Will Hewitt: Why customer insight is crucial to golf’s continued growth

Golf is enjoying a period of strong participation and opportunity, but sustaining that momentum requires the industry to keep evolving how it understands and serves its customers.

Will Hewitt is Managing Director of 59club UK & Ireland, which supports more than 300 venues through customer experience, performance insight, training and service excellence programmes.

With more than 25 years of senior management experience across the golf, hospitality and leisure sectors, Hewitt will bring a wide range of expertise to the conference programme at IGTM Discovery.

Ahead of the event in Cannes, he discusses the IGTM Discovery Programme, why collecting meaningful data should underpin business decisions, the importance of understanding what customers really want and why the industry must capitalise on its current opportunities to create experiences that encourage people to return.

The obvious answer here is the IGTM Drinks Reception!

IGTM has always been a great place to meet new people, build a network and gather new insights. At IGTM Discovery I will be keen to hear from David Ashington at Costa Navarino. Having known David through Monte Rei, Camiral and Costa Navarino, I have always been hugely impressed by his understanding of the market and ability to build brand reputation.

Golf is in a good place and participation has never been stronger, but we need to get ahead of the game and safeguard our future. We compete with a wide variety of leisure pursuits and opportunities for people to spend their disposable income elsewhere.

It is vital that we take advantage of the opportunities which present themselves, develop our people to motivate and retain the best talent and deliver experiences which are genuinely memorable and make people want to return.

The programme is varied but covers the hot topics which exist in the industry at present. Embracing technology and innovation, sustainability and the changing nature of golfers and travel are all covered by experts in their field.

The importance of measuring your performance and gathering meaningful data in making decisions for your business.

Develop a better understanding of your customer preferences and deliver a strategy aimed at these preferences. It is easy to get caught up with the views of a vocal minority, but these views don't always represent the views of your audience.

For more information about Will's session at IGTM Discovery on October 20: Growing the Game: Customers, data, revenue and product development

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