Sites Directory and pitch charges
Comments
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Basically, in a nutshell, the system isn’t a good one, whether from the point of view of actually navigating the system for some, wondering if your operating system is one of those it isn’t designed to work with, and then there are the less than transparent booking terms and conditions that require in depth reading for you not to fall foul of some idiosyncrasy that will penalise the customer at some point. Which adds up to me to a not customer friendly experience, and one that I would normally walk away from and go elsewhere, or as we will do if things work out, will ditch booking and just roll in.
I fully accept that some folks have no issues with making a booking, or have no issues with being penalised small amounts for doing anything the Club deems they can charge for, but my shopping code is a high one, and if it wasn’t for the CL access we would happily walk away from CAMC now. I do make sure I get my £59 back via other ways, so at the moment gritting our teeth and hanging on for CL access.
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How condescending you and peedee are!!
There will be lots of members who do not bother accessing CT very often, if at all, and are not up to the ability with computing that you both obviously have. They too should be able to search for and book sites without having to jump through all the hoops that's required since the "new" system was so badly introduced.
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The new system was badly introduced, but is now up and running and usable. Unfortunately there will always be those who struggle with new systems, but the CAMC can’t stand still. However, the CC have maintained the site directory and telephone bookings therefore those with problems re the technology are in no way excluded. To suggest otherwise is false in the extreme.
Oh by the way, PD and myself have probably done as much as anybody on here to help folk with problems with the new booking system.
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"Oh by the way, PD and myself have probably done as much as anybody on here to help folk with problems with the new booking system."
I have acknowledged that more than once, Steve, and it will have been appreciated by many but sometimes there has been some unfortunate wording.
The point is, though, that this help would not have been necessary if CAMC had produced a system easy for all to use irrespective of their level of computer literacy. It should not be a struggle and the fact that it still is for some demonstrates its unsuitability. I think myself lucky that I’ve had the chance to grow with the progress of IT. Not everyone has been that fortunate.
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Agree, TW, and what proportion of club members regularly look on here for their information, probably less than 0.1%, so any info on here is of no use what do ever to the vast majority of members.
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But with prices being so volatile and site changes, I question the usefulness of printed matter which will be rapidly out of date. Members would soon be moaning about inaccurate prices as they do now about those of CLs. The C&CC do produce a web page of approximate prices with seasons but this is in all likelyhood because on their system it is not easy to get a price unless you almost complete a booking. That is not so with the C&MC system, once you are into check site availability the prices for any day of the year are displayed as you scroll though the months. I see little point in dulpicating information on the web site.
peedee
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Like TDA, if it wasn't for the CL network, I'd be off like a shot.
The issue with club sites is the obscurity when it comes to pricing. I never waste time with any advertised product if the price is not immediately clear. Perhaps it's the old Rolls Royce maxim -"If you have to ask the price, you can't afford it". If CAMC can't be arsed to tell me easily 'how much' then I can't be bothered to book it.
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How easy is it to get an accurate up to date price for a CL cyberyacht. I suppose you could look at the old CL pages or site directory, but are they up to date? If the site has a website you could check on that, do they keep it up to date? You could email and await a reply, or try phoning and ask. None are guaranteed to provide a quick or accurate response.
In contrast you could go on the new booking site, stick in the site name and hit search. Press check availability, put in party size and pitch type and scroll through the calendar to see daily prices / availability. It takes about a minute.🤔
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With C&CC you can get a price without almost completing a booking.
Like this club if you put in the area you are interested in, the dates and how many people and do a search it will return a list. Each site will have a price against it. I often do a search like that to compare prices within an area of interest.
I agree that the map search is difficult and slow on a phone, plus the screen is cluttered it needs to be sorted.
I’ve not spent much time lately checking out the 'fixes' but I can get it to work.
I'm just not happy at some of the T&Cs so will not be booking in advance. My money will stay in my bank account.
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Whatever system is employed, one wants to be quick and simple not convoluted.
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Have you actually used it for a site booking or to check price / availability? It would be difficult see how it could be made much easier, particularly if you know which site or area you are interested in. I agree it is more involved if you want to start searching, particularly if you try and use filters, however by its very nature such a use is going to require more steps.
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Has the Club just included the from price in the site list after you search an area e.g. Norfolk UK? I don't remember seeing them on the list of sites before? It took three clicks to get a list of prices of sites in Norfolk. (Find a UK campsite/Book a site fill in your requiremnts click search.)
I find it a little more long winded on the C&CC site.
peedee
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Regarding pitch prices and the OPs remarks it is now difficult to sort out which sites offer "value." Prices say "from" however as the season progresses some increase by a huge amount others stay near the base line. For instance compare Hillhead with Ilfracombe prices and the difference is vast as the season progresses. In fact some of the more expensive sites appear to be better value at first glance! This is where a general tariff would indicate the differences.
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Interesting thing this morning, I just found it takes longer to find a site in the handbook than it does finding a site including a price on the website.
JK
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I’m not sure how a general tariff would help with dynamic pricing. I’m assuming most will know the general time they are going away and the area. If you put the dates in on your search, the prices displayed refer to those dates. On the map or side bar I am looking at, I can clearly see for the dates in July I have picked, Uttoxeter has a base price of £19.25, Carsington £26.03 and Chatsworth £34.95. I think that gives me a fair idea of the variation between sites.
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If C&CC can provide this useful quick check function why have CAMC dropped it?
I have just had a look at their price page rather than just glance at it as in the past. I note you can only compare adult rates for sites and seasons. While this does give some site value comparisons it does not actually give you what you will pay because it is the price of a single adult and does not include pitch price. I assume the latter is the dynamic content of the total price.
peedee
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I simply ask myself “ is this a good shopping experience.”
Since September 22, it hasn’t been, and despite all the essential maintenance, derisory apologies here there and everywhere, attempts by others to convince me, it remains poor.
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Is the new system that much different from the old when trying to find the price? It is surely only a few keystrokes to get where you want to be as it was on the old system. I am not sure it's much longer winded than the system it replaces even if you want to establish the prices of several sites. Perhaps it's the way I have been inclined to do my research? Obviously it will take longer if you are trying to find a particular price point rather than a particular location but even that was true of the old system?
David
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Agree brue. To me, there’s almost a complete lack of ownership around the ongoing issues, and we are left with a system that has sticking plasters applied to it every so often. Yes, it usable, if you persevere and find other ways around, but Members really do deserve something much better than this.
Whilst the old system didn’t do as much, it was so easy and a dream to use. I can’t help but think that the overall priority hasn’t been around providing a sleek quick experience for Members, it’s been more about finding something that ensures all the cash extraction equations and functions the Club wanted to focus on are a priority. Poor customer care in my opinion.6 -
Interestingly David, and because I've got nothing better to do I looked up Damage Barton which is in the affiliated site bit and there you can see the old familiar and simple layout of the "old" system. I felt quite nostalgic for the olden days.
(Agree TDA. Our posts crossed.)
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So easy brue to find a price. Scroll down, choose your period tariff, little bit of mental arithmetic, job done.
But of course the Club wants full control over being able to alter prices, so we have to embrace progress.
I am absolutely convinced some folks are completely unaware how they are being manipulated🤷♀️ Like sheep over a cliff………
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I agree with the sentiments of your post AD.
I do think some of the problems are caused because the club member is wedded to only using CAMC sites and therefore has had their equilibrium upset.
For us touring in the UK actually involves contacting the CL owner or Independent site manager by phone or email or occasionally using a booking system operated by either of them that will be far simpler than the Clubs. Even using booking systems abroad seem far easier than this one. Funnily enough the operating system that I use to make such bookings never causes a problem.
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But, of course this discussion is only dealing with Club sites. The Club booking system is also very different from other organisations, with the exception perhaps of the C&CC, because it is dealing with a network of approaching 200 campsites. All different and with a wide range of prices. Booking a CL or single commercial site is not a direct comparison. The Club were faced with introducing a new booking system as we were told the old one was no longer supported, so things were bound to be different. Every system that was updated when I was working changed from the previous one and of course people complained that they liked the old system that didn't do as much! I suspect that members don't go onto the Club website and book dozens of sites in one go, I image the majority book a single campsite or a small number as the basis of a trip. The new website allows you to do this without starting again after every site. Unlike CL's and Commercial sites where you have to phone or email and perhaps have to wait for a reply or a return call, unlike a Club site where the information is there for you and the booking can be completed in a matter of minutes.
David
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Im quite happy booking other sites. The only problem I've had with a commercial site recently was choosing exactly which pitch I wanted every pitch was numbered and there were even details about the pitch slope on a 1-5 basis. OH was relieved when I chose a flat 0 level pitch....
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Why? So what sort of numbers/% of membership do you think bother to read all the posts on here about how you and others have assisted in unravelling all of the foibles of the new system?
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Had all the prices been available, as in past issues of the SD, it would have been simplicity itself. However, given CAMC's desire to squeeze every last little bit of profit, the printing of the current pricing regime would result in a SD the size of 'War & Peace'. Dispensing with this has doubtless resulted in both a cost saving and camouflage of the true scale of the escalation in prices.
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