GREENFOLDER STORIES
What sets Baltimore Country Club apart from other country clubs? Our people! Our staff members take every step to go above and beyond to accomplish our Simple Truth: Great People Make Favorite Places. Often, there are easy ways to make a positive impression on our members from saying happy birthday to congratulations on an award. However, not being afraid to make the big gestures is what distinguishes us.
We love sharing these stories of the Simple Truth! Submit your Simple Truth experience by filling out the Green Folder Stories form, located at the bottom of the Park & Farms email, in Park & Farms, the staff webpage, or scan the QR codes in the staff breakrooms. BCC encourages all members to submit their own or fellow staff members’ Green Folder Stories.
SUBMIT YOUR STORY
AUGUST STAFF MEMBER OF THE MONTH
Stephen Merkson, Facilities Master Electrician
Stephen Merkson is an exceptional staff member with a dynamic skill set. He can solve almost any maintenance issue and always improves every situation. Even though he only works one day a week for BCC, for over a decade now, his impact on the Club is tremendous. From coming in on his days off to address emergencies, such as an overhead BCC electrical line hanging on the ground, to performing emergency work on the main control center at the Five Farms waste pump station, his hard work and expertise are greatly appreciated. Stephen constantly develops impactful ideas and is incredibly responsive when issues arise. Stephen is always patient, willing to teach others, selfless, and puts BCC first in everything he does.
A STORY FROM THE FOLDER
Mrs. Donahoo reached out to Brittany to help organize cupcakes at the pool for Tenley's 3rd Birthday. Brittany assisted in organizing the cupcakes and purchased a "3rd Birthday" sash and tiara for Tenley to wear. Furthermore, Jess in Communications designed a card for Tenley that matched the mermaid theme of her birthday and Madison Hill provided a mermaid towel and tattoos as a gift. Brittany went even further to have Lydia design her birthday cake similar to the mermaid card that Jess designed.
From Tenley:
“Thank you for making my 3rd birthday extra special! The Pool Café staff were awesome and the cake was gorgeous (and delicious!) Thank you for my very thoughtful card and gifts as well. I felt so special wearing my birthday crown and sash, and my cousins and I were covered in mermaid tattoos by the end of the night. I love my mermaid towel coverup too—perfect for when I get out of the pool after weekly swim lessons! My extended family had so much fun and could see why BCC is my favorite place!”
the
Director of f &B
Hello!
After growing up in northern Westchester County, NY, I attended The School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State University. Since then, I have worked at Carolina Country Club in Raleigh, NC, Indian Hill Club in Winnetka, IL (where Bill Murray and his brothers grew up caddying), Lake Shore Country Club in Glencoe, IL, and most recently, Gibson Island Club in Maryland.
My wife and I lived in the Chicago neighborhood of Lincoln Park with two cats and a dog for seven years before moving to Maryland to be closer to my wife’s family in Gaithersburg, MD, and mine in New York. We now live in Severna Park, where I love to cook and work in my vegetable garden.
My three main passions are food, wine, and sports. I always look for the next best restaurant, the best way to cook a chicken cutlet, and the perfect wine pairing with spicy Thai food (2017 dry German Riesling). I am a very loyal New York (Giants, Yankees, Knicks, Rangers) and Michigan State Spartans fan. I am also a second-generation Latvian American, and my wife is a first-generation Latvian American; we are excited to be a part of the large Maryland Latvian community. My wife and I married at our Latvian Camp in the Catskill Mountains of New York, where we had originally met as kids.
It’s been a great first couple of weeks here at BCC, and I am so grateful for the great members and staff!
Erik Zmuidins Director of Food & BeverageWHAT IS BCC YOUNIVERSITY?
BCC YOUniversity is a continuing education program geared to promote personal and professional growth for all Baltimore Country Club staff.
STAFF REQUIREMENT
All year-round Full-time and Part-time staff are required to participate. Seasonal staff are welcome to attend with supervisor approval.
• Full-time staff are required to obtain a minimum of 4.5 credits within the fiscal year (March 1-February 28)
• Part-time staff will be required to obtain a minimum of 3 credits within the fiscal year (March 1-February 28)
• All new staff are required to take one BCC Basic History course
WE’RE
SEARCHING
FOR CLASS INSTRUCTORS
Share your knowledge and passion with your colleagues! Become a class instructor for the 2023-2024 year with BCC YOUniversity and make a positive impact on your workplace. We're looking for talented individuals to teach skills, hobbies, and other subjects of interest. Join us today and help your coworkers discover new horizons!
INTERESTED?
Reach out to Director of Human Resources Lauren Kourtsounis at lkourtsounis@bcc1898.com!
call for Volunteers for
first fruits farM
First Fruits Farm is a non-profit Christian ministry dedicated to providing fresh, nutritious produce to those experiencing hunger in the Mid-Atlantic region. Since 2004, thousands of area volunteers have helped harvest millions of pounds of fruits and vegetables to share with local food banks, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and other food providers.
REGISTER TODAY!
Monday, october 9 | 9:00aM 20431 Middletown Rd | FReeland, Md
saVe the date
Fall all-staFF Meeting
Monday, noveMbeR 27 at Roland PaRk
You won’t want to miss this upcoming All-Staff Meeting, happening Monday, November 27 at our Roland Park clubhouse. Enjoy a catered breakfast with your coworkers, learn how the Club is doing, win raffle prizes, listen to a guest speaker, receive a staff 125th anniversary belt bag, and more!
WIN YOUR TICKETS
BCC is offering two complimentary Washington Capitals tickets to each staff member for every home game—which can be yours to win! Four tickets are available for each game!
Tickets will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis. In the event of multiple requests, a lottery system will be utilized.
Winners will be notified two weeks in advance. If you were not notified, you were not selected. Please note that staff members will not be compensated for attending the hockey game. If you choose to attend, you must either use your paid time off or attend the game while off the clock.
$t affDiscounts
We want to highlight the fantastic discounts we’re offering through our HR department. These benefits are more than just perks—they’re designed to make your work life more enjoyable and balanced. These discounts range from our own Pro-Shops, to gym reimbursements, and even a medical spa!
GOLF & RACQUETS PRO SHOPS
Calling all golf and racquets enthusiasts! We’ve got an exclusive treat just for you. Our partnership with the BCC Golf Pro Shop & Racquets Pro Shop brings you unbeatable discounts on stylish apparel and unique gifts. As staff member, you can now enjoy the latest in golf and racquets clothing and accessories at cost, plus just 5%. From trendy golf attire that’ll have you looking your best on the green to racquets gifts that make for fantastic presents, there’s something for everyone. Treat yourself or surprise a loved one with high-quality, one-of-a-kind items without breaking the bank. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to add a touch of style and personal flair to your game. Swing by the Pro Shops today and discover the perfect apparel and gifts that’ll score you extra points on and off the course!
Excludes tennis balls
This is a unique benefit offered to both BCC staff members and their families. As we continue to look for new and innovative ways to show appreciation for our staff members, we are offering this complimentary perk that gives you access to 20-60% off on movies, hotels, shows, concerts, sporting events, and more!
1. Go to ticketsatwork.com
2. Fill out the information to become a member
3. Click on Company Code (2nd bubble)
4. For Company Code, use BCC1898
5. Enter in the rest of your information (personal or work email)
Starting or staying with an exercise routine isn’t always easy. To help you stay motivated and achieve your fitness goals, the Club provides a reimbursement program available to all staff members who work a minimum of 25 hours per month and actively use a fitness center. Staff members using a fitness center at least 9 times a month, may be eligible to receive up to $65 per month, not to exceed the monthly membership fee. The Club has partnered with Brick Bodies and Coppermine (formerly ACAC) to offer corporate membership discounts.
Fitness membership reimbursements will be made following the end of each quarter. Brick Bodies and Coppermine (formerly ACAC) will provide us with reports of usage, and reimbursements will be based on these reports. If you are a member of another gym, you will need to provide HR with documentation of your membership, fee, and quarterly usage reports. Reimbursements will not exceed the cost of your quarterly membership fee.
• 10% OFF All Wellness Visits &
• Consultations by our team of medical practitioners
• EPAT Treatments
• Hormone Balancing Therapy
• 10% OFF Aesthetic Enhancement Services:
• Injectables Restylane, Juvéderm, Kybella Products
• Neurotoxins
Botox, Dysport
• Medical Grade Peels
• 15% OFF IV Micronutrient Therapy
• 15% OFF Supplements & Skin Care Products
• 20% OFF Emsculpt Treatments
• 20% OFF Gainswave Therapy
Show this letter to Lifemed Institute’s front desk to receive discounts. Letter can also be found on the BCC Staff Page
Did you know you can order sweet treats from our Pastry Team? For your next birthday, anniversary, baby shower, (or anything in between) let the Pastry Team help you celebrate!
VIEW THE BAKERY
All requests are approved by the Pastry Team and/or Chef Jallet. All orders are placed through the Events Team at events@bcc1898.com. There is a minimum of 72 hours notice. No orders will be approved in June or December. Payment must be dropped off to the Accounting Team before picking up your order. Payment may be made via cash or check.
Shop and save on your next flower or plant purchase! Use code: BCC to save on your next purchase!
Applicable to current staff and online purchases only.
INTRODUCING
At Baltimore Country Club, we are continually striving to enhance the member experience and ensure the utmost satisfaction as members. In 2021, we introduced HUMM, a digital live feedback platform, to gather feedback on the dining, golf, and racquets experiences. While HUMM proved valuable in collecting feedback, it fell short of offering a comprehensive program to gather actionable data on the overall BCC membership experience. For this reason, we have parted ways with HUMM, and are excited to announce the implementation of our new member experience management system Happometer.
WHAT IS HAPPOMETER?
Happometer is an Experience Management software that sends feedback surveys via e-mail to BCC Members after a transaction or visit at the Club. The software tracks survey responses and produces analytics and dashboards to inform Club leadership on overall Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) or, best described at Baltimore Country Club as Member Satisfaction. Club leadership has access to department dashboards and survey responses to best monitor opportunities within their departments and create action plans to improve member satisfaction.
WHAT QUALIFIES AS A TRANSACTION/SURVEY TRIGGER?
A transaction occurs when a member has visited the club and purchased an item or service from any of our outlets; À la Carte, Grab & Go, Golf, Racquets, Fitness, and Club & Private Events. There is a frequency control of seven days to ensure that members receive only one survey over a week period. Many members frequent the club multiple times a day/week. We do not want to bombard them or create survey fatigue, so we limit the number of surveys that are sent.
STAFF RECOGNITION
WHAT IS CSAT?
CSAT, or customer satisfaction score, is a commonly used metric that indicates how satisfied customers are with a company’s products or services. It’s measured through customer feedback and expressed as a percentage (100% would be fantastic – 0% would be terrible). The CSAT Goal at BCC for CSAT across all Club departments is 93%. Currently, the Club has only launched surveys for our dining outlets, but the CSAT remains strong at exactly 93% over the first two months of responses!
MEMBER VALUE SCORE
At Baltimore Country Club, we strive to ensure that our members are finding value in their membership. Every Happometer Survey will include these questions to gauge Member’s perceived value. The average of these questions will provide us with a member value score.
1. Please rate your overall experience
2. My relationship to the BCC Staff genuinely and positively impacted my overall experience
3. I received good value for this experience
Every Happometer survey provides members with the opportunity to answer the open-ended question “What did you enjoy most about your experience?” We are excited to share that many members use this space as an opportunity to recognize staff for a job well done! These positive comments are shared with department directors and the director is empowered to recognize their staff who are being credited for making BCC our members favorite place.
TOP COMMENTS
WHAT DID YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE?
It’s always the staff that I enjoy most when I dine at BCC. Today, Steven, Kayla, and Paige were again extremely courteous, welcoming and attentive. It’s that way every time I dine at the Club. Chris, Brittany, Ashley, Cynthia, Jane, Ryan — all of the staff — are outstanding at what they do, but it’s their positive attitudes and wonderful service that make every meal at BCC an enjoyable experience.
Jared did a fine job serving us! He is professional, pleasant, and knowledgeable. Our bread and water service as well as table bussing were also very competent. A beautiful night in a gorgeous outdoor setting!
Paige was excellent with service and attention Brittany was as usual fabulous and welcoming Made our lunch experience exceptional. Thank you for everything you guys do.
I commend the hostess in charge, Cynthia, and the respective staff on managing a busy evening.
Everything was wonderful from the person who took our reservation on the phone to the staff who seated and served us, to the menu, quality, preparation and presentation of the food, to the Clubhouse and general ambience. We appreciated the manager making sure we were satisfied. Thanks to everyone for a great evening.
An opportunity to gather with my golf buddies following a round in the setting sun. and enjoy an attentive server, drinks, and delicious healthy meal.
The beef bulgogi app was amazing, layered with bright flavors. Crab cakes & shrimp cocktail anniversary specials were to die for! Deviled eggs were perfect! A 10! Hannah was also a delightful server.
Tyler and Gio are the best!!!!
They know every member! Drinks, food….always the greatest! Ahi Tuna was delish!!!!!!
Absolutely, the most enjoyable part of my dining experience is interaction with the staff. Marissa, Kayla, Quyen, and Ashley made my lunch another terrific dining experience. I should also mention that Tamara was wonderful as always in the West Course snack shack today. The dining staff at BCC is simply marvelous. I am always greeted with a smile and a warm welcome. Thank you for attracting such great talent for the Club. I consider each of the dining staff as a friend.
Our Happometer journey has only just begun. We look forward to receiving and sharing more feedback and member satisfaction analytics with you in the months ahead!