Located on the Gold Coast, Nerang RSL is a community-focused club with a strong history of supporting veterans and recognising service in all its forms. Today, the Club brings together dining, entertainment, events and member experiences, while also supporting emergency services, teachers, carers, sporting clubs, community organisations and local members. With hospitality at the heart of the Club’s day-to-day operation, creating a welcoming and accessible experience is a big part of what the Nerang RSL team does.
Marketing Manager Daniel McMahon has been part of that journey for more than 11 years, working across frontline member services, reception, promotions and the CEO’s office before moving into marketing. His experience across the Club has given him a strong understanding of what members value, and it was that member-first approach that shaped Nerang RSL’s decision to introduce Now Book It’s AI receptionist, Sadie.
“It wasn’t about introducing AI for the sake of it; it was about making it easier for members to connect with the club in the way they’re most comfortable, whether that’s booking online or picking up the phone,” explained Daniel.
Meeting members where they want to book
One of the challenges Nerang RSL faced was a simple one: many of its members still prefer to make restaurant reservations over the phone. That isn’t necessarily a problem, but reception is also responsible for a wide range of other member enquiries, meaning restaurant booking calls could take team members away from other tasks throughout the day. Rather than asking members to change how they book, the club wanted to make the phone experience work better. As Nerang RSL was already using Now Book It for its restaurant reservations, Sadie was a natural extension of the platform.
She can take calls, manage restaurant bookings and send reservations straight into the existing system, without the team having to learn or manage another booking platform.
“We weren’t actually looking for a new booking system, we were already using Now Book It for our restaurant reservations, when Sadie became available, it was a natural next step for us.”
1,300+ bookings handled hands-free
The results have given Nerang RSL a clear indication of just how much demand there is for an alternative booking channel. Since implementing Sadie, the club has taken more than 1,300 restaurant bookings through the AI phone agent, with more than 100 of those made outside normal business hours. That means members can book when it suits them, rather than having to wait until reception is available.
It has also changed the rhythm of the day for the team, particularly in the lead-up to lunch and dinner when phones, preparation and member enquiries can all compete for attention. Sadie can continue managing restaurant bookings right up until service begins, allowing the team to focus on getting the club ready and looking after members once they’re there.
“It's made the booking process more accessible for our members while giving our team more time to focus on delivering great service across the club.”
An AI experience that still feels like Nerang RSL
Getting the technology right was only part of the process. Nerang RSL wanted Sadie to feel like another touchpoint for the Club, rather than a generic automated phone system. The team worked closely with Now Book It during onboarding, testing different booking scenarios and refining responses to make sure conversations felt natural and reflected the way Nerang RSL interacts with its members.
That attention to the experience has been reflected in the feedback from callers. Some members have assumed Sadie was a real person, while others have been surprised when she recognises them on a return call. For Daniel, these interactions show that the technology can sit comfortably within a service-led club.
More than just reservations
While restaurant reservations are Sadie’s main role, Nerang RSL also uses the platform to gain a better understanding of what members are asking for. The club can review call recordings and transcripts through the dashboard, giving the team visibility into real conversations and helping them identify opportunities to improve the experience. Sadie can also recognise when an enquiry falls outside restaurant reservations and help direct the caller to the right area of the club.
For a venue with a broad range of services and member interactions, that makes the phone channel more useful than simply having an automated booking line.
“One of my favourite features is the visibility it gives us, through the dashboard we can review call recordings, read transcripts and see exactly how members are interacting with Sadie.”
Instead of guessing what members need, the team can use those conversations as a source of insight and continue refining how Sadie supports them.
Giving the team more time for hospitality
Importantly, Sadie hasn’t been introduced to replace the personal service at Nerang RSL. The club hasn’t changed its staffing model, and the team is still there when members need to speak with a person. The difference is that reception isn’t required to personally handle every restaurant booking call, particularly during busy periods. That gives the team more capacity to deal with enquiries where a human conversation adds value and allows the restaurant team to focus on members once service begins. For Nerang RSL, that’s where the technology fits into the bigger picture – taking care of a repetitive task while people focus on hospitality.