Find out how Puttshack bridged the communication and engagement gap with their frontline employees and achieved a 98% adoption rate with PuttApp, their custom employee app!

About Puttshack UK

Puttshack is a leading entertainment venue that combines tech-driven mini-golf with a lively food and beverage experience. With multiple locations globally, Puttshack offers a fun and interactive environment for customers. 

Their mission is to create lasting memories for people of all generations through a shared, world-class entertainment experience with the purpose of bringing everybody into play.

The Challenge:

Bridging communication and engagement gaps across the group

With employees distributed across 4 locations in the UK, (and 14 more in the US with plans of further expansion),  internal communication and keeping employee engagement soaring is not always easy. In 2022, Puttshack ran their annual engagement survey in the UK, which revealed two major areas of concern: communication and culture. 

The results highlighted an improvement in communication was needed to fully live  up to their purpose of bringing everyone into play. Their communication strategies were falling short, leading to several key challenges:

  • Inconsistent communication: Messages were getting lost, especially for frontline workers who weren’t getting the updates they needed.
  • Workforce engagement challenges: They saw a clear opportunity to improve engagement, which would, in turn, boost motivation and morale throughout the team.
  • Inclusivity gap: There was room to foster a more inclusive environment where every employee, regardless of role, felt valued and involved.
  • Over-reliance on WhatsApp: Yeah, WhatsApp is familiar, but it wasn’t cutting it for professional-level communication across the entire team.
  • Limited content creation and distribution: Puttshack identified a need to create more engaging content and enhance how it was distributed. Let’s just say it left a few knowledge gaps that needed bridging (cue the need for an LMS).
  • Email access limitations: Only HQ and management had professional email addresses, leaving much of the workforce without key company updates. Not ideal, right?

“As a tech-infused business, it only felt right to innovate the way that we communicate with our associates! We needed a platform that was easy to use, that could be tailored to our brand and matched our purpose to bring everyone into play.”

Jade Casey, Head of People at Puttshack UK

With these challenges in mind,  it became crystal clear that Puttshack needed a fresh, centralized communication system to bring all employees—frontline and management—into the loop.

The Solution:

Speakap - all teams, one app

Puttshack picked Speakap as their one-stop communication platform. All with the goal to improve communication from top to bottom - whether behind the scenes or on the frontline.

Key reasons why Speakap was a hole-in-one for Puttshack:

  • A sleek, unified platform:  Super user-friendly. Speakap’s easy navigation meant that no matter the role or tech skill level, everyone could get on board.
  • Real-time news delivery + private messaging: Get news instantly? Yes, please! Plus, it’s got a secure messenger for those personal, direct chats.
  • Insight into engagement: Speakap’s analytics give Puttshack clear insights into employee engagement. They could track it, see what needed work, and boost interaction where necessary.
  • Shared values on communication: Puttshack needed a partner that truly got how important communication is, and Speakap was all about continuous development and aligning with those values.
  • Global support: Puttshack wasn’t stopping with the UK—US expansion was next. Speakap is ready to grow with them, making sure communication stays smooth as they scale up.

“We wanted the ability to communicate not just as a group, but within teams, departments, venues, and also individually. Speakap offers us a way to make sure that every one of our associates, no matter where they are, always feels included in the conversation.”

Jade Casey, Head of People at Puttshack UK

Overcoming potential adoption hurdles: winning over the team

Concern over control

At first, some associates thought the platform was a bit “Big Brother” and worried it would be a way for the business to control their communication. We get it—new tech can feel a little invasive. But with some solid training and a focus on the platform’s real goal (making communication easier and creating a safe space), Puttshack showed the team that this was about making their lives better, not monitoring their every move.

WhatsApp was the crowd favorite

Sure, WhatsApp is quick and familiar, but let’s be real—it wasn’t built for professional, company-wide communication. Puttshack showed the team how Speakap could do way more, with all the bells and whistles needed to keep everyone properly informed and on the same page.

Managers were unsure about posting

Some managers weren’t quite sure what to post at first, but Jade swooped in with a pre-planned news calendar featuring daily, weekly, and monthly content ideas. With a bit of guidance, managers started sharing more and keeping their teams in the loop—engagement started to climb.

HQ leading by example

Leadership needed to show the way, and HQ didn’t waste time. They started posting regular updates to demonstrate how it’s done, proving that this was the new standard for business communication. Once the ball was rolling, the whole team got more active on the platform.

Onboarding made easy

Now, PuttApp is baked right into the onboarding process. New hires are activated on the platform within their first 48 hours—no delays. It’s now Puttshack UK’s main communication channel, and they make sure every team member knows exactly how to use it to stay connected and informed from day one.

The Results:

A hole-in-one app rollout with an 98% adoption rate 

Just like nailing the perfect mini-golf putt, Puttshack’s app rollout with Speakap was nothing short of a hole-in-one. Nearly 100% of their workforce is now active and engaged on the platform, and the results?  Well, they speak for themselves.

With Speakap, Puttshack has been able to:

  • Drive inclusivity and recognition: Achievements and contributions from team members are celebrated across the company, creating a culture of recognition.
  • Boost communication and engagement: Employees are now more connected, with regular updates and news coming directly to their devices.
  • Create a safe space for communication: Speakap's employee communications app offers a secure platform where every employee can have their say, feel empowered, and stay informed.