Pickleball is the latest sports craze around the world. Though the game has been around for decades, it has picked up steam and popularity in recent years. In fact, official USA Pickleball membership reached 70,000 members this past February — a 30% increase from the previous year!
The boom started as a way for people to have fun and stay active during the pandemic, but even as the world has moved on from COVID, the pickleball craze is showing no signs of stopping. This is great news for facilities, clubs and eatertainment venues that provide these pickleball players with courts, but an influx in business can be hard to keep up with if you’re not prepared — and that’s where the right pickleball scheduler can really come in handy.
The Need for a Pickleball Scheduler
Whether your facility or eatertainment venue was built with pickleball in mind or you have a versatile setup that can be used for a range of sports, the pickleball boom might have your head spinning!
Bookings are increasing, the phone is ringing nonstop with people looking to book a space, and your employees simply can’t keep up with the rush. Sound familiar? The right pickleball scheduler can help.
Selecting the Right Scheduling Platform
You need the right platform to keep your facility or club running smoothly and to keep all of your pickleball players happy! So what factors should you take into consideration when selecting the ideal pickleball scheduler?
User Friendliness — For All Users
Who needs to use your scheduling tool? While the answer may change depending on your facility, most users would fall into one of two categories: internal users (people who work at your facility) and external users (people looking to schedule time to play).
The right pickleball scheduler must be accessible and easy to use for everyone. If your tool is difficult to navigate, people won’t use it and you’ll end up right back where you were in the first place, with stressed-out staff trying to coordinate bookings and the phone ringing off the hook with confused pickleball players on the other end!
Standard Features
What do you need in a scheduling tool? There are some features that pretty much any user would expect, such as:
- The ability to set times that your courts are open
- Easy booking that allows your customers to select times that work for them
- If applicable, the ability to collect payments along with reservations
- Making sure your courts are not being double and triple booked
There are plenty of basic scheduling tools out there that fit this mold — but what if you need more from your pickleball scheduler?
Customizable Options
Your facility or eatertainment venue may have different needs than another facility. You need the flexibility to adjust based on your unique business. A truly great scheduling tool will include customizable options, such as:
- How far in advance people are able to book
- Customizable options for the assets you have, including different types of courts if your facility runs more than pickleball
- Booking for special events with limited registration
- Capacity limits for court rentals or events
- Custom pricing depending on the time of day a court is booked
- Custom questions when people book, such as asking people to join your email list, rent a paddle for their game or practice, or fill out a facility waiver in advance
Integration with Current Systems
Online schedulers are not a new concept, but many existing options just don’t play nicely with your tools. Have you ever gone to a company’s website and tried to book an appointment, only to be taken to a third-party site? It’s disjointed and difficult to understand, and it doesn’t provide a simple solution!
Your ideal pickleball schedule should work with your current system and website, not against it! You need a smart, online scheduler that can be embedded into your website — and even customized to fit your brand colors. That way, visitors never have to leave your site in order to manage their reservations.
Team Training
The best pickleball scheduler in the world won’t be of any use to you if your team doesn’t know how to use it! Ideally, your solution isn’t simply a software package you purchase and try to figure out yourself. You need a dedicated team that will work with you to install the application, personalize the booking tool for your needs, and train your team on how to use it. With the right software and the right training, your team will be set up for success from the start.
Let Us Help
Still looking for the best pickleball scheduler for your facility? Let Facility Ally help. Our booking software helps facilities, eatertainment venues and teams manage their assets, book their spaces, and communicate with members better than ever before. Embedded into your website and completely customized to fit your unique needs, Facility Ally is helping sports facilities make better use of their time and serve their customers in a smarter way.
Ready to make the most of the pickleball craze? Let us help. Reach out to us today to see whether Facility Ally’s booking solutions are right for you.
