Boost your business performance
How GPOs help improve operational efficiency and member experience
What is a GPO, and how can it impact your operational efficiency?
Many golf courses and country clubs are turning to group purchasing organizations — or GPOs — to save money on products.
By leveraging buyers’ collective purchasing power, GPOs allow those businesses to get better prices than if they made the same purchases alone. In other words: More buyers mean lower costs.
However, that’s only scratching the surface of what GPOs can do.
Today’s GPOs offer industry expertise and digital tools to help businesses improve their performance and member experience.
With the right procurement partner, you gain the support to tackle tough operational challenges — and unlock new potential for your business.
Delight your members with employees properly trained in hospitality strategies. Serve orders faster — and reduce food waste — with menus optimized for efficiency. Some GPOs even provide software that automates your purchasing, highlighting new opportunities to save. And that’s only the beginning.
It’s time to rethink how your business can save money and perform efficiently. Follow this guide to find the right procurement partner — and take your golf operations to the next level.
Solutions for improving member experience
Keeping members satisfied is the heart of your business. That’s why some of today’s procurement partners offer solutions to ensure seamless, memorable experiences that keep members and guests returning, again and again.
Enhance your team’s capabilities
Labor shortages and soaring training costs are crippling operators’ ability to meet member and guest demands. Your employees, as the first points of contact, represent your brand. A well-trained team can elevate the overall customer experience by enabling smooth, efficient operations, even during labor shortages.
That’s where a GPO can help. Find a procurement partner who can provide temporary labor support and training in areas like customer service, food and equipment, business best practices and technology. Strategic use of temporary labor services during staffing shortages or peak periods (events, banquets or holidays) can further maintain operational efficiency.
With a well-trained team running the show, you can ensure members see your business at its best.
What Entegra delivers
Entegra clients enjoy access to a variety of certifications and “Walk the Talk” resources for elevating safety standards like food storage, sanitation and allergies.
We offer support including tailored workshops and videos from Entegra Culinary Consulting, discounted online training for frontline staff through Pineapple Academy, and discounted rates on both planned and on-demand temporary labor services.
Improve facilities to align with contemporary trends
Capital expansion and facility upgrades can significantly enhance the member experience. Investing in state-of-the-art amenities, such as modern clubhouses and high-quality dining options, creates a more enjoyable experience for guests. Incorporating technology, like GPS-enabled golf carts and online booking systems, streamlines operations and adds convenience.
Golf consumer preferences are shifting, with more diverse groups of players taking up the game. Keep members and guests coming back by upgrading your facilities to tap into the latest trends. Renovation also enhances aesthetic appeal, functionality and comfort, making your club more attractive to existing and potential members.
Upgrading your facilities can also help capture new revenue opportunities. Renovating event spaces can attract more banquet events, providing a steady stream of income. Enhancing the golf course itself, such as improving the greens and fairways, can attract more tournaments and increase membership sales.
What Entegra delivers
Leverage Entegra’s trusted suppliers to bring in new equipment and supplies to level up your service. We’ve built an extensive network of partners to deliver better pricing and quality to help you with renovation projects. Whether you need golf carts, furniture, maintenance or kitchen equipment, Entegra ensures your course has the latest technology to optimize operations.
Maintain a consistent supply and high level of service
Consistent offerings drive member loyalty. But with volatile markets and supply chains, businesses across the country are struggling to get the supplies they need at prices that fit their budgets.
Stay ahead of possible shortages by keeping track of global markets and supplies. Create backup plans so you can quickly change course when necessary.
By connecting with a solid supply chain today, you can avoid future offering changes, price increases and costly retraining — not to mention dissatisfied members and guests.
That’s where GPOs shine. The right partner will leverage its purchasing power and supplier relationships to negotiate pricing on your behalf, leading to increased savings and dependable access to consistent products your golf operation needs.
What Entegra delivers
We save you time by handling the vetting, sourcing and negotiation of your most ordered supplies.
Use our digital tools to create locked order guides, ensuring all your locations use the same products. And with our Entegra Shopping Assistant, it’s easy to find contracted items through your distributor’s ordering system.
Serve members faster by simplifying your
menu
Fed guests are happy guests. The key to faster service? Menus that emphasize simplicity — without sacrificing flavor.
By focusing on dishes that can be prepared quickly and efficiently, you can reduce kitchen bottlenecks, quicken service and minimize inventory management — all while increasing profitability.
However, be careful not to overextend this approach. Even the fastest service can’t compensate for unappetizing or low-quality foods.
That’s why it’s important to work with a GPO who knows what members and guests want — and how to design a menu that strikes a balance between quickness and quality.
Look for a procurement partner with an in-house chef or test kitchen where you can make your menu shine.
What Entegra delivers
With Entegra Culinary Consulting, you get expert advice and menu ideation from top chefs who’ll show you how to deliver delicious food with healthy margins.
We also provide an evaluation of your operations to target specific pain points, as well as Time and Motion studies to analyze the overall flow of your kitchen.
Solutions for driving operational efficiency
When it comes to your golf operations, every advantage counts. On top of helping to save on your purchases, the right GPO can also help you look at the bigger picture — providing tools and advisory support to take your business to the next level.
Use the latest technology to streamline operations
Eliminate unnecessary processes, develop new training programs and optimize the way you use labor and resources — saving time and money at every step.
Today’s powerful digital tools are making it easier to streamline your business workflows and find new insights. And with the right GPO, you can easily sort through the market’s dizzying selection of options to find the best tools for your organization.
For instance, consider modern POS systems that provide insights into your menus, turnaround times and inventory. Some procurement partners provide advanced reporting on your spending, as well as broader industry trends.
Also keep an eye out for the rise of AI integrations. These developing technologies will help predict member trends, inventory issues and other opportunities to improve your operations.
What Entegra delivers
The Entegra PurchasingIQ platform delivers actionable insights by analyzing spending patterns, identifying cost drivers and benchmarking performance against industry peers.
We also offer the latest in data and digital tools for reducing food waste, swapping in lower-cost products, and streamlining procure-topay processes. Choose from our vetted portfolio of solutions — and get them at discounted rates.
Reduce waste with smarter menuing and preparation
Whether it’s the result of inefficient food preparation or improper portion sizes, food waste creates lasting issues for the environment — and your bottom line.
Plan ahead by implementing waste reduction strategies. Closely track your inventory to avoid overordering. Use the first in, first out (FIFO) method to use older inventory first. And monitor portion control to ensure you’re not overserving guests.
The right GPO can even analyze your kitchen processes to identify underperforming side dishes and optimize your team’s food preparation techniques.
The result: Less food in the landfill, and greater results for your business.
What Entegra delivers
Entegra Culinary Consulting evaluates food preparation techniques and highlights inefficiencies, whether for specific menu items, day parts or kitchen areas.
We also deliver SKU rationalization for smarter, consolidated inventory, as well as discounts to Lean Path, a digital platform for tracking and reducing food waste.
Reduce preparation time with improved kitchen layouts
The French concept of “mise en place” — putting cooking items in the right place — can make or break a kitchen’s output.
Factor in heavy traffic and mealtime rushes, and a poorly designed kitchen can quickly impact your business’s bottom line.
Consider reconfiguring your kitchen’s layout with the goal of increasing efficiency and reducing preparation time. Ensure the kitchen is designed for easy movement. Place equipment where workers can quickly flow from station to station.
The right procurement partner can provide hands-on expertise for how to configure your kitchen. Some GPOs also partner with kitchen machinery suppliers to ensure you have the latest, most efficient models.
What Entegra delivers
Our equipment suppliers offer consulting services to optimize the layout of your kitchen equipment.
We also provide access to time-saving equipment like the TurboChef — a modular appliance that can decrease cook times by up to 80%.
Save thousands of dollars with smarter energy management
Kitchen appliances. Lights. Air conditioning. To keep up with members’ needs, golf course and club operators use — and pay for — a staggering amount of energy.
But with a considered approach to energy management, it’s not uncommon for businesses to save thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars yearly.
Manage your energy usage more efficiently by partnering with a GPO who provides solutions like energy audits, lighting upgrades and renewable resource partnerships.
It’s a proactive, impactful way to protect your bottom line — and the environment.
What Entegra delivers
Our energy management services include solutions for auditing your energy bills to identify savings opportunities.
We also deliver an array of options for optimizing HVAC systems, upgrading lighting, optimizing builds, integrating renewable resources and benchmarking usage with similar businesses.