CL owners - A business idea
Loyalty cards, we've all seen them at coffee shops, fill the card get the next one free.
I've just seen a cl (No. 1475) using this system. Once you've stayed 7 nights get the next one free. The qualifying nights don't have to be consecutive and can be totalled up over a two year period.
Some years ago cl's used to give 7 nights for the price of 6 but that seems to have gone by the board now.
After looking at the post "Losing more cl's" it seems cl owners need the ideas of members to help. The said cl also states the price stated is what you pay there are no further charges for any extras.
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Although not a CL, but a small non-facility site near York offers different prices depending on the length of one's stays, and you can choose to pay for 10 nights (at the lowest rate) but you can then spread these nights over whatever period one wants during the year, and any subsequent nights are charged at the lowest rate.
There must be other similar ways that CL owners could try to attract more visitors.
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I think a few offer special rates for longer stays. I am convinced we got special rates at one Cornish CL, but then we did used to spend at least two months a year on the site!
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I'm sorry , but what makes you think that cl owners need the ideas of members ?
Perhaps they are sick of the "service" that the club provide, or people expecting everything for nothing (ie: we want toilets etc but don't want to pay for them)
Or perhaps it is the changes foisted on them.
Leave them to run their cl's as they like, it's their business to do as they please.
With your idea I think we are owed about three weeks free from a certain cl. How is that going to help them ?
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"I'm sorry, but what makes you think that cl owners need the ideas of members ?"
I don’t think you have understood the context of my post.
I have been a member since 1986 when there was 5000 or more cl’s, today there are just over half of that. I and lots of other members on here are very disturbed by this loss and without any signs of it abating. So anything a member can suggest to stop this decline has got to be of benefit to the club, the members and most of all the cl’s.
My post was not a personal idea but the idea of another cl owner, as I think I clearly said. If his idea works and brings in customers to help his business then maybe it might help others and that was my sole suggestion.
More ideas of a helpful kind might just stop cl’s going down the slippery slope to closure. No way was I telling a cl owner how to run his business but just suggesting a way he may wish to look at to help.
I was merely suggesting not telling
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But if the CL has 'got it right' in terms of what it is offering, there is no need for loyalty cards. One of our favourites, not far from home is now fully booked until the end of the Autumn and is also quite busy towards Christmas. Shouldn't have given it all those rave reviews when they first opened!!
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DaveandVicki said - "Perhaps they are sick of the 'service' that the Club provides"
I think we have to keep in mind here that CL's don't pay anything to the Club for whatever 'service' they get. Nothing for the advertising, nothing for being featured on their web site or in the handbook, nothing for the signage (whatever some people might think of that signage, it is at least free).
Admittedly, the website coverage of CL's has gone awry of late, but surely at zero cost it's not such a bad service?
Incidentally, I think the 7 nights for the price of 6 suggestion is a good idea.....a lot of French sites do it out of season (if i'm allowed to mention that!)
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Harry B is right, the number of CLs has gone down, but on the other hand the number of independent sites has gone up. Here in Cornwall there are hundreds.
It's all to do with the internet. The 21st century business idea for site owners these days is rather than staying as a CL and relying on this Club for advertising and marketing they can do it themselves via a website and reviews - and at the same time cut themselves free from the 5 van limit and the restriction on taking Club members only.
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Eurotraveller-More and more going like this.To put in EHU etc does not justify the limitation of 5 vans, Its easy to get planning even here in the NatPark for small scale commercial units. The planners don't differentiate between CC 5 units and C&CC 15 unit rule and that alone makes it viable to seek planning and in the vast majority get it nodded through without going to a full planning meeting.
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The CL owners own and run their small CL business, but do need the Club to provide good website links, accurate map details at the very least. Many go a lot further and utilise websites such as UKcampsites and/or have their own dedicated website
They are the people best placed to decide their own pricing policy, as they will know just how busy the CL is, where the quiet periods might be, what the surrounding competition might be offering, just how much income they want to make from the CL. Given the diversity, only they can decide if special offers work.
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Any idea which successfully promotes business can't be bad, but, speaking personally, it's the lack of online access and booking for the vast majority of CL sites which inhibits me from using CLs. Virtually everything I book ahead in life I now do online (I'm 64 so no spring chicken), from doctor to dining out, from flight to sports event tickets. I find it cumbersome to have to ring round CLs, often not getting immediate answers.
someone (the club?) could invest in an online booking facility for which CLs pay a commission, albeit some discipline would be needed by the CL owner to maintain an up to date diary from non-online bookings.
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We have no problem whatsoever phoning CLs. Don't forget some of them are in locations where broadband coverage is poor as well. Booking online doesn't always answer all the questions we like to ask. Good if they have a website, but not an essential for us.
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IanTG, many of the CLs now do have e-mail addresses, however there are even a few of those that do not immediately respond, unfortunately. However bad the CC's web site has been the inclusion on the relevant CL's e-mail addresses is a definite plus.
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The reality is , its not very difficult to get planning for 10/15 units and the fee is negligible in the total cost of development. Hence why so many go down that route and not open as Cls. There are a plethora of organisations out there, many government organisations which give advise to farmers on Diversification and this is one of the most common routes.
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We still offer a special offer a special deal for 7 nights stay. We have done since 2008. We are only £9 per night including EHU, but offer 7 nights for £55. Never changed the price, have lots of repeats and love what we do. It's our hobby, so as long as we cover our costs, we are happy.
Next year is our 10th Anniversary, trying to think of something special to do. Any ideas?
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Harry brings up a very good point and idea to assist CL owners by promoting repeat bookings, and Ian TG also makes an excellent point regarding on-line booking and communications with CL Owners.
The Club has/is looking at a CL booking system. How it would work has not been discussed. Whether CL's would adopt it is also a moot point.
I know many CL's that like to operate on a cash basis with minimal records and scrutiny. They would probably fight shy of any over-arching system, but may realise in the long term that they would lose bookings.
The Club would certainly like to know how many nights are booked on CL's, by whom and how much revenue they are making! Big business these days is all about the data.
On a more positive note, a growing number of CL's have already implemented their own on-line booking. These systems are not expensive (some are free) and they provide potential visitors (Members) the ability to immediately ascertain availability and book a provisional or confirmed pitch. This is better than relying on email / phone. 2/3 of CL owners have another job so they can't be expected to respond immediately to an email or phone message, however I accept that this is now an expectation of Members who want to quickly and efficiently book their trips.
Here at Cholsey Grange we have had Online booking for around 4 years and I wouldn't be without it. We also offer visitors staying more than a week a discount. A 'Loyalty Card' is something to consider.
Oh, and just to set the record straight, the number of CL's is currently just under 2,300 (March) although the website shows less than this because a number are pending awaiting re-certification.
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This is an interesting discussion. Personally I don't mind how I book; online or by phone or email enquiry. I will be sorry if CL numbers diminish considerably as my wife and I would prefer to give up caravanning rather than stay on a Club Site.
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Cl Owners now have to pay to be members regardless of being caravan or motorhome users. So they do pay.
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I'm not sure if that's totally correct, bottomrung. I believe that it's only owners of new CLs over the last few years that have to become members, but i could well be wrong.
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