MHS Group Farnham RFC case study October 2015
The importance of keeping up with technology
Farnham RUFC’s move to new location and clubhouse proves a case in point
Of the many things that changed when Farnham RUFC moved to its new location and clubhouse
of the magnificent new clubhouse and a member-friendlier card system has led to increased
in September 2012, the club’s use of technology to manage its bar and membership was one
numbers coming more often, a pattern which is now fairly consistent according to Rebecca.
that has proved essential in helping get a real grip on sales, stock, and membership data.
Managing large numbers needs high tech solutions
The move was transformational in many ways, and after years of working with a small clubhouse,
Farnham RUFC enjoys very healthy membership numbers. Overall, there are around 1,000+,
Farnham RUFC now has one with three main areas:
with a huge junior section. The Under-5s and Under-12s represent, with a maximum of 50 in
- the Snug with a capacity for up to 40 people that’s used for small groups and conferences,
each year group, 600 members, plus the Under-18s, the Seniors and the social members. The
boardroom, presentations
Juniors and Under-18s can buy soft drinks via their cards, frequently topped up by their parents
- the Sports Bar for viewing live sporting action on and off the pitch, with televisions for showing
and represents a significant portion of the annual sales.
major rugby events. This is where the two Toshiba tills loaded with MH Systems’ EPoS software
The cards have brought other large benefits to the club, as Rebecca explains, “The World
are located.
Cup meant higher than usual clubhouse activity with many more members coming to watch
- and the Main Hall, which has a capacity for up to 300. Designed for all sorts of major functions
various televised matches. In turn it’s led to many of them placing £100 to £200 on their cards
and occasions from weddings to award ceremonies, it has full audio visual facilities and can be
to make it easier to buy rounds of drinks throughout the World Cup season.”
She continues, “That’s boosted our cash flow of course, and while it’s something of a
sectioned off for smaller groups as well.
one-off, it’s very welcome. It also shows how much easier we’re making things for our members
All of which means that the club’s strategy of marketing its clubhouse to generate additional
by having a card system. It is probably essential for parents, as the kids get through a lot of soft
external income, while accommodating the needs of its 1,000 strong membership for the
drinks and having the cards makes it so much easier for them to accommodate their children’s
regular fixtures, demanded a high tech EPoS system.
needs when they’re at the club for Juniors coaching sessions and so on.”
“Another benefit of having a card-driven EPoS system is that if our members forget their
The driving force: general manager and club accountant Rebecca Watson
wallets or their cards, we can tell them their number and they can still buy drinks. With the old
Rebecca Watson is the club’s general manager and accountant, and she was the driver behind
cash register, that definitely wasn’t the case!”
the club’s acquisition and installation of its new EPoS system and till hardware from MH
Systems. “We had been used to an old fashioned cash register at the previous premises, which
Getting the stock control right
gave us none of the flexibility or information we really needed.” she explains.
Initially, the club wasn’t able to make the fullest use of their new EPoS system’s built-in stock
“We wanted to encourage as many members as we could to use the clubhouse, and that
control application, but once the problem was identified – the bar staff and manager needed
meant we needed a membership card system that would not only help us identify and keep
some expert IT help and training – the input from MH Systems’ support engineers soon rectified
track of the members’ contact details etc., for the database, but could also be used to buy
things. Rebecca’s now very pleased with the way the EPoS system handles the whole issue of
drinks and snacks.”
stock movement and control, as she comments, “MH Systems’ support engineer was brilliant!
It was probably something we needed to get set up initially, rather than hope that we could do
it ourselves.”
Know your members’ spending habits
Rebecca is emphatic about the importance of this. “From my perspective, I needed to know from
our EPoS system what our members’ spending habits and patterns were, and what they spent
Easier for training new and temporary