Pool Babysitter Pass

How has this idea enhanced your club's operation, etc.?

Description: Many of our families at the Club have two working parents. These families tend to hire full-time babysitters to take care of their children. Our guest fee for adults is $10 per visit. To offset the cost, we created the babysitter pass. Member families are able to buy a babysitter pass for their family for the summer pool season. The pass covers the cost of all visits to the pool by the member child’s babysitter or caretaker. The pass is transferable to any babysitter the family hires, but the babysitter must be accompanying the member child to use it. The cost of the pass is $150 per family for the summer season. In the past three years, this pass has gained member approval by the number purchased. It nearly doubled from 2019 (37 passes) to 2021 (70 passes).

Enhancement of Operations: Typically, our guest check-in process is a lengthier process as every guest has to be logged in and accounted for. When a member family signs up for the babysitter pass we are able to decrease the check-in time by half because we log all of their member information on the pass. Staff are able to quickly reference the card as they fill out our guest sheet for the day. All the babysitter needs to do is hand over the pass and the Aquatics staff member is able to complete the rest. Efficiency at the pool check-in station is important because it keeps lines and wait time short. The babysitter pass has improved the check-in process for the Aquatics team.

How was this idea implemented, and what have been the club members' reactions?

Idea Implementation: The babysitter pass has been around for many years at the Country Club of Virginia. In the past, subscription rates were lower, so the Aquatics staff combined the feedback from their advisory committee with their pass template in order to create a pass that was widely accepted by the membership during the 2022 summer pool season.

Member Reactions: In addition to offsetting costs, the pass has made the check-in process more efficient as the babysitter no longer has to go through the check-in process each time they bring the kids to the pool. Additionally, it has made bringing a babysitter to the pool more convenient for the families as there is only one pass needed per family and the babysitter does not need to memorize the member account number or know how to spell the child’s full name. All in all, the pass is a benefit to all parties involved (members, guests, and staff).