Good morning all. We've just returned from a stay in Red Squirrel 6 - a lovely spacious, clean, well equipped and Accessible Lodge. Not only that, but the weather was good too!
We were looking forward to the Weekly Meeting which is promoted in every Newsletter, so that we could hear all the updates, meet the Staff and chat with other Owners and Guests. We were therefore very disappointed to be told that there wasn't going to be a Meeting, because Richard Deak was on holiday. Of course Richard is entitled to take a break, but surely there's another Member of Staff or Committee Member who could have fronted a Meeting? We do hope that this isn't the beginning of a slide into bad old ways, when Meetings and Information were like gnat's teeth - difficult to find!
No Weekly Meeting
Dear Mrs Atkinson,
Hope you are doing well and I am glad to hear that you have enjoyed your break. Thank you for highlighting the improvements in communication to members recently.
In spite of plans to hold the meeting every Sunday during my two week absence, we have received a group reservation for 25 lodges which has taken precedence over the meeting as the team needs all the help they can get from management.
Despite the fact that I am still on annual leave, a welcome meeting was held today as usual.
From next Sunday onwards, I look forward to meeting everyone as usual.
Best wishes,
Richard
Hope you are doing well and I am glad to hear that you have enjoyed your break. Thank you for highlighting the improvements in communication to members recently.
In spite of plans to hold the meeting every Sunday during my two week absence, we have received a group reservation for 25 lodges which has taken precedence over the meeting as the team needs all the help they can get from management.
Despite the fact that I am still on annual leave, a welcome meeting was held today as usual.
From next Sunday onwards, I look forward to meeting everyone as usual.
Best wishes,
Richard
Hi Richard,
Good to see you have answered some relevant questions on the forum, in paricular why you did not hold Sunday meetings and electricity improvements, whilst on holiday.
Now you are back at work can you please respond to the various owners questions on sales, in particular the number of club owned lodges sold in the past year?
Good to see you have answered some relevant questions on the forum, in paricular why you did not hold Sunday meetings and electricity improvements, whilst on holiday.
Now you are back at work can you please respond to the various owners questions on sales, in particular the number of club owned lodges sold in the past year?
Dear Mr Lamont,
Thank you for your contribution, just to clarify I am still on annual leave until next week.
I can reassure everyone that we are on the right track and everything is going to plan with regards to our progress. We are delighted to answer any questions on the weekly welcome meetings and we will also issue an update on sales in the coming month which will be in depth with an analysis of the recent developments.
Best wishes,
Richard
Thank you for your contribution, just to clarify I am still on annual leave until next week.
I can reassure everyone that we are on the right track and everything is going to plan with regards to our progress. We are delighted to answer any questions on the weekly welcome meetings and we will also issue an update on sales in the coming month which will be in depth with an analysis of the recent developments.
Best wishes,
Richard
Gosh, it's now 10 October and still no reply to Lamo003 asking again for information about the number of Lodge Sales. That is disappointing because it would appear to be an easy request. Richard has stated that we will get this Sales Information shortly: let's hope that we get some actual facts and figures as well as a general analysis. We've had a general analysis in a Newsletter before, but facts and figures were rather elusive we would suggest? Thank you.
Hi,
The easy questions appear to be the hardest to answer.
Gobbledygook is what I feel we have seen so far and I cannot see this changing.
I expect the number of lodges owned by club to be over 1600 and if less than 160 sold in past 12 months, then we have a problem and more questions?
The easy questions appear to be the hardest to answer.
Gobbledygook is what I feel we have seen so far and I cannot see this changing.
I expect the number of lodges owned by club to be over 1600 and if less than 160 sold in past 12 months, then we have a problem and more questions?
Hi,
We now have a figure of sorts, 51 lodges in 15 months, but more importantly only 35 in 12 months.
EMBARRASSING!!!
I am all for a bit of honesty, but the deceit shown since Nov last year is beyond comprehension.
No matter how you dress this up, I would reckon less than 2% of club owned lodges sold in the past 12 months. What we have ultimately is a 50 year sales plan.
Is this acceptable?
We now have a figure of sorts, 51 lodges in 15 months, but more importantly only 35 in 12 months.
EMBARRASSING!!!
I am all for a bit of honesty, but the deceit shown since Nov last year is beyond comprehension.
No matter how you dress this up, I would reckon less than 2% of club owned lodges sold in the past 12 months. What we have ultimately is a 50 year sales plan.
Is this acceptable?
Hi Richard I would like to thank you for all your efforts. It’s unfair of some people expecting you to reply to queries when you were still on holiday and can understand why bookings needed to take precedent over the welcome meeting.
We have been very impressed with the changes you have implemented since you arrived. The newsletters are now very professional and clear. Now you are at the helm and have put systems in place I’m sure it will be much easier to get the future sales information people seem to want on a regular basis. Well done to you and all the team.
We have been very impressed with the changes you have implemented since you arrived. The newsletters are now very professional and clear. Now you are at the helm and have put systems in place I’m sure it will be much easier to get the future sales information people seem to want on a regular basis. Well done to you and all the team.
Hi Rowl001,
I cannot disagree with your comments and i thank you, re answering questions whilst on holiday and the reasons behind no meeting taking place.
However when as a GM you respond with pretty wordy replies it does create a precedent.
So to ask an easy question with a one word answer was not asking much.
Agree newsletters are superior to what we had before and will ways agree the team at Rannoch are in the main, great.
There have been many great changes at the Club over the past few years, not least having a hotel and facilities and a committee who have listened.
I don't expect many motions at AGM because of this.
What are though the systems, you mention now in place to get this important information?
The newsletter was quick to make comments on lack of previous sales strategies which was not quite correct.
I also have to own up to an error in my previous post.
It is not a potential 50 year sales plan. It is actually 80 years plus based on only 21 club owned lodges sold.
Is this acceptable?
It would be a good idea in newsletter to provide a monthly update on number of sales and also the number of club owned and owner lodges for sale.
I look forward to the explanation and ideas at AGM.
I cannot disagree with your comments and i thank you, re answering questions whilst on holiday and the reasons behind no meeting taking place.
However when as a GM you respond with pretty wordy replies it does create a precedent.
So to ask an easy question with a one word answer was not asking much.
Agree newsletters are superior to what we had before and will ways agree the team at Rannoch are in the main, great.
There have been many great changes at the Club over the past few years, not least having a hotel and facilities and a committee who have listened.
I don't expect many motions at AGM because of this.
What are though the systems, you mention now in place to get this important information?
The newsletter was quick to make comments on lack of previous sales strategies which was not quite correct.
I also have to own up to an error in my previous post.
It is not a potential 50 year sales plan. It is actually 80 years plus based on only 21 club owned lodges sold.
Is this acceptable?
It would be a good idea in newsletter to provide a monthly update on number of sales and also the number of club owned and owner lodges for sale.
I look forward to the explanation and ideas at AGM.
We're very pleased with the Newsletters and the information thank you (maybe too many repeat Adverts though?).
As other Members have said, the lower than anticipated Sales detailed in the Newsletter are disappointing but having been involved in selling a Lodge recently we applaud the efficiency, knowledge and speed of the transaction. Well done and a big thank you to all staff involved, particularly Julie and Debbie.
Hopefully more Lodges will be sold/bought now that Richard has developed a Sales Strategy and efficient systems are in place. But other than the weighty and informative folder in the Lodges, what else is being done to achieve higher Sales? There was nothing about Sales in our Arrival Envelope when we arrived. Are guests asked if they would like a Lodge Tour or are interested in purchasing a Lodge during their stay (not on arrival and departure)? Should we have Advertisements for Lodges for Sale displaying on a screen or on a laptop in the Office and at Welcome Meetings? Is there someone at Welcome Meetings who is identified as being responsible/available to talk to about buying a Lodge? (There wasn't a Meeting when we were there, so forgive me if this is already happening). I hardly use Facebook, but are LRHC advertising 'a special Lodge buy' weekly on Facebook? We're not sure if Social Media is being used sufficiently for selling - it seems to have worked for renting, so we must use it to sell, as we've been suggesting to Committees and Managers for years. Thanks for reading this.
As other Members have said, the lower than anticipated Sales detailed in the Newsletter are disappointing but having been involved in selling a Lodge recently we applaud the efficiency, knowledge and speed of the transaction. Well done and a big thank you to all staff involved, particularly Julie and Debbie.
Hopefully more Lodges will be sold/bought now that Richard has developed a Sales Strategy and efficient systems are in place. But other than the weighty and informative folder in the Lodges, what else is being done to achieve higher Sales? There was nothing about Sales in our Arrival Envelope when we arrived. Are guests asked if they would like a Lodge Tour or are interested in purchasing a Lodge during their stay (not on arrival and departure)? Should we have Advertisements for Lodges for Sale displaying on a screen or on a laptop in the Office and at Welcome Meetings? Is there someone at Welcome Meetings who is identified as being responsible/available to talk to about buying a Lodge? (There wasn't a Meeting when we were there, so forgive me if this is already happening). I hardly use Facebook, but are LRHC advertising 'a special Lodge buy' weekly on Facebook? We're not sure if Social Media is being used sufficiently for selling - it seems to have worked for renting, so we must use it to sell, as we've been suggesting to Committees and Managers for years. Thanks for reading this.
Some interesting thoughts on the long awaited sales figures. Probably like most other owners I'm disappointed by the poor Sales figures given that the Sales strategy was implemented earlier in the year and has obviously failed.
If I'm honest, I can't say I was too surprised
to learn about the lack of success, as during my sojourns to Rannoch over the summer when the Hotel and Resort were really busy with Tourists, there was absolutely no signage or Leaflets available on hand about Lodge weeks for sale, or dates for 'Open Days' over the summer months for anyone who may have been interested in buying or may have wanted a look inside a Lodge with a view to purchasing a week. It was as though no Sales strategy existed other than the GM mentioning he intended having two open days, one in November and one in February, when most of Perthshire has its worse weather and is certainly not conducive to day trips out with the family to view a Lodge! Nor are there many Tourists during this period when Tourist Figures bottom out at Rannoch.
Whilst the changes/improvements made by the Committee and GM at Rannoch have been great, particularly with the Hotel and it's facilities being available to owners, however without younger couples/families buying into Rannoch, the future for the club is looking grim, as the age profile of many of the owners is approaching 80/90 years of age, this will have a catastrophic impact on the viability of the Club and all the employees
in the not too distant future.
A possible fruitful year of sales has just been wasted, because of the apparent lack of Sales experience and this must not be allowed to happen in 2023/24. We surely must either advertise for two part-time very experienced Sales
personnel to offer cover x 7days. OR send various hand picked staff to attend a Sales Seminar.
Ronnie
If I'm honest, I can't say I was too surprised
to learn about the lack of success, as during my sojourns to Rannoch over the summer when the Hotel and Resort were really busy with Tourists, there was absolutely no signage or Leaflets available on hand about Lodge weeks for sale, or dates for 'Open Days' over the summer months for anyone who may have been interested in buying or may have wanted a look inside a Lodge with a view to purchasing a week. It was as though no Sales strategy existed other than the GM mentioning he intended having two open days, one in November and one in February, when most of Perthshire has its worse weather and is certainly not conducive to day trips out with the family to view a Lodge! Nor are there many Tourists during this period when Tourist Figures bottom out at Rannoch.
Whilst the changes/improvements made by the Committee and GM at Rannoch have been great, particularly with the Hotel and it's facilities being available to owners, however without younger couples/families buying into Rannoch, the future for the club is looking grim, as the age profile of many of the owners is approaching 80/90 years of age, this will have a catastrophic impact on the viability of the Club and all the employees
in the not too distant future.
A possible fruitful year of sales has just been wasted, because of the apparent lack of Sales experience and this must not be allowed to happen in 2023/24. We surely must either advertise for two part-time very experienced Sales
personnel to offer cover x 7days. OR send various hand picked staff to attend a Sales Seminar.
Ronnie
Good morning everyone and particularly to ROBE007 (no relation to James Bond?) - thanks for your comments which exactly mirror our experience in September. The Resort was still very busy but no Open Days, nothing in the Office about Lodge Sales or asking if people would like a viewing - it's as though the Committee and GM are expecting prospective buyers to beat a path to LRHC's door! Sadly, we know from previous experience that this will not happen.
The interactive website is a step forward, but is 'Holiday Membership' giving out the wrong message? Everyone understands 'Sales/Purchase': should this be made clearer on the LRHC Homepage? We already know that the GM considers rentals a priority, but Sales are even more important in our opinion! We also think that the low prices for Lodges are giving the wrong impression! Bargain basement!
We totally agree about the selected Open Days being at the wrong times of the year! They should be held every week!!!! If we holiday in August, May, October etc. we want to view Lodges when we're there, not to trail back in November or March (although we've stayed at the Resort in both of those months and it was gorgeous). We also agree with 007 about needing 7 day coverage of Sales. Someone should be sitting on the end of a phone contacting Visiting Rentals to ask if they have considered buying a Lodge at LRHC? They'd already know what type of Lodge these people had stayed in and could refer to it being available to buy on certain dates. I must emphasise that my career was NOT in Sales, but it's what we'd expect if we were looking to buy a Lodge! There should also be more reference to Accessible Lodges and focus on increasing these where possible asap. Please, please Committee and GM, pick up on the ideas that Owners/Members are giving you and act on them quickly, not in 1 or 2 years time!!!!!
The interactive website is a step forward, but is 'Holiday Membership' giving out the wrong message? Everyone understands 'Sales/Purchase': should this be made clearer on the LRHC Homepage? We already know that the GM considers rentals a priority, but Sales are even more important in our opinion! We also think that the low prices for Lodges are giving the wrong impression! Bargain basement!
We totally agree about the selected Open Days being at the wrong times of the year! They should be held every week!!!! If we holiday in August, May, October etc. we want to view Lodges when we're there, not to trail back in November or March (although we've stayed at the Resort in both of those months and it was gorgeous). We also agree with 007 about needing 7 day coverage of Sales. Someone should be sitting on the end of a phone contacting Visiting Rentals to ask if they have considered buying a Lodge at LRHC? They'd already know what type of Lodge these people had stayed in and could refer to it being available to buy on certain dates. I must emphasise that my career was NOT in Sales, but it's what we'd expect if we were looking to buy a Lodge! There should also be more reference to Accessible Lodges and focus on increasing these where possible asap. Please, please Committee and GM, pick up on the ideas that Owners/Members are giving you and act on them quickly, not in 1 or 2 years time!!!!!
Hi,
As someone who has been involved in sales for many years and in customer service, although I stress not timeshare, every single opportunity should be considered important.
A sale is akin to a first impression and becomes more difficult at the later stages if no contact made at beginning. You are then hunting rather than farming.
I was there in July and again stayed at hotel in September. I spoke to a number of renters at those times and there was a common theme which was other than when they first arrived, hardly seen staff and no-one really spoke to them.
In July there was a training session on sales with a consultant whom I am assuming was paid by the Club.
By all accounts, the staff involved found it worthwhile and encouraging.
3 club sales in July, August and September say differently.
A day like this normally creates a buzz and a want to practice what has been preached, and a follow up on any progress by the tutor.
Did this happen?
It also requires all staff to be involved, no matter the position they hold as that cleaner, that maintenance person may be that first impression and create a buying signal because they cared or had a personality.
Introduction of an incentive based strategy would help in selling timeshare.
I would stress however "hard sell" is not the answer and by asking soft questions with a soft approach on for example a survey to renters, will create those opportunities which have been sadly missed.
As someone who has been involved in sales for many years and in customer service, although I stress not timeshare, every single opportunity should be considered important.
A sale is akin to a first impression and becomes more difficult at the later stages if no contact made at beginning. You are then hunting rather than farming.
I was there in July and again stayed at hotel in September. I spoke to a number of renters at those times and there was a common theme which was other than when they first arrived, hardly seen staff and no-one really spoke to them.
In July there was a training session on sales with a consultant whom I am assuming was paid by the Club.
By all accounts, the staff involved found it worthwhile and encouraging.
3 club sales in July, August and September say differently.
A day like this normally creates a buzz and a want to practice what has been preached, and a follow up on any progress by the tutor.
Did this happen?
It also requires all staff to be involved, no matter the position they hold as that cleaner, that maintenance person may be that first impression and create a buying signal because they cared or had a personality.
Introduction of an incentive based strategy would help in selling timeshare.
I would stress however "hard sell" is not the answer and by asking soft questions with a soft approach on for example a survey to renters, will create those opportunities which have been sadly missed.
Clearly you know far more about the Sales process and Customer Service than I do, but there are common strands in your seasoned reasoning and our expectations.
Let's hope that someone raises the issue of Lodge Sales at the AGM and that Owners/Members are given real answers and a real Strategy, not smoke and mirrors.
Let's hope that someone raises the issue of Lodge Sales at the AGM and that Owners/Members are given real answers and a real Strategy, not smoke and mirrors.
I think you are not giving yourself the credit you deserve as perception is one of the trigger points leading to a sales strategy.
You spotted the lack of one month's ago.
The AGM will be an interesting day as very little motions, as expected and some good nominations for committee who can all stand for 3 years, bar one member, which is good for us owners.
I agree sales will be a hot topic and anything less than a sales strategy with a target would be a disappointment.
You spotted the lack of one month's ago.
The AGM will be an interesting day as very little motions, as expected and some good nominations for committee who can all stand for 3 years, bar one member, which is good for us owners.
I agree sales will be a hot topic and anything less than a sales strategy with a target would be a disappointment.