Club Vouchers

If it were a true business it would probably ditch CL's as beyond providing an element of membership they don't add to the bottom line because the people that use them tend not use other Club sites or services so what is the point unless the organisation is something more than a business? Any business would certainly not keep open some of the smaller sites that probably make a loss but a Club would. To me it's a funny kind of business that ignores key business priorities.

A section of DKs post.

I ran my own business a few years ago. The profit making element of this business came from Business clients. If I only dealt with those businesses I could have managed with just 1 or 2 employees. However those businesses also had spin offs which I had to handle so that the main business was protected and thrived. These spin offs were at best a break even for my company, at worst a loss as they needed more staff and infrastructure by way of bigger office etc. to deal with them. They entailed more work during the year than did the main sector.

However they were deemed necessary. One cannot always just concentrate on the bottom line for every part of a business. Supermarkets and other retailers have loss leaders. Insurance companies, Energy companies etc. all have some part of their business which makes a loss. 

As the sites seem to need big investments and maintenance with high employee costs maybe the club should just concentrate on Insurance and Holidays abroad and sell all of the sites?

Sometimes one has to look at the bigger picture and accept that there are some parts of the business you just have to accept.

I think you are taking what I said too literally. Many people seem to be of the view that the Club is just a business whilst others like to think of it as a Club. I was just contrasting the two views. If the only motivation of the Club (business) was to act like a business and pursue profit as it's raison d'etre it would look at all areas of its operation. What I was pointing out was that if, as a business, it was looking to maximise the profit it makes, as is usual in a business, I was suggesting that CL's don't have any financial benefit to the business except keeping a number of members onboard because they prefer that type of camping. It would be perfectly logical to come to the conclusion that it should concentrate its efforts on its main sites whilst also looking at opportunities to diversify into static accommodation. Now the reality is the the CMC is not a business as I have described, it is a member organisation so being such an organisation it wouldn't contemplate what I set above. I am just trying to point out that the views of some on here are misplaced in suggesting the CMC is "just" a business. It might be a hybrid. It also has a duty to ensure that the Club can continue so it will engage in activities we, as members, want it to. 

I think others have explained the insurance situation better than I can. However this move probably comes from a situation in the recent past there the CMC was losing market share for caravan insurance. So being able to provide cover mutually means they can be more competitive which I would have thought was a good thing for members? Also worth pointing out that it only applies to caravan cover. Unfortunately my motorhome insurance through the Club is still subject to the insurance tax as is car and household insurance.

David

If it were a true business it would probably ditch CL's as beyond providing an element of membership they don't add to the bottom line because the people that use them tend not use other Club sites or services

Definitely not true, David, as many members that mainly cause CL's also occasionally use club sites, as pointed out by tda, and also use other club services, so they certainly do add to the bottom line as you put it. I think that you too have a very blinkered view regarding the club.