Non Members

Stewie
Stewie Forum Participant Posts: 3
edited April 2019 in Club Membership #1

Hello all, can anybody enlighten me as to why 'The Club' are showing sites full yet pitches are available to non club members? I've heard of this before and dismissed it but it has arisen yet again. Thanks.

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Comments

  • JillwithaJay
    JillwithaJay Club Member, Member Moderator Posts: 2,486
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    edited April 2019 #2

    I'm guessing that you've just booked a certain site as a non-member but it might be better if you direct your question to Head Office as members of this forum can't really answer your question.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited April 2019 #3

    'The Club' are showing sites full yet pitches are available to non club members?

    Are they? I am not aware of this. How did you discover such a fact~?

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,645
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    edited April 2019 #4

    can anybody enlighten me as to why 'The Club' are showing sites full yet pitches are available to non club members?

    Yes what do you mean?

    That sites are full but if you are a non member then you can get a pitch on that full site? That pitches are held back for non members?

    or that sites are full but non members can pitches at another club site

    or the fact that non members are pitching in those full sites, booking in the normal way before they are full? 

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 23,390
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    edited April 2019 #5

    We know that sites showing full on the website often have a space or two vacant for whatever reason.

    Non-members will be booking by phone with the call centre, or the site warden, so it’s possible those folk will have access to different availability than that shown on the website.

    JwJ's right that, as mere grass roots members, we can only guess.

  • JillwithaJay
    JillwithaJay Club Member, Member Moderator Posts: 2,486
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    edited April 2019 #6

    Having read a post on faceache, It would appear that a club member, having been unable to book online as a member, has booked online as a non-member and then telephoned the site to explain so that the warden can adjust the booking.  A following post queries whether or not a non-member can actually book online without a membership number with which to log in.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 23,390
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    edited April 2019 #7

    It looks as if I was wrong and non-members can now book on line.

    I've just logged out and tried it and the system asks for name, address, contact details and advises of the extra £12 p/n.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited April 2019 #8

    I have just tried to book a site that shows full as a non member and it will not accept it,wink

    which means the site and info in question must have had pitches for the dates needed,undecided

    If a site shows full on line the call centre will advise the same surprised

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,645
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    edited April 2019 #9

    I think, if the post is true on Facetwitt (the FB post not yours Jill), that there must have been a cancellation between one try and the other?

    Otherwise yes there is a cause for concern?

  • Stewie
    Stewie Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited April 2019 #10

    It is concerning that there are members waiting for pitches to be available at certain sites yet non members can 'jump in' and take the availability😭

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 23,390
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    edited April 2019 #11

    We don’t know that is the case, Stewie, as the reports are hearsay.

    Have you contacted the club yet, as Jill recommended, in order to establish the facts?

  • huskydog
    huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,467
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    edited April 2019 #12

    But they pay the extra fees , not worth getting het up over cool

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 9,412
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    edited April 2019 #13

    "I've heard of this before and dismissed it but it has arisen yet again. "

    That seems very vague, Stewie. Care to give any details? Have you heard about this on one specific site or on a number of occasions? 

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,381
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    edited April 2019 #14

    I thought that the non  members welcome thing was a stipulation of the lease at some sites. If that is the case, how could a limit be set at when the CAMC would only allow members to book.

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Club Member Posts: 10,224
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    edited April 2019 #15

    More likely an anomaly with this website. Yet more rubbish coding.

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant, Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 17,370
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    edited April 2019 #16

    I doubt there are too many folks daft enough to pay more than four nights fees at none member rate. Facebook isn’t renown for its factual contributions to life, it’ll be a load of fuss about nothing.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited April 2019 #17

    +1

  • Phishing
    Phishing Forum Participant Posts: 597
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    edited April 2019 #18

     I dream of a day of an intelligent booking search engine, searching on multiple features I want, with a live accurate calendar booking system, with bookable pitches (the actual pitch), clear pricing, and a sensible policy other than the current land grab arms race - just like a modern booking platform used by most of the industry.

    For no other reason other to reduce the endless posts about anomalies in the booking system!

     

     

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,645
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    edited April 2019 #19

    well apart from booking a particular pitch you have all that now.

    Not sure what you mean by land grab but i assume you mean booking early? Which is due to the club being very popular, I'm not sure how any booking system will correct that?

  • Phishing
    Phishing Forum Participant Posts: 597
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    edited April 2019 #20

    We have that now, are you joking.

    Club sites have limited search and availability information, the option of searching for an affiliated site or CL both are under different search tabs, why?. 

    I complete a search and get a list of sites. 

    I can not search for sites by, size, type, suitability, facilities, dogs, fishing etc.

    I now get the list of all sites in the region I selected regardless of whether they have availability or not, why?

    To get the pitch type I want I now have to manually filter by using the pitch colour tabs, why?

    To get the facilities I need I now also have to manually filter by sorting through those little icons, why?

    I now get a tab saying view price guide, why, it knows who I am, what dates I want, what the pitch cost is, so why do I need a guide, I need it to give me a price!

    OR

    You get please call the site direct for availability and price details, why?

    I then after sifting through many sites that are of no use find one that I like that has price and availability tab. I press the tab.

    The results give me all possible booking options whether they are use to me or not, i.e. they are full for the pitch type I want, why?

    I now have to repeat the above until the stars align and I find one that is what I want.

    Another 3 pages-in I finally get a price, its expensive, oh no start over!!!!

     

    Now imagine this futuristic world.

    I select the region.

    I select the type of pitch I want.

    I check box for all the services and features I want.

    I put the dates of travel in and push search.

    It gives me the results of the sites that are available with the pitch type I want and the price. Incredible to think that this may one day be possible, in seconds I can find stuff relevant to my needs.  It may even be possible to book an exact pitch that really suits my needs and do away with the first come first served 12:00 stampede.

    This is the current norm not the future!

    I know the club is improving the search etc but the current booking platform is in the 1990s  at best, it is decades behind the best in class. This is not opinion it is fact. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,381
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    edited April 2019 #21

    We know what region we want to visit. Easy enough to find where CAMC sites are in that region. Go to the booking page for the month in question. If there is availability, I book it. I really don't need a lot more and I doubt I am alone.

    Would like to be able to book surface type though.😀

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 23,390
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    edited April 2019 #22

    I find if I fill in the dates I want in the search then only those sites with availability show. 

    I select a few icons and area - job done. It’s really not arduous and doesn’t matter to me if club sites and CLs need separate searches as I generally have a preference for one type or the other. 

    Ah, searching by and booking HS or grass, now that is a pipe dream!

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,645
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    edited April 2019 #23

    If by searching for 'dogs' you mean searching for club sites that accept them? I think it is you who is joking or at best doesn't know or use club sites

    Also CL's are not owned by the club. 

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited April 2019 #24

    Works for me Steve but we all have different needs. I plan my route and choose stops on the route, ideally between 65 and 100 mile hops. First choice is to consider suitable CC sites and then consider if any C&CC sites are needed to achieve our requirements. If none of these fit our route hops we consider what non club or CL sites might suit. 

    I don't encounter grand prix first laps to choose a pitch and I have no wish for members being able to book specific pitches. 

  • baileyvanman
    baileyvanman Club Member Posts: 106
    edited April 2019 #25

    Phishing, how about another selection, 'Bring the pitch to me' then you wouldn't have to bother hitching up and travelling!wink

  • redface
    redface Forum Participant Posts: 1,701
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    edited April 2019 #26

    Are we sure that Phishing's reference to 'dogs' was not about the possible quality of any site?

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 14,025
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    edited April 2019 #27

    Phishing, I wonder how the such as ET, Kjell & ourselves ever manage to arrange sufficient our extended trips using club site, CLs etc....but we do seem to be able to do just that without too much problem, so what's your problem?

  • Phishing
    Phishing Forum Participant Posts: 597
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    edited April 2019 #28

    My problem is that the club is a business, an unusually structured business but still a business, and it needs customers. 

    The booking system is not fit for purpose for a business of this size, it is very very poor in the internet world. 

    I honestly believe the club should be leading the way with booking, it has the scale and capacity to be the best in class and it is far from it.

    Millenials allow 3 seconds to reach sale decision online, if it is not handed to them they don't use. In 15 to 20 years they are the club.

    a few point from previous posts:

    "Ah, searching by and booking HS or grass, now that is a pipe dream!" Not on many commercial websites, you can pick type of pitch, location, even an individual pitch number. Witchcraft!

    Searching term for dogs, yes I mean dogs allowed. I would never suggest there were some sub standard sites in the club portfolio. Not on this board anyway.smile

    "Also CL's are not owned by the club. " Yes but none of the sites on commercial booking platforms are owned by the company running the website, they still manage to give live accurate booking for hundreds of sites, for detailed searches, immediately, with paperless, cashless, cardless, payment.This is the way of the world.

     I am not suggesting anything that is not the commercial norm for a business of this size, these facilities are a must have for a tourism based industries.

    I read the post currently in the New to Caravan and Touring section, titled booking confusion. Read the OP issue with the booking system. Now ask yourself the last time you booked with Expedia, or Opodo that you needed to have the booking system explained to you! I can tell you when, never, because if you did people would not use them!

    Many of the services I use with the club are excellent, they have very good interaction with their customers, but as far as digital platform is concerned it really does not serve its membership very well. 

     

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 23,390
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    edited April 2019 #29

    "Ah, searching by and booking HS or grass, now that is a pipe dream!" Not on many commercial websites, you can pick type of pitch, location, even an individual pitch number. Witchcraft!"

    I was talking about the club's booking system, not commercial ones.

    Why do you feel the club should be leading the way? It is a club for vanners (even if in name only) and not Tui.

    What are millennials and 3 seconds all about?

    It seems from your comment regarding CLs being on the online booking system that you haven’t read the threads and comments concerning that and also haven’t considered the impact on CL owners which would possibly cause a lot of them to shut up shop.

    I think you have overly high expectations of this, or any, club’s booking system, Phish, and this one doesn’t differ very much from the other club's but, who knows, keep plugging away and you might get your message across.

     

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,645
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    edited April 2019 #30

    Searching term for dogs, yes I mean dogs allowed.

    By that just one sentence shows you know nothing about club sites.

    "Also CL's are not owned by the club. " Yes but none of the sites on commercial booking platforms are owned by the company running the website, they still manage to give live accurate booking for hundreds of sites, for detailed searches, immediately, with paperless, cashless, cardless, payment.This is the way of the world.

    again you show no understanding at all of the club and CLs. They are small 5 van sites often run as a second string, or even a shoestring. They are not large organisations and cannot/may not/ not want to have their booking system so far advanced and aligned to the club's. many rely on telephone or email booking only and only take cash or, wait for it - cheques in the post.

    Learn what the club is about before making such suggestions and criticisms?

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Club Member Posts: 10,224
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    edited April 2019 #31

    When I rented out my apartment in Spain, I used a manual booking process and cheques. I could have linked up to a website that managed the process online including payment but the proportion of the rental price demanded made it prohibitive. I expect CLs would be a similar scenario.