Ojibway Club’s Digital Evolution With Clubspot
By Fritz Baldauf
When the need to consolidate fragmented systems became apparent, Ojibway Club turned to Clubspot to get the job done.
The Ojibway Club is a unique seasonal club community in Pointe au Baril, Ontario, serving members through a packed summer calendar of programming, events, dining, racquets, camp, communications, and day-to-day member services.
Many of the Ojibway’s key workflows were spread across spreadsheets and disconnected systems. The club needed one modern software platform that could support staff, simplify member interactions, and keep operations moving during a busy summer season.
That is why Ojibway chose Clubspot.
The Problem
Like many private clubs, Ojibway was managing a complex operation with tools that were not connected to one another. For General Manager Melissa Cook, the issue was clear: core processes were still being managed manually.
“[Our software] wasn’t in the modern age before we went to Clubspot. When [Greg Conner] and I came into the club, I noticed that all of our registration processes and dinner booking processes and anything we did for booking was separately done on a spreadsheet. Nothing was all together and nothing was done online.”
That created unnecessary work for the team and made it harder to maintain accurate, centralized information. Finance Director Greg Conner saw the same challenge from a technology perspective. Ojibway was relying on several tools that only solved part of the problem.
“We had four or five different software modules from completely different companies. We had Lightspeed on payment processing, we had camp software, we had racquet software, just disparate systems that collectively probably only managed 50% of what we needed to do anyway… We were looking for a comprehensive platform. My background is in technology, so I knew what we needed and we went out and started looking for a platform.”
Ojibway needed to move away from fragmented software and manual workflows toward a single system that could support the full rhythm of the club.
The Solution
Ojibway chose Clubspot to bring its operations into one connected platform.
In evaluating options, two requirements stood out: the platform had to be comprehensive, and it had to integrate with QuickBooks.
“We looked at two other [club management software platforms.] We looked at Jonas Club Software out of Toronto. We had a hard requirement that we needed to be able to integrate with QuickBooks, so that ruled them out, and frankly their functionality was not as good. Northstar was the other one we looked at. It was comprehensive but a whole different price point and there was concern on costs and timing in terms of customization and implementation. We had great conversations with [the Clubspot] sales team, and decided to take the chance.”
For Melissa, the biggest change was the simplicity of having everything online and in one place.
“The big switch we’ve noticed with Clubspot is that everything is online and everything is done in one spot. Also, everything is online instead of spreadsheets. It helps us measure things more accurately.”
That centralization quickly became one of the most important benefits for staff and members. “It all being in one spot is the most important thing for us and for the members," Melissa says. The onboarding process also gave the team confidence.
“[The implementation process] was fantastic. Kate [Lenhard] is fantastic. She’s super informative. The way she teaches was amazing. We felt totally taken care of. Even to this day, we can reach out whenever we need anything. The fact that there’s real live support has been amazing. You don’t always get that.”
For a seasonal club with a compressed operating window, having responsive support made the transition smoother and easier to manage.
The Result
Since adopting Clubspot, Ojibway has improved staff workflows, member convenience, and the club’s ability to manage a busy summer season.
The club now uses Clubspot for membership, billing, member information, camp, events, and ticketing.
“The modules that we use heavily are everything to do with membership, billing, tracking information. The membership signup this year was done completely online. The camp module is another one that we use. We went online with that last year and it was super successful and easy… Events and ticketing we use quite regularly.”
Moving membership signup, camp, and events online helped eliminate manual steps and connect activity directly to member accounts.
Melissa points to that connection as one of Clubspot’s biggest advantages.
“I talk all the time about how everything is in one place. There’s no ‘what’s the login for this, this and this?’ I love that we’re all in one place, and that it connects with member data. For people to be able to book something and it goes to their account right away, that’s great.”
For Greg, Clubspot has delivered on both the staff and member sides.
“The backend is at least as easy and intuitive if not better, [than other platforms]. From the member side, I am a member at other clubs that use other systems, and [Clubspot’s] clean UI, ease of use, and mobile app is super easy… From a board and staff point of view, it’s been really well received across the board.”
With Clubspot, Ojibway now has a more modern foundation for the summer season: connected member data, online registration and booking, intuitive staff tools, and a simpler member experience.
When asked what she would say to another club considering Clubspot, Melissa is direct:
“The short answer is that I would say [to any club considering switching to Clubspot] is to do it… The ease, everything in one place, and the support are all incredible. I strongly recommend people to use it.”
Want to modernize your club’s software operations like The Ojibway Club? Book a demo today.
