What Next ?
I don't think it has been a good 6 months for the Caravan Club.
First of all we had the farce of COTY that was enough to put off anyone thinking of taking up caravanning. And not forgetting, of course, how to take a caravan up an impossible muddy bank so that you can remove the back end in the process.
Then there was the magazine change to the unreadable waste paper that it now is.
This was followed by the change to the website that is acknowledged as being pathetic and not fit for purpose - but with no apparent 'repairs' to it other than a very rapid change of club name.
Finally the debacle of the name change, logo change and enormous expense incurred for no benefit, a topic that has really got members back's up.
It's hard to imagine what the next fiasco will be but I guess there will be one.
Comments
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What's next? The new season awaits and I'll be out there enjoying touring. That's what's next. The Club can do what they like - it matters not a jot.
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Who approved the name change, guess those faceless committee members from the centres who get a minority of attendances but a majority in voting through significant changes. They should be ashamed this will always be THE CARAVAN CLUB
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Spot on TW, sites will be the same, bookings will be the same!
Who cares about the name change, COTY, the magazine. Do any of these really impact on your stay on site?
If anyone does feel they do affect you stay away please come on here and say why? (serious question)
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Again spot on.
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Bugs , As posted numerous times since the "Black Day"of the 21st Feb 2016, There are several Uk clubs that changed and moved forward as this club is hoping with the latest "mission statements" given last Tuesday, and they have all also moved forward ,the difference being they have also kept their world known reputations and name and logo
ie YHA ,RAC,.AA, to mention three well known,so why change for change /ego sake a name and logo as with others has been recognised and respected for over a century
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But was your decision based on the new name change? the magazine? The COTY? the change to the website?
I mean anything to actually do with the OP?
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Hi JVB
I think the logo change isn't just about acknowledging that Motorhomers are now approaching 50% (?) of the membership.
And no, I don't think the title "Caravan Club" automatically conveys that this also includes motorhomes - especially to new people taking up the hobby.
I think its also part of a wider strategy to change the Club's image and compete in a leisure market which is becoming much more competitive.
In many people's eyes "The Caravan Club" has an old-fashioned image out there of being an old people's Club, stuck in a time warp with a reluctance to modernise and change with the changing values and interests of society.
It's imperative that the Club's marketing targets families, young people etc and modern values and interests as that is its future as a leisure organisation. I thought the 21st February was a green, sunny day!
Each to our own opinions!
Bugs
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And no, I don't think the title "Caravan Club" automatically conveys that this also includes motorhomes - especially to new people taking up the hobby.
Strange thing, when I bought my first new van, all the others had been second hand and I had had a 2 year break, there were leaflets for CC and C&CC in the showroom. I have been surprised that the CC have not approached larger dealerships to sell CC membership to first time buyers with say a £40 kickback. Dealers could then sell the package, register with the club, club could forward cards to the new members. The dealer could either take the profit or give the membership as part of a purchase.
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I don't really care about the name change but the new logo is appalling and I still don't know who in the membership was consulted about the change or if we will ever know how much the whole exercise will cost.
As far as I am concerned it was, is and ever will be the "CARAVAN CLUB"
As long as I can get onto a site or CL those at East Grinstead can call themselves what they like.
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So the "same club but better" thread has been locked, and not soon enough.
And then another thread opens to start more of the same!?!?!?!?!?
(shakes head, and walks away)
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Bugs, your post pretty much encompasses all the reasons for the direction the Club have taken, in a brief but to the point way. I'm not entirely convinced the promotional material and the buzzwords are in proportion with the final aim and the marketing strategy is a touch over the top but the overall objective is no doubt to change the perception of the Club for prospective members, to open up to a wider age range and be inclusive to the alternative leisure vehicles being purchased.
So true,about opinions and by most of the comments I think i can rest assured what the most are Both on here and Facebook
The greater number of objections appearing on the CT forum and Facebook are possibly not truly representative of the overall feeling about the Clubs' objectives. It's a common theme with Internet forums and social media that people will take to their keyboards in earnest to complain as opposed to those that support and agree.
Whilst everyone is entitled to an opinion and are free to complain, good Marketing and Communications people know full well that objectors are more likely to express their opinions and that those who agree tend to quietly get on with life. So I suspect those who implemented the changes, will acknowledge the objections, but at the same time think their direction is the right one.
Time will tell
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Yep, won't be long before this thread meets with the same fate.
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Hi Corners,
I must say, I aren't ovely excited or perturbed about the name change, logo etc (although I do think it's largely a waste of money).
But in answer to your question, I suppose that spending, what must be, well over £1million on a name change (new signage for 200 sites plus CL's plus postage for returning old signs, plus new uniforms, new stationary......etc) must mean £1m less spent on site impovements etc.
If the ependiture meant improvements in other ways, then maybe that would be worth it. But as you say, same sites, same bookings.......
I think that the problem most people have is that they are finding it difficult to see what they are getting for all this money.
I also think (based on posted comments) that many people think that the Club have been sold a new name and logo along with a lot of 'management speak' by some adverising whizz kids.......but very little real substance.
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Perhaps it would help if those at the top stopped all the marketing 'say a lot whilst saying nothing' and published what actual changes they are going to put in to stop the club appearing to be stuffy etc. Pictures on the internet of different places and a new logo won't do that. It's the experience of booking, how you are treated on arrival, quality and price of wifi, and the site rules that will decide it for newbies.
i do think the rebrand is dreadful, it's not identifiable and the word motorhome could have been included in the old branding.
Regarding booking, there are a multitude of problems with the system which I keep raising but they won't address them. I haven't met any bad wardens yet, I like the regimental siting of vehicles you have plenty of space, not like some commercial sites. Wifi is average but has to be paid for, could improve there. Finally in my opinion there has to be a balance between attracting new members but at the same time keeping the upmarket feel I feel the caravan club has. That's why I use the caravan club and if that changes will be leaving. JMO
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Ian, given that there are reportedly 800,000 members, (I have no idea how many households this number is made up from) if £1M has been spent, it amounts to £1.25 per head.
Let's say on average then, there are 2.2 members per membership household, that would roughly equate to £2.75 of each household to cover the figure you think may have been spent on the rebrand.
Whilst £1milion (assuming this figure is in the ballpark, and I suspect it isn't far off) could do a lot for renovating existing sites etc, I bet when the Committee crunched the figures down, in maybe a more detailed way as I've just quickly done, they felt it was a small cost to the Club capital, to achieve what they wanted.
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"It's hard to imagine what the next fiasco will be but I guess there will be one."
Missed an opportunity to include members with 'pop-up caravans' and trailer tents, whilst making the new name a mouthful could have gone the full hog:-
"Caravan, Motorhome, Pop-up and Trailer Tent Club" (CMPTTC).
Having said that does it really matter, it's the support, facilities and services that count.
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