Opening the door to opportunity.

Most club leaders are keenly aware of shifts in American culture and the economy, and the resulting impact on members and club operations represent opportunities and challenges none of us can afford to miss. As demographics among members and club workforces change and lifestyles demand ever-more creative program and service solutions, clubs will need to have strong volunteer and professional teams that work well together and are clearly focused on the club's mission.

Achieving and maintaining high standards of quality and service in the club's dining operation continues to be critical, but there's an unmistakable shift to less formal dining styles. Reflecting this trend, about three-quarters of managers, directors, and vendors polled by NCA in 2003 felt formal dining space within their clubs would continue to decline through 2010.

I polled some of our own senior staff at Westchester Country Club in Rye, NY, for their thoughts on where food and beverage operations were headed, and have included some of their insights in this article.

Mark Westfield, our director of restaurant services at Westchester, said, "Formal dining won't disappear altogether, but members' lifestyles--especially those of young families--simply aren't compatible with the traditional trappings of old-style formal dining (i.e., a suit and tie and slower-paced service with restless children at the table). There will continue to be some level of demand for holidays and special events, but for many of today's members, whose families are engaged in multiple activities that take them in different directions, the traditional, lengthy formal dinner is not something that's going to interest them."

So, what does interest today's member? According to Ed Leonard, CMC, our executive chef (and captain of the U.S. Culinary Olympic team), it's the food quality and level of service that counts--special upscale foods and wines, top cuisine, and interesting china and settings. All of these elements must now combine to provide an "entertainment" experience regardless of where the meal is served. "Formal dining today is less defined by the spa and dress code; it's about a sophisticated dining experience. People may not sit still for a three-hour meal, but they still want to go somewhere nice and have a great meal with a twist--tableside service, unusual china, different space--whatever they perceive as defining the 'experience."'

Clubs that follow this approach may also find that they can accommodate multiple generations within the same functional space and satisfy diverse needs. For example, GM Bill Minard says that by seating younger families along the outer edges of a dining area, clubs can create buffers that are ideal for families with young children who may get antsy after a while. Seniors or groups without children can dine in more private spaces inside a dining area where they won't be disturbed.

At Westchester, outdoor dining is increasing in importance, too. Again, members want a place to go that's casual, relaxed, tranquil, but smart--combined with excellent cuisine and good service. Ed Leonard adds that even though members' children may be eating so-called "kids' fare," they are still being exposed to service and adult etiquette that will eventually shape their habits and expectations.

Additional research performed on behalf of Club Corp shows that time, or the lack of it, continues to shape members' preferences.

As demands on the average member's time increases, clubs either have to lower the time commitment a member must make to the club, increase the amount of value that a member perceives in return for his or her investment, or both. Does this mean that quick-casual and takeout will come to dominate food and beverage operations at clubs? Probably not. However, as members eat more meals away from home, the tendency to demand ever-faster service and the same quality food will continue to increase; commercial restaurants keep getting faster, and clubs will have to keep pace.

While takeout and quick casual services will be important complimentary services to a club's dining operations, most clubs still believe the majority of their food and beverage business will remain rooted in more sophisticated dining options that feature great food and superior service away from home. In fact, while members' primary reason for joining a club seems to focus on access to recreational facilities, directors and managers who participated in NCA's 2003 trends study ranked access to dining services as the third most-important reason for joining a club. Thus, the club that makes its dining operations convenient, and a solution to members' competing lifestyle demands will remain competitive.

Anybody who is part of a club leadership team knows that dining operations are labor intensive. What will the club workforce of the future look like and what skills will they bring to clubs? For starters, workers will be better rounded, both educationally and culturally. Mark Westfield, who spent eight years of his career teaching restaurant service at the Culinary Institute, tells me that the schools are still concentrating on basic food and wine, but with much more of a global and international perspective. Languages are being emphasized so that students can have a more immersive, cross-cultural experience. At the same time, schools are requiring more business basics--marketing, systems applications, economics, and accounting. Ed Leonard adds that while schools are teaching a classical approach to cooking, there's also an emphasis on cooking with flavor and applying proper nutrition principles--for example, the proper proportion and use of fats, fresh ingredients, and the fusion of flavors--to create sensible cooking without gimmicks.

The faces of these students and graduates are already diverse, and becoming more so. More and more international students are finding their way into American private clubs--from places as far-flung as Romania, Ireland, and South Africa. In response, management teams will have to become stronger teachers and trainers, able to lead a diverse group that may have limited language skills in English. Already, a number of clubs are contracting with outside groups to offer English as a second language (Westchester included) so that foreign-born staff will have more advancement opportunities.

While doing so adds to the cost of operations, it also gives clubs a competitive advantage in recruiting staff. Few commercial operations offer the training opportunities and level of benefits that clubs provide.

On the subject of technology as it relates to food and beverage, we typically think of Web-based reservation systems or placing orders via PDAs. Thus far, their use is slow to gain acceptance at private clubs, but as the pace of service requirements increase they may grow in popularity. Much continues to be written about the need to refine databases so that we can extract ever-more-detailed information about member preferences.

Popular point-of-sale systems already capture this information, which is used to help us anticipate our members' needs and speed up service on custom orders.

There is also a need for systems that are more interactive throughout the clubhouse and pro shops. With the number of members who use e-mail exceeding 60 percent in many clubs, the private club market is opening up to software developers and more options are becoming available to suit the individual needs of varying clubs. But what about some more basic applications that could improve food quality and speed of service? Chef Leonard points out that when it comes to technology applications in the kitchen, the U.S. generally lags behind Europe. Many clubs will want to think seriously about the type of equipment they purchase when they update their kitchen operations, including faster induction cooking devices that allow extensive programming.

How can directors and officers contribute to the continued advancement of club goals in these areas? The first step is to clarify the goals through strategic planning and developing long-range plans that anticipate the changing needs of your membership. Clubs will find it increasingly difficult to compete against the wide range of restaurants, spa and fitness clubs, and other social and athletic facilities that specialize in a single product or service. They will have the most up-to-date technology and equipment to ensure their competitive advantage, and our clubs will have to keep up with them. Club boards, with their committees' and management's input, must set the direction and then rely upon management to implement an operating and capital plan to meet the objectives. This must be a collaborative effort to ensure that the club's resources are being used most effectively.

Clubs face many challenges and opportunities, but we have at least one distinct advantage over the competition: our ability to truly know and understand the needs of our member customer base. As we implement technology to maximize this advantage, and customize our products and services to their needs, we'll open up many doors of opportunity.

Robert James, CCM, CHE is the executive director of Westchester Country Club in Rye, NY and is the chair of the National Club Association.