The golf industry is one of the few industries that thrived during the pandemic. There was a renewed interest in the game, which allowed people to engage in physical and social activity, even at the height of social distancing. The ability to go outside and play during 2020 and 2021 gave golf its most significant net increase in players, particularly beginner players, since the late 1990s.
The golf boom extends beyond the course as some brands have also been in high demand with the increased need for apparel and golf supplies. Unfortunately, the supply chain shortage has caused delays in materials and backorders of equipment. Everything from golf clubs to golf carts is in short supply, and buyers have had to adjust to longer wait times to get the gear they need to play.
Suppliers have also had to adjust to longer wait times for receiving payments. Slower mail delivery has caused its fair share of payment delays.
Golf Suppliers Contribute to the Success of the Club
Golf Clubs depend on many suppliers to provide the items and services that their guests require. Keeping the grounds beautiful and in a playable state demands a lot of grounds maintenance. Courses have rolling hills of manicured lawns, raked sand, trees, plants, ponds, and lakes with just enough natural plant growth.
Maintaining these beautiful outdoor areas necessitates pesticides, fertilizers, and insecticides. The water requires aquatic weed control and preservation of the wildlife. The golf carts also call for regular maintenance and repair – everything from tires to seat leather to brakes and batteries.
The Clubhouse activities rely heavily on vendors for food and beverages, as well as table linen laundering, tableware, and general up-keep of the dining and shop areas.
While enjoying the upswing in the game, a recent trend shows that clubs are focusing more on being environmentally conscious. According to the Green Business Bureau, golf clubs have increased their sustainability efforts by minimizing water use and harmful chemicals on the greens and opting for energy-efficient practices in the clubhouse. And using reusable or recyclable food packaging helps to reduce plastic waste.
There are so many moving parts to consider in a country or golf club. And those moving parts all have several suppliers each to keep them going. Some clubs work with as many as 400 suppliers annually.
CSI converts 35% – 40% of golf suppliers to virtual cards
Supplier Payments Are Labor-Intensive
A considerable amount of an accountant’s time at a Golf Club is spent making supplier payments. A Club accountant is responsible for resolving accounts payable issues and queries, reviewing vendor statements for accuracy, performing reconciliations of check and card transactions, verifying, preparing, and recording payments, and ensuring the accurate and timely payment of all suppliers and subcontractors. And these tasks are a small part of their overall functions.
Preparing and processing supplier payments could take several steps, especially if done manually and using paper checks. There are often several people who have to approve or sign off on certain payments on top of printing out each check, having them signed, and mailed. Managing to do it in a timely manner for as many as 400 vendors is challenging. And it’s usually one person’s responsibility.
Making payments to hundreds of suppliers is time-consuming and can lead to errors. Paper checks have a high risk of theft and fraud. And with slower postage delivery times, check payments are also at risk of arriving late, resulting in late fees. The many steps involved in making supplier payments are labor-intensive and take away from client-facing and profit-generating activities. That means they are more costly collectively for the club than separately.
Another trend in Golf Clubs that can be directly attributed to the pandemic is automating the previously high-touch areas of the clubhouse and pro shop. Payment technologies are being incorporated to make things easier and safer for the guests. The same technology can make back-office functions more efficient for the Club.
So, while less water and plastic are being used on the grounds and in the clubhouse, the back-office’s use of paper should be considered as well.
Digitizing Your Payments is Eco-Friendly and Saves Time
For a Club to be truly environmentally conscious, digitizing supplier payments is the solution. CSI can help you modernize your payments by automating 100% of your Club’s accounts payable process, regardless of the format that your suppliers prefer for payment.
Virtual cards help ensure supplier payments are secure, fast, and the process is paperless. The single-use virtual credit card reduces check fraud and offers you the ability to earn rebates and increase your monthly income on virtual card payments. And if you’re worried about needing to convince your suppliers to accept virtual cards – don’t. CSI has an enrollment team that will educate your suppliers about the benefits of virtual cards. We convert an average of 35% – 40% of golf suppliers to virtual cards.
ACH payments work well for suppliers who do not accept card payments. The funds are pushed directly into your supplier’s bank account and come with an electronic remittance. ACH payments are faster than checks and are also paperless.
CSI’s B2B Payment Network is a proprietary network that transfers funds directly into your supplier’s bank account, just like ACH. However, it provides invoice-level transaction details and gives you the opportunity to earn rebates for every bill you pay.
For some Clubs, check payments still work. But you don’t have to do them. CSI will automate the process for you by printing, signing, stuffing, and sending check payments to your suppliers. You’ll get back valuable time and relieve your club accountant from the burden of manually processing a large number of paper payments.
Club Suppliers Also Benefit From Automation
Whichever payment type your Club suppliers prefer, we can automate that process for you. And the advantages are not just for your Club. Your suppliers will benefit by receiving their payments faster, and guaranteed funds decrease non-sufficient funds occurrences. They would reduce Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) as payments are generally received within 1 to 2 days. By spending less time tracking down payment information, their reconciliation will be easier and quicker with transaction details or email notifications of payments.
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Edenred Pay, an Edenred Company, is the global leader in B2B payments automation. Our integrated platform connects buyers with trading partners, ERPs, banks, FinTechs, and payment rails to optimize supplier enablement, invoice approvals, and B2B payments and create a frictionless process for B2B transactions. Learn more at www.edenredpay.com or schedule a meeting with us.
