Not moving with the times

Del Sandy replied on 21/08/2020 12:37

Del Sandy

Caravanner

Posted on 21/08/2020 12:37

This club could be fantastic, if only it was to listen to its members, some reasons below;

1. Very slow website, cannot find a website as slow as this one, even ones you do not have to pay for!

2. Inability to search for fully serviced pitches (perhaps because they do not have many)

3. Being superseded by free forums such as Adults only caravan sites on Facebook

4. Wasting money, why does the club not ask all members if they need a magazine, I would have been happy to have an electronic version, also helping the environment

5. With all my posts asking for reasons for these issues not being addressed and approaching the site directly no action has been taken, or even reasons why they cannot

I have enjoyed the discussions on the site and interestingly my concerns have been covered several times by others. Note the times I go on the website has to be on off peak times due to the slow website.

It is sad that I will not be renewing my membership, as I do not intend to pay for membership where there is no official feedback from the club when issues are raised.

Hopefully I will rejoin when basic issues are sorted out.

Kind Regards

Derek

9 people like this

305 replies

CaravanRamblings replied on 31/08/2020 08:03

Member

CaravanRamblings

Posted on 30/08/2020 23:11 by Tinwheeler

I am not looking for non-EHU pitches. Who can say whether the target market includes such folk or not? That would be to speculate.

Premier brand? Really? I’m a member because I like the sites - club sites and CLs. If I wanted 'premier brand' I’d not be using CAMC's offerings but be seeking out the likes of Concierge Camping.

I think you can consider any booking to be speculative because none of us can guarantee we'll actually make it on the day. Have you never cancelled due to illness or mechanical breakdown? If not, you’ve been fortunate.

I would never make full payment 8 weeks prior to arrival. Any site that wanted that would not get my business. Anyway, you were talking about deposits, not full payment, and yes, I would have paid a deposit back in July and risked losing it because at that time I made the booking in good faith. However, if I knew I was going to lose a deposit, I may well have waited until the day before arrival to signal my intention not to turn up and other folk may not have bothered to make contact at all.

I know lack of deposits and the booking system is something you have posted about before, and you obviously feel strongly about it, but for every single post like yours there will be several others defending the system as people appreciate the ease of booking and ability to cancel as per the T&Cs. There is really nothing untoward about people following the rules and doing what is permitted.

Posted on 31/08/2020 08:03

I think in the world of deposits, I agree with Seaside that most require full payment some time before arrival. Certainly all the ones I've booked do so if CMC came into line there would be little choice to avoid the risk of losing money occasionally.

We will see what happens but there are many who know how to use the system, working within the current rules.

Equally, none of our friends are happy with this and many more on other forums.

As it's a club, maybe they could ballot the members?

SteveL replied on 31/08/2020 08:12

Member

SteveL

Motorhomer

Posted on 31/08/2020 08:03 by CaravanRamblings

I think in the world of deposits, I agree with Seaside that most require full payment some time before arrival. Certainly all the ones I've booked do so if CMC came into line there would be little choice to avoid the risk of losing money occasionally.

We will see what happens but there are many who know how to use the system, working within the current rules.

Equally, none of our friends are happy with this and many more on other forums.

As it's a club, maybe they could ballot the members?

Posted on 31/08/2020 08:12

All the ones I booked for this May and have transferred to next that required deposits, were in the order of £20 / £30 with full payment on arrival. Like TW there is no way I would pay in full 8 weeks before, there are plenty of sites out there with better T&C's.

Just one question though. Why would the CAMC want to remove one of its major selling points and sink down among the rest of the industry?

2 people like this

JVB66 replied on 31/08/2020 08:16

Member

JVB66

Campervanner

Posted on 31/08/2020 08:03 by CaravanRamblings

I think in the world of deposits, I agree with Seaside that most require full payment some time before arrival. Certainly all the ones I've booked do so if CMC came into line there would be little choice to avoid the risk of losing money occasionally.

We will see what happens but there are many who know how to use the system, working within the current rules.

Equally, none of our friends are happy with this and many more on other forums.

As it's a club, maybe they could ballot the members?

Posted on 31/08/2020 08:16

There were according to the club and site staff ,far more non arrivals when deposits were taken, than since no deposits taken as members were more likely to not bother adviseing sites ,they were not coming,depriving those looking for late availability ,which with the 72hr min cancelation seems to be working,

Rufs replied on 31/08/2020 08:16

Member

Rufs

Caravanner

Posted on 31/08/2020 08:16

Just booked 16 sites in September/October, about 13 of them non-CMC

Wow!!! i feel quite exhausted just thinking about moving every approx 3.75 days, hardly enough time to get the pringles and the vino out...enjoy

replied on 31/08/2020 08:23

Posted on 30/08/2020 15:38 by yellowbelly

I read lots of references to diversity and the Club in this thread. The problem isn't the Club's, it's caravan and motorhome ownership in general. Have people not been to a show at the NEC? Plenty of disabled in attendance but people of colour almost completely absent.

Given the financial burdens facing today's 20-30 year olds, buying a caravan or motorhome will be a long way down their list of priorities.

Posted on 31/08/2020 08:23

Not sure what percentage of people of other ethnicity there are on sites. Obviously Black folk are more easily identified as such. KjNell (sp?) less so.

There are 3% of UK that might be classified as black. When I go into Chester (rarely) or Mold, or Wrexham or around my area I rarely see a black person, other than with occasional American Tour groups. I do see (hear) Eastern Europeans most times that I use local supermarkets but no Black people.

peedee replied on 31/08/2020 08:24

Member

peedee

Motorhomer

Posted on 31/08/2020 08:24

Don’t forget the other side of the coin, PH. There are many people who don’t even want EHU,

I certainly don't for one or two night stays.

The other side of the coin regarding bookings is not everyone will wait for cancellations and if they cannot get bookings they will look elsewhere and might even eventually decide membership is not worthwhile.

peedee

peedee replied on 31/08/2020 08:30

Member

peedee

Motorhomer

Posted on 31/08/2020 08:30

Just one question though. Why would the CAMC want to remove one of its major selling points and sink down among the rest of the industry?

Surely if sites are continually fully booked up, it will never be able to grow its membership.

peedee

replied on 31/08/2020 08:30

Posted on 31/08/2020 08:12 by SteveL

All the ones I booked for this May and have transferred to next that required deposits, were in the order of £20 / £30 with full payment on arrival. Like TW there is no way I would pay in full 8 weeks before, there are plenty of sites out there with better T&C's.

Just one question though. Why would the CAMC want to remove one of its major selling points and sink down among the rest of the industry?

Posted on 31/08/2020 08:30

I can only recall paying in full on booking on one occasion. I could not find a more suited site for where I wanted to be. The caravan and motor home areas were pretty much full.

Personally I think the no deposit is a draw to many. I hate companies that take a deposit and then require payment a moth before arrival. I find it a faff.

replied on 31/08/2020 08:34

Posted on 31/08/2020 08:24 by peedee

Don’t forget the other side of the coin, PH. There are many people who don’t even want EHU,

I certainly don't for one or two night stays.

The other side of the coin regarding bookings is not everyone will wait for cancellations and if they cannot get bookings they will look elsewhere and might even eventually decide membership is not worthwhile.

peedee

Posted on 31/08/2020 08:34

No idea how hard it is to get bookings during August School holidays normally.

peedee replied on 31/08/2020 08:35

Member

peedee

Motorhomer

Posted on 31/08/2020 08:16 by JVB66

There were according to the club and site staff ,far more non arrivals when deposits were taken, than since no deposits taken as members were more likely to not bother adviseing sites ,they were not coming,depriving those looking for late availability ,which with the 72hr min cancelation seems to be working,

Posted on 31/08/2020 08:35

But it was only £10 when the Club abandoned deposits.

peedee

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