CourseRev Podcast: AI Tee Times - What We Learned

In our latest podcast episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Manna Justin, the founder of CourseRev. Manna, originally from southern India, has lived around the globe, embracing diverse cultures. A technology enthusiast and a self-proclaimed petrolhead, Manna's interests span from motorsports to bourbon whiskey. His rich background and passion for innovation have significantly influenced CourseRev's development.

CourseRev Overview

‍CourseRev aims to revolutionize golf course management by introducing a dedicated telephone and chat AI attendant. This AI system allows golfers to make reservations effortlessly, 24/7, throughout the year. The technology relies on sms communication to complete bookings after completing a human-to-bot voice or chat conversation. Beyond reservations, the system is supplying golfers with driving directions, waitlist options and more. If our case, the bot attendant recommended speaking with one of the PGA Professionals, working at the golf course, for a putting lesson.

Main Topics Discussed in this Tech Caddie podcast episode

• Origin of CourseRev: Manna shared the journey from creating foreTee, a yield management system, in 2005 to the development of CourseRev.
• Technological Influence: Other tech projects by Manna's team have shaped CourseRev, feeding valuable data into the system.
• Tee Times as Currency: Tee times are pivotal in golf, serving as a key commodity for both golfers and course owners.
• Integrations: CourseRev currently integrates with Lightspeed and Club Prophet, with future plans for live tee time pricing powered by AI.
• Waitlist Feature: Recently rolled out, this feature allows golfers to join a waitlist if their desired tee time is unavailable.

Transcript Excerpt:
Mike Hendrix: You'll be competitive to aa business that I used to sell and manage, GolfNow Answers, right? So GolfNow Answers is a call center. CourseRev will be competitive to that. You'll be competitive to what's called Tee Time Central out of the Myrtle Beach area. And you'll frankly be competitive to some one -off call centers that work for some golf courses that aren't golf specific. So in that sense, CourseRev will answer the phone. Without using humans and to serve as a call center but but go on continue to explain that

Manna Justin: So this is much more my vision is much more than just selling a tee time which is which is Just like in I used to have a tech product in the real estate industry, right? The real estate industry the currency was where leads leads to sell a yes, right? That's where I failed and my startup didn't work out because we went more into the promotion side And very late on the game, we realized that leads is a currency that we missed out on. If not, we would have been, we started it as early as when Zillow was there in the market, right? So in golf, tee time is the currency. Whether for the golf course or for the golfer, all the rest is beyond other stuff, right?

Mike Hendrix: That's right. And from a technology perspective, that's why there's some of us in the industry. We believe the tee sheet technology actually is more important than the point of sale because the time goes through the tee sheet and that's what makes the tee sheets so doggone important.

Manna Justin: Yes, absolutely. That is, that is a base technology that controls. I mean, it's surprising. Our research shows that 3000 golf courses in the U S don't have a tee sheet system. Electronic tee sheet system.

Mike Hendrix: That's right. It's, it's actually a little bit more than that. So that's My business is a consulting business and we track that daily. We track every day 20,000 golf courses and what tee sheet they use and what booking, you know, and so you're right. There's thousands of golf courses in North America that are still not using a digital tee sheet. Yeah.

Manna Justin: So, so coming to the technology answer to it is that we are in a very exciting time in, in, in our lives. just like how, how transformative the silicon was or the microprocessor was or the personal computer was or the cell phone was to the internet or whatever it may be, we are in such a big leap with AI because the speed in which AI is learning and refining every day is much faster than anything else that we have seen in the past.

Technical Details: Manna was cautious about sharing too much proprietary information, emphasizing that CourseRev's AI attendant efficiently answers calls, identifies the caller's needs, and assists in booking tee times. The system uses advanced AI and prompt models fine-tuned to understand the intricacies of golf and golfer behavior.

Impact and Benefits:

• Improving Golfer Experience: The AI attendant ensures precise pricing by confirming golfer details, being senior and non-senior, and offers alternative tee times if the requested slot is unavailable. It also provides the option to join a waitlist.
• Benefits for Golf Course Operators: The AI system helps reduce labor costs and enhances upselling opportunities, providing a more efficient customer service experience.

Future Developments:

• Outbound Calls: Integrations with CRMs for outbound calls to proactively offer tee times based on golfer preferences.
• Enhanced Pricing: AI-powered pricing strategies to maximize revenue and booking efficiency.

Author Commentary: CourseRev has the potential to become one of the leading revenue engines for golf courses by focusing first on the telephone, where Manna Justin believes 70% of tee times are booked. Their expansion into web and app chat and the addition of a waitlist feature demonstrate their commitment to enhancing the golfer experience and streamlining operations for golf course managers.

Competitive Landscape: CourseRev is entering a competitive field with call center companies like GolfNow Answers, Tee Time Central, and various one-off call centers serving golf courses. What sets CourseRev apart is its advanced use of AI and its seamless integration with existing tee sheet systems like Lightspeed and Club Prophet. Unlike traditional call centers, CourseRev's AI attendant provides a consistent, reliable service that doesn't suffer from the limitations of human operators.

This AI technology positions CourseRev as an attractive solution for tee sheet companies such as TenFore, foreUP and Club Caddie. When their customers demand an integrated call center solution, CourseRev offers a sophisticated, automated alternative. The ability to handle high call volumes, provide 24/7 service, and reduce labor costs makes CourseRev a compelling partner for these tee sheet providers. By integrating with CourseRev, foreUP, TenFore and Club Caddie can enhance their service offerings, improve customer satisfaction, and gain a competitive edge in the market.

Listeners interested in learning more about CourseRev and their AI attendant can find the full podcast episode on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and the Golf Course Technology Reviews website.

By leveraging cutting-edge AI technology, CourseRev is poised to transform how golf courses manage reservations, offering a seamless and efficient solution that benefits both golfers and course operators.