Digital Transformation of Event Payments at Royal Calcutta Golf Club
At the heart of Kolkata lies the prestigious Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC), India’s oldest golf club with a rich heritage spanning over 190 years. When they approached us with their event payment challenges, we didn’t just see a problem – we saw an opportunity to blend tradition with innovation.
The Challenge of Paper Coupons
The scene was familiar to anyone who’s attended club events: members clutching booklets of paper coupons, carefully counting them out while trying to balance their plates and drinks. It was a dance of inconvenience that had become an accepted part of club life.
Behind this visible frustration lay an even bigger challenge. Every event night ended the same way – vendors huddled over tables, meticulously counting stacks of paper coupons. The finance team would spend days reconciling these numbers, often dealing with discrepancies that led to lengthy disputes and delayed settlements.
Finding the Right Solution
As software developers, we believe that the best solutions are often the simplest ones. We didn’t need to reinvent the wheel – we just needed to eliminate the friction points in an already existing process. Our solution? A digital vCard system with QR codes. But the real innovation wasn’t in the technology itself – it was in how we adapted it to fit seamlessly into the club’s existing culture and operations.
How It Works
The system is elegantly simple: Members load funds onto their vCards while entering the event, much like they used to purchase coupon booklets. But that’s where the similarity ends. At food and beverage counters, a quick scan of the QR code is all it takes to complete a transaction. Members receive instant WhatsApp notifications showing their expenditure and remaining balance.
The beauty of the system lies in its simplicity. Running low on balance? A quick top-up is all it takes. When the event ends, members simply drop their vCards in a collection box. Any remaining balance is automatically credited to their club account – no paperwork, no waiting period.
For vendors, the transformation has been revolutionary. Gone are the late-night counting sessions and disputed totals. They now have real-time access to their collection data, bringing unprecedented transparency to the process.
The finance team, freed from the burden of manual reconciliation, can focus on more strategic aspects of event management.
Lessons in Digital Transformation
The implementation at RCGC taught us valuable lessons about digital transformation in traditional settings. Success isn’t just about the technology—it’s about understanding the ecosystem you’re working with. Before proposing changes, we spent considerable time observing how members, vendors, and staff interacted with the existing system.
We also learned that resistance to change often melts away when people experience genuine convenience. Within weeks of implementation, even members who were initially skeptical became advocates for the new system.
One member mentioned, “I am so happy that our club uses modern technology to make our lives at the club easier.”
The key was ensuring that the digital solution was more convenient than the paper-based one at every touchpoint.
Measuring Success
The numbers tell a compelling story. Processing time for vendor payments has reduced from days to minutes, and reconciliation discrepancies have become virtually non-existent. But perhaps the most satisfying metric is the one we didn’t anticipate—the increased satisfaction among club staff who no longer have to manage the logistics of paper coupon systems.
Today, when we visit RCGC during events, we see a transformed atmosphere. Members move freely between counters, paying with effortless QR scans. Vendors serve with confidence, knowing their collections are being tracked accurately. The finance team monitors everything in real-time, intervening only when necessary.
Looking Ahead
This project reinforced our core belief: successful digital transformation doesn’t need complex solutions. Sometimes, the most impactful changes come from simply identifying the right problem and solving it in the most straightforward way possible.
As we continue to refine and enhance this system based on user feedback, we’re excited about its potential to transform event payments at other clubs and institutions. Every venue has its unique challenges, but the principles of simplicity, convenience, and transparency remain universal.
Are you facing similar challenges at your club or event venue? We’d love to show you how this system could be adapted to your needs. Let’s have a conversation about bringing effortless digital payments to your club events.
