are accessible to the public.

What were you looking for when you came across Pitchbooking?

Before we integrated Pitchbooking into our operations, we faced several challenges that hindered our facility management:

1. Lack of Control: The club was operating in an unorganized manner with not as much financial awareness as we would have liked. Bookings were made on a one-to-one contact basis, lacking an information or management trail.

2. Inconsistent Pricing: There were no clear pitch hire cost guidelines, resulting in a wide variation in prices, from £100 for a full day hire to £50, and from £60 to £10 for a full pitch hire for a two-hour period. This inconsistency was detrimental to our revenue and organisation.

3. Poorly Managed Booking System: Our pitch booking system was poorly managed, and lacking transparency.

How did Pitchbooking help combat the above?

Pitchbooking came to our rescue and helped us overcome these challenges by providing the below:

1. Controlled Booking System: Pitchbooking provided us with a well-organised and controlled booking system. This allowed our clients to view and book pitches at their convenience, with payments made upon confirmation of the booking.

2. Clear Pricing Guidelines: We established clear and fair pricing guidelines, eliminating the pricing inconsistencies that were a significant issue before.

3. Full Online Payments: The system enabled us to transition to full online payments, eliminating the need for cash transactions and streamlining our financial processes.

4. Improved Management: With Pitchbooking, we gained better control over the club's pitch hire business. The system allowed us to plan, manage, and financially predict potential booking revenue efficiently.

5. Fixture List Control: Utilising the subscription feature, we could efficiently control the fixture list of all the club's teams.

So did this work? What were the outcomes you saw?

The benefits we've experienced from using Pitchbooking are numerous, but here are three key ones:

1. Full Online Payments: We no longer deal with cash payments.

2. Controlled Management: Our club now has a well-structured and controlled pitch hire management system, ensuring a smooth and organised operation.

3. Subscription Usage: The subscription feature has been invaluable in maintaining control over our fixture list and ensuring that all our teams are accommodated effectively.

The support provided by the Pitchbooking team has been exceptional. They have consistently offered guidance and assistance whenever needed, making our experience with the system even more rewarding.

Any final words?

In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend Pitchbooking to any sports club in need of booking software. Once you've mastered the system, you'll never look back. It provides online control that allows clubs to efficiently manage, plan, and predict their potential booking revenue while also offering a solid audit trail.