PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Having a career as a club tennis professional is a wonderful way to spend your life.  Although a number of talents and skills are necessary to be a successful professional, much of the profession can be learned by applying solid business principles. The hundreds of decisions you make and steps you take make the profession challenging and exciting.  This program will give you the answers to many of the questions you face each day. 

The Information in Net Profit has the power to: Advance your career - Resolve your problems - Increase your compensation - Provide job security - Enhance your benefits - Improve your performance - Increase your value to club - Increase your self-esteem - Improve your use of time - Give you confidence.

 Net Profit has been divided into four sections:

1. Strategic Planning - Getting Started, Asset Building and Net Profit System 
2. Product Development - Facilities, Programming and Pro Shop 
3. Human Resources - Team Building, Communication and Emergencies 
4. Profitability - Financial Performers 

These four sections are the foundation of the program.  There is always going to be a relationship between the success of your plan, product, people and profit. Think of your business in these terms:

Strategic Planning + Product Development + Human Resources  =  Productivity and Profitability

Strategic Planning

• It’s essential to remember that although this section talks about “your” strategic plan, shared vision will be instrumental to your success. You will never maximize the development of your mission, objectives, strategy and tactics until you get key staff and members involved in parts of the strategic planning process.  Only when you have this essential input, support and commitment will you maximize your potential for success. 
• Developing a plan is not an option if you intend to be a successful tennis professional.  To be successful, you must define your mission and objectives, then accomplish them through strategy and tactics.  This section will help you develop your plan for success. It will give you an understanding of the responsibilities, expectations and role of the tennis professional. Next, you will identify your assets through determining your strengths and weaknesses.  After determining a starting point, the section will introduce you to the Net Profit System, which will provide the necessary steps to allow you to create the management and organizational plan essential to meet the objectives of the club, its members, your staff and you, the club tennis professional. 

Product Development

• In the future it will not be enough to produce products that offer quality and value.  Innovation will be the key to creating a demand for your products and services.  Looking and using new alternatives, designs and twists for both new and old products will be an instrumental part of achieving positive results. Knowing and understanding your products and services is a fundamental part of the tennis pro’s responsibilities.  Are you maximizing the use of your facilities?  The number and layout of courts, location of the pro shop and social gathering areas are all important to the success of your operation.  How will you develop, upgrade and maintain your tennis facility and related areas?  If the opportunity to make changes in your facility arises, are you prepared? Have you created a lesson program and activity schedule that meets the needs of the members and your staff professionals?  Are the programs well organized and run professionally?  The pro shop is a significant part of your product line.  It should not only be a profit center, but also be the information center of your department.  The image of your pro shop can greatly impact member’s feelings about your programs and club. 

Human Resources 

• A successful tennis professional understands the value of shared leadership and clear communication. Shared leadership means allowing others to be involved in the operation’s design, implementation and results. It also means relinquishing power, responsibility and recognition. The most important factor in the formula of a tennis pro's success is people.  You can do a lot of planning, but if you don't have the people to carry out the plan you will not be successful.  You can have a great facility, but if you aren't producing the "good feelings" in members that a quality staff can deliver you’re missing the boat.  A plan and product are only as good as the staff's ability to execute and deliver what the members want and expect. Recruiting, hiring, developing and evaluating personnel will all come into play when creating a successful team operation.  Positive working relationships will be necessary with all key staff members including the general manager, other tennis pros, front desk employees and maintenance workers.  As a club tennis professional, you must consider other human resources such as the club’s tennis and tournament committees and community leaders. At the end of this section, you are provided with emergency information to prepare employees for club emergency situations that might effect human life and club property. 

Profitability  

• The result of shared planning and an innovative product that is produced by talented, well-trained people is a reasonable profit for both the club and the tennis professional. For the club, it may come in the form of confidence in the pro, membership satisfaction and a tennis operation that stays within budget.  The pro might receive increased compensation, job security and the respect of the membership.  If all things work out, it's the win/win situation we all seek. This section focuses on the business information you need to know to be profitable.  This chapter provides the fundamentals of finance, structure for forming agreements and necessary business skills as well as knowledge for improving performance.    

Step by Step Learning Approach

• This section will make it easy to complete each aspect of the program. The guide allows you to check off an exercise when completed.