Is “Favorite Place Status” Woven into Your Club’s Strategic Vision?

A“Favorite Place” is that special place you are drawn to when you are not at home or work.

It is that “Third Place” that nurtures your inner self when you are seeking relaxation, social engagement and/or recreation. It is the place where you fit in, feel equal, valued and contribute to its synergy. It becomes the anchor to your social life and community. Private clubs have a great opportunity to be “Favorite Places” for their members. At first glance, one would think a member’s private club would automatically be their “Favorite Place”, but that is not necessarily so. It may be their favorite place for their golf fix, competitive tennis match, workout, lap swim, their child’s summer camp or to enjoy a meal; but, is it the place that attracts them when they are not seeking any of the aforementioned and just want to hang out?

Is your club:

• Convenient and easy to use?
• Readily accessible?
• Continuously ready to accommodate?
• Promoting member-to-member socialization?
• Providing spaces/venues for relaxed member interaction?
• Unpretentious and accepting of all types of individuals from several different walks of life?
• Good natured with a playful mood?
• Prepared to consistently support and nurture this familial environment with a stable management team and professionally trained staff?
• Budgeted with the necessary resources to support and enable this welcoming atmosphere?

“Favorite Place Status” does not occur by happenstance.

It requires a committed predetermined focus to provide all the accoutrements necessary in enabling it to evolve. Club leadership and management need to first envision their club as a “Favorite Place” and then “Begin with the end in mind” (to steal from Stephen Covey) to provide the leadership and resources necessary to allow “Favorite Place Status” to happen.

There is a “Three-Legged Stool” for achieving “Favorite Place Status” at your club. It requires top performance from your club’s Food & Beverage, Human Resources and Communications departments. You can find out what level they are performing at by asking the following questions:

Evaluate the Club’s Departments

• Is your club’s dining offering easy to use, comfortable, accommodating, consistent and reliable with food that is always good and delivers high quality and value?
• Is your club committed to having a stable, well-trained professional staff that is demonstrated by ensuring good compensation, work environment, benefits, member relations, training and professional advancement?
• Are all of the above a central focus of your club’s Human Resources department’s mission?
• Is employee retention a central focus?
• Does your club approach member communications strategically, employing a systematic, mechanized approach to ensure the club’s communications efforts are successful and consistently connect with a majority of members so they are always aware of the club’s programs, activities, initiatives and issues?

McMahon Group has a process and system to help you and your club say, “YES!” to achieving “Favorite Place Status” and having a solid “Three-Legged Stool”. Please send me at email by clicking here for more information on achieving “Favorite Place Status” at your club.