Editor’s note: This is the first of a series of articles dealing with private clubs and the economy. The National Club Association is compiling a number of resources to assist clubs in a tough economic climate, including a recent membership special report containing articles and tips of actionable items for clubs. This series of articles will include topics ranging from membership and customer services to legal and operational issues. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions, or if you have ideas to share with NCA members, at [email protected].
In these uncertain economic conditions, many clubs are evaluating what’s working and what’s not, trying to remain relevant and retain members while at the same time attracting new ones. It’s not an easy task, but a membership survey can be an invaluable resource to help determine your club’s strategic plan and move forward. The membership survey is an effective tool in providing club leaders and management with an abundance of information on membership issues, strategic concerns and facility conditions. Whether it’s been five years or 20 since your club’s last membership survey, now may be a good time to find out what’s on the minds of your members.
Why Your Club Needs a Membership Survey
Alexander Raimondi, general manager of The Polo Club of Boca Raton in Boca Raton, Fla., believes membership surveys are vital. “A membership survey is an essential measuring tool used to see where your club is and where it’s going,” he said. He personally believes a comprehensive survey should be conducted every five years. The hope is that the results will help in developing a strategic plan for the club.
“The importance of a membership survey is incalculable, particularly in times like these,” according to Rick Coyne, president of Club Mark Corporation. In times when clubs may be cutting budgets, it is important to take into consideration what the members want. “You could end up taking away things that are attractive to prospective members and endearing to current members,” he said.
“Conducting surveys today are more important than ever,” according to Ray Ferreira, Ph.D., of The Ferreira Company. “Boards and club managers need to know what’s on the mind of their membership,” he said. “It’s especially important today because the number of clubs with waiting lists has decreased to its lowest level in three decades,” he said. “Surveys can be a critical factor in retaining members and recruiting new ones.”
Ferreira has more than 12 years experience as a general manager of country clubs and city-athletic clubs for both proprietary and member-owned clubs. He has served as a consultant to more than 100 private clubs across North America in developing strategic plans, marketing plans, and membership surveys. He is an associate professor at Georgia State University and teaches private club management, strategic planning and marketing courses.
The Ferreira Company has completed 227 surveys at clubs throughout the past 19 years. Most of the surveys have been for strategic planning or long range planning. The benefit of conducting surveys, according to Ferreira, is that the board and/or committees are hearing the vocal minority. It gives the silent majority a voice.
“The key is to have reliable and valid results,” he said. “If you don’t have at least a 50 percent participation rate, you run the risk of encountering a non-response bias. One of the ways to combat this is having a control group that is representative of the entire membership.”
Membership surveys open lines of communication, as members have the opportunity to provide their insight into areas of potential improvement to keep them satisfied and active at the club. Satisfied and engaged members are an important asset when looking to attract new members. If members are satisfied and engaged, they are more likely to recommend membership to their friends and associates. If members would not recommend membership to others, a membership survey can be a means of identifying why and what can be done to change that attitude among members.
“It’s one thing to believe you know the pulse of your membership and another to actually quantify those results,” said Kurt Kuebler, CCM, of Kopplin and Kuebler, a private club executive search firm. “In today’s economy, it is important for clubs to remain relevant and continue to provide value to their members. People have so many choices today, and you want your club membership to be the last thing they would give up if they are re-evaluating their discretionary spending.”
A membership survey allows club leaders and management to gauge of all aspects of the club’s facilities, operations and services. The results can then be used by the club’s board of directors, committees and management team. Survey results can also indicate areas of high member satisfaction, providing the club with positive feedback and information that can be used to market the club both internally and externally.
Membership surveys are conducted for a number of reasons and with the intention of gleaning a variety of information from members. According to Tom Strutz, senior vice president and director of the survey division at McMahon Group, clubs typically conduct membership surveys to determine member satisfaction, open the lines of communication, determine how to attract new members, determine the facility improvements members want, and determine what members are willing to pay for. The survey also can be used to determine the preferred method of payment among members—an assessment, bond, monthly capital payment, etc.
How Membership Surveys Can Work For You
Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Fla., has utilized various methods of member feedback through surveys. The club has used an out-of-house survey, a bi-annual member survey and a comment card program, all of which provide valuable data for management to learn and grow.
The most comprehensive survey tool the club uses is a member/guest satisfaction survey facilitated by a third party that provides substantial data to management and members. The ongoing survey was first deployed in August 2005 and continues to date, with about 400 members surveyed per month and no one being surveyed more than once a year. It allows the club to be benchmarked against like properties and includes a detailed monthly report as well as a quarterly executive summary. All members and guests who utilize the club on a weekly basis are surveyed, and the results are analyzed for areas of recognition and improvement. Associates who are recognized by name as providing exceptional service are awarded a gift certificate at the club’s quarterly Awards of Excellence. Managers’ bonuses are tied to the results of this survey—resulting in an improvement year after year departmentally and in overall club performance.
Comment cards, another important survey tool, are also placed throughout the club in areas where members interact with an associate. Specific comment cards are tailored to each department. Examples include lodging operations, food and beverage, salon and spa, marina, etc. The comments are compiled, logged and tracked. A recognition program is attached to the comment cards. The associate whose name is mentioned the most for every department in a given month is rewarded at the quarterly Awards of Excellence with a voucher to claim a prize. The value of this prize is determined by the number of certificates received.
“There is great value in obtaining member feedback so that we know which direction to move and to recognize and reward our associates for going above and beyond,” said Paul Astbury, general manager of the Ocean Reef Club. “We felt it necessary to utilize a third-party agency to capture all members and guests on a regular basis and benchmark ourselves against other properties and to ensure that we increase our productivity year over year.”
The Polo Club of Boca Raton conducts a number of small, mini surveys after member/guest functions. The surveys are conducted via e-mail and ask respondents what they thought was good or bad about the function, what they thought could be improved, etc. Surveys sent out after a golf function, for example, would even be sent to those golf members who did not attend to try to glean some information about their reasons for not attending.
Raimondi stressed the importance of an unbiased survey, which is why it is often recommended that membership surveys be conducted by an outside professional in the industry. A survey may still include some element of error, but that is greatly reduced if it is conducted by a third party.
The Results Are In
Tamarack Country Club in Greenwich, Conn., recently completed a membership survey as part of a project to develop a long-term strategic plan for the club. The club contracted with McMahon Group to assist with the project, which was the first comprehensive membership survey sent out during General Manager Brian Gillespie’s seven years at the club.
“The board, in collaboration with McMahon Group, felt that such a survey should be the first step in the club’s long-range planning,” Gillespie said. “It was the best way to elicit the members’ expectations and to determine our strengths and weaknesses. We recognize that in today’s society, there is a lot of competition for members’ time, and we felt that a comprehensive survey would help us pinpoint what activities would bring the majority of the membership to the club’s doorstep.”
Raimondi agrees that in a tough economy, a membership survey can be one way to keep your club one step ahead of others. “In these tough economic times, people will be comparison shopping and possibly spending less on luxury items,” he said. “You want them to find perceived value in your club and choose you over another club or another alternative.”
The membership survey conducted by the McMahon Group for Tamarack Country Club examined each area of club function (golf operations, tennis, swimming, dining, etc.), and the questions in each section were designed to provide detailed insight into the members’ experience in each area. The questions solicited numerical approval ratings on the services as well as open-ended questions to see what could be improved or added.
Gillespie said the results of the membership survey were a little surprising in that in the members’ eyes, club dining was almost equal to golf in importance. “We are a young club, and the survey reinforced the fact that family-friendly casual events are very important today, and that we should continue to concentrate our efforts on creating new events to embrace the entire family,” he said.
As a result of the survey, the club is re-examining its approach to dress code and other areas to make sure that it continues to fulfill its mission statement of providing a top-level club experience that can be enjoyed by the whole family. The club has added more diverse events to the calendar, including bingo, movie night, kids’ cooking classes, wine tastings, and men’s golf leagues, on a weekly basis, which has had a very positive impact on club dining, according to Gillespie.
“On a whole, I feel that the survey was a success, and the results will help guide our board and committees toward developing a successful strategic plan for the future,” he said.
Whether through mini surveys conducted after specific events or comprehensive membership surveys conducted every five years, it is important for clubs to continue to engage and listen to their members. The results can be eye-opening and are crucial for strategic planning for the club’s future. “Clubs are doing themselves a disservice if they are not surveying their membership on some regular basis,” said Kuebler.
Amy Rigard is NCA’s assistant editor.
The Membership Survey
Membership surveys, whether conducted by a third party or by a club, should be individualized and catered to that specific club’s needs and the type of information they are trying to obtain. Some general managers of private clubs recommend that comprehensive membership surveys are conducted every five years, though, the frequency of and type of surveys will depend on a clubs’ specific needs.
Most membership surveys are conducted with questions that prompt respondents to provide a rating. In addition, open-ended questions that allow members to provide specific comments or suggestions are often included. Demographic data is also captured whenever a survey is conducted.
Specific areas typically rated on either a numeric scale or as poor, needs improving, satisfactory, good, or excellent include:
- Overall ratings
- Club management and staff
- Dining
- Golf (including the pro shop)
- Pool
- Locker rooms
- Sports club/fitness facility
- Tennis
- Private functions
- Events and activities
- Any additional services (spa, equestrian, etc.)
- Communication and technology
In gauging the overall ratings, a club can identify whether members are satisfied with policies and rules at the club and their enforcement, the dress code, whether they feel the club is family friendly and whether they feel they are receiving overall value for the money they pay, among other items. These are all important factors for clubs moving forward and developing a strategic plan.