Benefits for Squash with Smart Space

A few weeks ago, I presented a proposal to Squash Australia and its member associations (view link below), and described how Smart Space works and demonstrated some of the benefits of such an system. In this article, I will expand on how Smart Space could positively effect not only Squash venues, but also the administrative side of Squash, State Squash Associations and Squash Australia.

It is my very firm belief that if used to its potential, Smart Space will positively effect the bottom line of Squash venues, whether in a stand alone setting or as multi use facilities. This belief is founded in the real experience of developing the system in the real world. But if we could put that aside for the time being, I would like to explore some of the dramatic differences it could make for Squash administrators.

In my recent proposal, I subtitled it "A team approach to managing and promoting Squash". The word Team should have been emboldened. Why?

• Squash is operating in an extremely competitive markerplace and we need all positives we can muster
• By operating as a team, industry wide, we can share success stories better, develop benchmarks, create and maintain standards.
• Collecting and sharing high quality information will give us access to funds which are, at present, beyond our reach
• We have a greater chance of developing a successful business model, which in turn will encourage greater capital into the Squash industry.

So how can Smart Space achieve these objectives? The answer lies in the use of the Smart Space platform as a national administration tool. Accepting for one moment that this system will be successful at the Squash venue level, a series of building blocks fall into place, which will contribute greatly to a reversal of industry fortunes.

• Registration of Squash customers would mean that Squash could access an audience in the hundreds of thousands (taking into account necessary privacy concerns etc)
• Participation patterns and frequency of those customers can be measured
• These two factors will result in
  • greater sponsorship at all levels of Squash
  • greater Government support across the board
• Management of this database is not the responsibility of administrators, but falls to venue operators who due this in their normal workflow on a day to day basis as part of their operations
• Real engagement in the industry, which has proved difficult up until now, will be expected by the industry because of the benefits it brings
• The sharing of success can be implemented easily with implementation of great programs or promotions flowing through the system with little effort
• New funding models can be established which are easy to implement and fair to all
• The burden of funding would fall across a much broader cross section of the Squash playing public, not the narrow band as is currently the case
• Regional areas can be far better catered for because of the dramatic improvement in communications between venue and administrative levels with distance becoming less of an issue
• The tools which will be available to State Squash Associations and Squash Australia will enable this all to happen with a minimum of fuss, with a clear demarcation of responsibilities
• Most importantly, everyone will be playing on the same side and measuring themselves with data that is reliable

It appears that at least one State Squash Asssociation is prepared to trial this process to see if it has legs. I will be working both hard and smart to ensure its success. Now is the time to start seriously talking about how this can be implemented nationally, so that when the time comes to make decisions, Squash is not left flat footed.

In my next article, I will go into more detail on the practical aspects of my proposal and how it would actually work on a day to day basis.

View my original presentation, Looking at Squash from a Different Angle, here (pdf)

View some videos on Smart Space