How Le Birdie Uses Automation to Run a 24/7 Indoor Golf Facility

Jessie and Harry discovered their shared passion for indoor golf while living in Toronto. When moving back to Quebec left them missing their favorite golf simulator spots, they realized there was a glaring gap in the market that needed to be filled.

This led them to founding Le Birdie, a 24/7 self-serve indoor golf facility in the heart of Montreal. In just six months, Le Birdie has attracted 1,500+ loyal customers, proving that when you combine passion with the right technology, magic happens.

The secret to Le Birdie’s success? A commitment to creating an exceptional experience powered by automation. Learn how Le Birdie uses Optix to automate their day-to-day operations while creating an unforgettable human-focused experience.

The challenge: Building a business that actually works for golfers

When Jessie and Harry decided to take the entrepreneurial leap, their top priority was solving real problems they’d experienced firsthand as customers. At many golf simulators, they found the technology was outdated, the booking experience was painful, and the whole process felt more complicated than it needed to be.

Their vision was to create a 24/7, fully automated facility where customers could book, pay, play, and leave without ever needing to interact with staff if they didn’t want to. This meant the customer journey had to be flawless, technology integration was absolutely critical, and operations had to be simple from the start.

Most importantly, personal connection couldn’t be lost. Despite being fully automated, they still wanted customers to feel connected to the Le Birdie brand and community. The challenge was figuring out how to scale genuine, personal engagement without being physically present.

Finding Optix: The all-in-one solution they didn’t know they needed

Jessie and Harry’s search for the right technology partner started where many golf simulators do: a traditional fitness facility management platform. However, it didn’t take long to realize that they were on the wrong track. 

Unlike most fitness platforms which rely on a class booking model, golf simulators look more like a space booking model. This made flex space software like Optix a better choice.

What stood out to Jessie about Optix was the white-labeled app experience, extensive automation capabilities, built-in communication tools to make communicating with leads easy, and the flexibility they needed to bring their business model to life.

Unlike platforms built specifically for fitness or other industries, Optix was designed to adapt to different business models – exactly what Le Birdie needed.

With Optix, they could finally build that seamless experience they’d been envisioning. The customer journey would all happen in one beautifully branded app, and Jessie and Harry would have the tools they needed to scale genuine engagement and connection. Now they just had to bring their vision to life.

The results: Building community through technology

Six months later, the numbers tell an incredible story. Le Birdie has welcomed over 1,500 users through their doors, generated nearly 4,000 bookings, and achieved a remarkable average of 3 bookings per user.

But behind those impressive metrics is something even more meaningful: Jessie and Harry have successfully created the kind of personal, community-driven experience they envisioned, all while maintaining their fully automated business model.

Here’s how they’re using Optix to make it all happen.

Powering personal connection at scale with Automations

Jessie has worked closely with the Optix Customer Success team to set up workflows in Optix that handle everything from welcoming new users to celebrating milestones.

One of her most successful campaigns targets users based on booking frequency. After someone makes their 5th booking, they automatically receive a free hour and are encouraged to leave a review. She’s created similar automations for 10, 20, and 30+ bookings.

The result? A steady stream of authentic reviews and customers who feel genuinely valued and recognized for their loyalty.

Creating a branded, easy-to-use experience with the White-labeled App

Despite early skepticism from friends who insisted “people won’t download an app,” Le Birdie has achieved record adoption among their users, with their custom Le Birdie app mentioned positively in dozens of Google reviews.

Customers use the app for everything – booking simulators, accessing the space through the Optix and Kisi integration, purchasing merchandise from the marketplace, reporting issues, and staying connected with the community. 

It’s become exactly what Jessie envisioned: a complete branded experience that customers always have at their fingertips.

Connecting with members at scale with Inbox+

Inbox+, the robust in-app messaging tool in Optix, has been crucial for maintaining that personal touch Jessie and Harry wanted. They’ve sent over 12,000 messages through the platform, always signing them Jessie and Harry at Le Birdie.

This approach has allowed them to handle customer service efficiently while building genuine relationships. When someone reports an issue, they can respond instantly through Optix.

Enabling easy sales with Marketplace

Le Birdie uses Marketplace to sell branded merchandise, with a simple process that fits their automated model perfectly: “Try it, pay for it, leave with it.”

It’s another example of how Le Birdie has used Optix to create touchpoints that feel personal and connected, even in a fully automated environment. Through this Le Birdie has proven that automation and personal connection aren’t mutually exclusive; with the right platform, they can actually enhance each other.

What’s next for Le Birdie?

Jessie and Harry’s success has validated everything they believed about making golf more accessible and inclusive. With plans to double their capacity this fall and expand to multiple locations, Le Birdie is positioning itself to become Montreal’s go-to indoor golf destination.

The best part? As they scale, Optix scales with them. “Optix is not becoming heavier,” Jessie notes. “It’s just making it simple for us to be able to scale.”

With Le Birdie, Jessie and Harry have filled a gap in Montreal’s golf market while reimagining what indoor golf can be. And thanks to the right technology foundation, they’re just getting started.

Ready to transform your space with technology that actually works for your business? Learn more about how Optix can power your community.