OLD COURSE HOTEL

BACKGROUND

Few places are as iconic in the world of sports as St. Andrews. Old Course Hotel offers event planners the opportunity to enhance their meetings and events with a view of the famous 17^th hole of the Old Course and access to the West Sand Beach. In addition to the perfect location, the hotel has been awarded an AA Five Red Star Award, signifying outstanding quality, hospitality, and service in the British Isles. The attention to detail, luxury service and amenities, elegant accommodations, and stunning location make the hotel highly desirable for corporate events, weddings, product launches, celebrations, and more. 

The hotel has 175 perfectly appointed guest rooms and eight unique function spaces, including the memorable Hall of Champions, which can host up to 480 people or be divided into five smaller spaces. The showpiece Conservatory is an intimate space with floor-to-ceiling windows, antique furnishings, and a fireplace, perfect for a private gathering of up to 14 people. The property's staff and management need an infrastructure of technology and processes that makes it possible to deliver impeccable service every time to every group. 

CHALLENGE

Finding and adopting technology that enables the sales and events team to communicate clearly with event planners and internally

“About four years ago, I was tasked with finding diagramming software. I researched a number and we came full circle back to Cvent, which we had been using in terms of RFPs and winning business,” remembered Russell. Before using Cvent Event Diagramming, hotels would use PowerPoint or simply hand-draw sketches of their space. Some of the reasons for the change of strategy for Old Course Hotel include:

SOLUTION

Adopt Cvent Event Diagramming as the single source of truth for all teams and share floor plans with bookers for clarity and improved communication

Everyone who touches events at Old Course Hotel understands and uses Cvent Event Diagramming. The sales team is the first point of contact for planners, and they can quickly produce a to-scale diagram so the planner can make an informed decision about whether and how their event would fit in the space. “It really helps bring to life an end client’s event. It means we’re closing that distance,” said Russell. 

The event operations team uses Cvent Event Diagramming to manage every event detail. They can include stages, chairs, seating arrangements, décor, lighting, AV, musicians, and screens. The kitchen staff uses seating diagrams to denote meal choices. Operations relies on detailed diagrams to efficiently flip rooms between sessions or groups. They also give the planners access so they can always be updated on changes and the planned flow of their events. 

Old Course Hotel’s diagrams are available on their Cvent Supplier Network profile, making it simple for bookers to pre-qualify the venue for their specific purpose. “We could link our diagrams with our Cvent profile, boosting our visibility with bookers. It makes us stand out from our competitors,” said Russell. 

RESULTS

Measurable improvements in efficiency, revenue, and client relationships 

Giving the entire Old Course Hotel team access to Cvent Event Diagramming and using it collaboratively with event planners has improved business processes and made multiple teams more efficient in their workflows. In the past year, some of the improvements they have seen include:

• Creating diagrams on paper or in PowerPoint used to take about 45 minutes. It now takes just a few minutes to use an existing template or to drag and drop a new layout onto the diagram. 
• It eliminates the need for additional site inspections, saves the on-site team and the planner time, and creates a more sustainable planning process.
• Increased trust and better relationships with event planners and bookers who expect the luxury property to have virtual technology for planning. 
• Improved satisfaction and engagement with various team members who use the diagrams.
• Russell and team create over 100 events and 200 diagrams annually in the software.