"Club" membership and CT

nelliethehooker replied on 18/11/2022 20:26

nelliethehooker

Posted on 18/11/2022 20:26

When the Caravan Club instigated this forum I think that they envisaged that it would act as a focus for members to both pass on useful information about our hobby and as a vehicle for discussing points of interest, with the added bonus of it being a way of advertising the Club to the wider caravanning population. At the start the vast majority of those that posted were club members, however over the intervening year the numbers that post on a regular basis has dramatically declined, and now many of those regulars who continue to post are no longer members of the club. Is this a reflection of the popularity of the club itself and that many past members are leaving, perhaps exacerbated by the "Club's" attitude to its members and the problems many are currently having with the new booking system.

7 people like this

115 replies

DSB replied on 23/11/2022 11:40

Moderator

DSB

Caravanner from Staffordshire

Posted on 18/11/2022 21:50 by DavidKlyne

Nellie

I think what has happened in the last 10 years since this forum was established is the explosion of other Social Media opportunities such as Facebook. Most forums of this type I belong to have seen a massive drop in posts in recent years. Forums like Caravan Talk and UKCampsites you are lucky to get half a page of posts a day when a few years ago it would run into several pages. On the other hand people are more likely to use Facebook because its immediate and often on peoples smartphones. It's clear from the new booking system thread that many people now no longer use "proper computers" which have been replaced with phones and tablets. Whilst I have a tablet which is perfectly OK to read posts but I find replying is slow to using a laptop or desktop computer. That could just be personal as since the 90's I have been using computers both at home and at work.

I have some sympathy with ET's views on some posts. A little too often some play the player rather than the ball. We only have a very limited number of moderators on this forum and we can't be here all the time so things can get out of hand before we can get to it.

I don't think the original idea that accepting non members onto the forum would encourage them to join the Club really exists. Being a bit controversial I wonder if it's time not to allow non members to post on the forum any longer. I think it would be fine to allow what I call "Retired forum members" to continue to use the Social Room as a way of keeping in touch. Obviously that is not up to me but just my thoughts.

David

Posted on 23/11/2022 11:40

I agree entirely David. Not got any strong feelings about allowing or not allowing non-members to post on here. I use my phone almost exclusively for 'social media' and emails etc... even word, excel, pdf documents. I usually find it quicker and more convenient. [I use the laptop mainly for running 'big' programmes like Sibelius (music software), video and audio editing, midi connection etc., so the laptop still has a place]. I can access all my documents via the phone which, together with the laptop all sync with Google Drive.....

I think the CAMC app will improve over time - I'm sure there must be a snagging/ improvement list......

There are now so many different social media platforms, resulting in a drop in numbers on the 'traditional forums'. However, I think we are busier than most, on here - we're 'holding our own'!!

David

1 person likes this

GTrimmer replied on 06/02/2023 10:11

Member

GTrimmer

Caravanner

Posted on 06/02/2023 10:11

I joined the club in 1979. Never before over all those years have I felt less of a member of a great club than in the last six months or so.

Something has changed, and I now feel we are regarded simply as customers of a commercial organisation now . Sad that I should feel this way - it's not a sudden realisation either.

1 person likes this

SteveL replied on 06/02/2023 11:00

Member

SteveL

Motorhomer from Nottinghamshire

Posted on 06/02/2023 10:11 by GTrimmer

I joined the club in 1979. Never before over all those years have I felt less of a member of a great club than in the last six months or so.

Something has changed, and I now feel we are regarded simply as customers of a commercial organisation now . Sad that I should feel this way - it's not a sudden realisation either.

Posted on 06/02/2023 11:00

We are in our 18th year and I’ve always regarded myself as a customer. The club bit is just a way of getting money out of you even if you don’t use the sites. However, any profit is ploughed back and we like the sites, so we are happy enough to carry on, even if we don’t favour them quite as much now they’ve lost their USP.

Cornersteady replied on 06/02/2023 13:26

Member

Cornersteady

Caravanner from Tyne & Wear

Posted on 06/02/2023 13:26

Likewise I'm coming up to 24 years of membership and I wanted to use club sites so I had to join the club, it has never felt like a traditional club as really it's far too big but on site there is a shared feeling of belonging as it's mainly (if not all) like minded members.

I do enjoy the benefits of membership though, like the offers and the advice lines.

DavidKlyne replied on 06/02/2023 15:36

Moderator

DavidKlyne

Motorhomer from Buckinghamshire

Posted on 06/02/2023 10:11 by GTrimmer

I joined the club in 1979. Never before over all those years have I felt less of a member of a great club than in the last six months or so.

Something has changed, and I now feel we are regarded simply as customers of a commercial organisation now . Sad that I should feel this way - it's not a sudden realisation either.

Posted on 06/02/2023 15:36

I have some sympathy with that view. I have been a member since 1982 and the Club now is very different from what it felt like all those years ago. There are two things that have changed in those years. Firstly the "Club" has professionalised by which I mean they have been more promotional of its services. Secondly we have had the widespread use of the internet, what with online booking and social media which has changed many things. I don't think the Club could go back to what it was like because other things have changed also. Sometimes the Club does not help itself and a particular shortcoming is communication with members. That might be because it is too managerial in the way that it thinks, we make the decisions and the members just have to follow along or vote with their feet?

David

3 people like this

brue replied on 06/02/2023 15:53

Member

brue

Motorhomer

Posted on 06/02/2023 15:53

I think perhaps some see CAMC from the perspective of using sites and maybe insurance or travel abroad but there are many out there who belong to local centres and take part in rallies and gatherings which still carry the social ethos of the club. They appear to be the ones who join the centre groups and committees that contribute to the way the club is run. Possibly those who only use sites will indeed feel like customers, those who get a bit more involved might see it differently?

1 person likes this

Tinwheeler replied on 06/02/2023 15:55

Tinwheeler

Campervanner from Cornwall

Posted on 06/02/2023 15:55

"Sometimes the Club does not help itself and a particular shortcoming is communication with members."

I'll second that, David, and the lack of communication transmits as an air of arrogance, high handedness and disregard of the membership. It’s the main reason I quit.

5 people like this

eurortraveller replied on 06/02/2023 17:52

Member

eurortraveller

from Cornwall

Posted on 06/02/2023 10:11 by GTrimmer

I joined the club in 1979. Never before over all those years have I felt less of a member of a great club than in the last six months or so.

Something has changed, and I now feel we are regarded simply as customers of a commercial organisation now . Sad that I should feel this way - it's not a sudden realisation either.

Posted on 06/02/2023 17:52

As Brue said earlier, if you just feel you are only a commercial customer the answer lies in the Local Centres and the rallies they run. Some have been celebrating Chinese New Year and Burns Night already, and others have walking weekends, a beer festival and dinner dances still to come. They sound like Club activities to me - and all run by volunteers instead of complainers.

2 people like this

Tinwheeler replied on 06/02/2023 18:21

Tinwheeler

Campervanner from Cornwall

Posted on 06/02/2023 17:52 by eurortraveller

As Brue said earlier, if you just feel you are only a commercial customer the answer lies in the Local Centres and the rallies they run. Some have been celebrating Chinese New Year and Burns Night already, and others have walking weekends, a beer festival and dinner dances still to come. They sound like Club activities to me - and all run by volunteers instead of complainers.

Posted on 06/02/2023 18:21

Complainers? 🤔

replied on 07/02/2023 08:21

Posted on 06/02/2023 17:52 by eurortraveller

As Brue said earlier, if you just feel you are only a commercial customer the answer lies in the Local Centres and the rallies they run. Some have been celebrating Chinese New Year and Burns Night already, and others have walking weekends, a beer festival and dinner dances still to come. They sound like Club activities to me - and all run by volunteers instead of complainers.

Posted on 07/02/2023 08:21

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