Retreat Center Operations: Hardware, Software, and Equipment

On this Community Call in early August, the RCC community gathered to swap recommendations for the tools that make retreat center operations more efficient and effective. From software to maintenance to environmentally-friendly pest control options, we asked retreat centers to send their operations manager with suggestions for what helps get the job done.

View the full meeting video by clicking the image above.

Or scroll down for takeaways from the conversation.


Community Recommendations

The platforms mentioned on the call are listed below in alphabetical order, under the heading that most closely aligns with community use. Community comments have been added as bullet points.

RCC doesn’t endorse any of these platforms. We encourage leadership and staff at retreat centers to exchange insights in an effort to strengthen our collective impact with these tools. To support this effort, RCC has created a spreadsheet to compare and contrast platforms. Based on your own experience with these platforms, we invite you to edit and add to the sheet to support collective learning:


Registration and Event Management Software

Airbnb

  • Some centers use this platform for limited, direct booking

  • There can be difficulties integrating and adhering to Airbnb’s policies in conjunction with established policies of the retreat center

EventBrite

  • Takes 6.4% of each sale

  • Provides effective cross-marketing across the platform

CampBrain

CampMinder: Gazebo

JotForm

  • Highly customizable registration software

  • Both integrations and widgets, assignments, timetables, excursions, HIPAA-approved forms, etc.

  • If you’re happy with your current customer relationship management software, JotForm can provide additional services that integrate well.

  • Excellent customer service

Retreat Guru

  • New features are always being added/developed

  • Staff is quick to respond

  • Seamlessly integrates with websites

  • Provides kitchen reports, liability waivers, custom forms, discount codes, reports, donations, and more

  • Does not integrate directly with Quickbooks

  • Pricing is dependent on your centers’ registrations/sales. More sales could equal a bump in price for the software

Retreat Manager

  • Recently moved to cloud-based

  • Very little reporting functionality

Salesforce

  • Track donations as well as registrations

  • Highly customizable, but you may need to hire a consultant


Office Management

Google Workspace

  • Has a task manager that integrates with Google Calendar

Microsoft Office Suite: Teams

  • A great way to support teamwork both from home and in the office

  • Provides the same benefits as Slack + Google Drive + Calendar + Tasks

  • Can be hard to integrate others who aren’t in the same workspace, but otherwise it’s seamless


Donations and Fundraising Software

DonorPerfect

eTapestry

FundRaiser Software

  • Has thank you letters and a stewardship database

  • Eventbrite can export into it 

Little Green Light

  • Communication options, emails, etc. 

Neon One

Network For Good

  • Platform for both donations and newsletters

  • Pricey

Raiser’s Edge


Accounting & HR

Gusto

Paychex

QuickBooks

Sage Accounting

Stripe

  • Credit card processor

  • Connects to Retreat Guru


Maintenance Tracking

Excel

Maintenance Care

  • There’s a free version as well as a paid version

Microsoft Forms

  • Allows staff to respond to each other as a team internally via email after a guest submits a concern via the form


Groundskeeping

Many centers don’t rely on chemicals to control insects, wildlife, or plants. So they educate guests on how to keep their eye out for critters and plants that could cause discomfort or harm.

In the case of invasive plants like common buckthorn, one center uses sheep to graze the problem away. Managing a herd comes with its own set of challenges, but it also spurs community interest. The herd draws in people (guests, staff, volunteers) who all want to interact with the animals.


Past Recommendations

August’s call wasn’t the first of its kind. In October of 2021, RCC hosted a roundtable discussion with retreat center leaders about their tech platforms. Check out this previous blog post for those past recommendations.


Rebalancing the Scales

Community members didn’t just talk shop. The conversation broadened into questions about how centers manage the “upstairs/downstairs” power dynamics among staff. It’s common for the facilities/maintenance/kitchen staff to receive less respect, lower compensation, and have less influence than leadership and administrative support staff. Retreat centers are working to counter these imbalances in the following ways:

  • Benefits - Offering all staff an equal benefits package: 4-week holidays, pension, dental, healthcare, etc. 

  • Compensation rates - Staying current with the market, even with part-time people. Someone who comes with experience deserves more than minimum wage. 

  • Organizational structure - Utilizing a network instead of a hierarchy (staff have different levels of responsibility, but avoid top-down power dynamics) 

  • Restructuring space - Sometimes the physical environment contributes to the hierarchy. Think about how to integrate staff into different physical levels of the building.

  • Cross-training - Expect everyone to be able to pitch in with different kinds of jobs. This creates mutual respect and empathy, and allows staff to get to know one another better. 

  • Ask hourly staff - Is there something you’d like to learn here? For example, let the housekeeper sit with the program coordinator for an hour. 

  • Leadership should be present and accessible. Come out of your office. Pitch in with all kinds of tasks. 

  • Communication - Make sure there's an opportunity for staff to communicate with anyone who’s making decisions that affect their job.


Notes and Audio

Follow the link below to access the spreadsheet, audio, and additional meeting notes.


Join the Discussion

Do you work at a retreat center? Would you like to connect with the RCC community for more insights and support? Find out about upcoming events.

Attend the next Community Call by subscribing to our mailing list.

Join our private Facebook group to connect with other retreat center professionals, learn, share, collaborate, and socialize together.


Previous
Previous

Peace Through Action AmeriCorps is Seeking Service Site Applications

Next
Next

The Joy of Gathering With Regional Peers