WHAT DO WE MEAN BY “MEMBER-OWNER?” THE IDEA OF “OWNERSHIP” VERSUS “CONSUMERIST” CULTURE > STEVEN’S MESSAGE
D ear Landings Golf & Athletic Club Member-Owners, Two specific incidents moved me to write about the topic related to “member- owners.” The first was a
Club Benchmarking has studied over a thousand of the most prominent clubs in the country and it has led them to uncover characteristics distinct to clubs that are thriving (as measured by member equity on the balance sheet) versus those that are dying and everything in between. It is easy to spot clubs with growing member equity, but it is a little trickier to define the factors that drive it. Ray believes it to be found in the dichotomy between owner and consumer. To be clear, there are gradations between the ends of the spectrum starting with consumer to customer to owner. This is like Gallup’s analysis of employees — at one end of the spectrum, companies are populated by “squatters” — those who punch in, perform their job to the minimum
remain employed if they get something in return, equal or better than whatever they are giving up in the form of effort and use of their talents. Renters fall into a classic “quid-pro-quo” form of relationship. Finally, there are “owners,” employees with a deep sense of pride in association with the brand and the mission of the company. This is not a perfect analogy for Club members but the span from consumer to customer, to owner follows a similar progression and logic. OUR MEMBERS ARE OWNERS After we were exposed to Ray’s thoughts, we believed we should reinforce the truth that our members are owners of this institution, stressing that members have a legal stake in the enterprise with
narrative comment in the second wave of our member survey. The commenter took issue to being addressed as “member- owner” — believing that he (or she) doesn’t own anything, letting us know that he or she finds the phrase insulting. The second was a discussion stimulated among Board and staff members in response to a February article penned by Larry Hirsh, of Golf Property Analysts. Larry’s article is thought provoking, generally speaks to Private Golf and Country Club Culture but is more specifically focused on the idea of an “ownership” versus “consumerist” culture. WHERE THE IDEA CAME FROM The spectrum from owner to consumer was first brought to our attention by Ray Cronin of Club Benchmarking.
standard and ride it out as long as they can, making a nominal contribution while often diminishing the reputation and quality of the brand. In the middle, organizations have “renters” or people who will
the ability to influence its success. It was Pollyannaish to think that addressing members as “member- owners” would alone affect our culture. I wrote long ago of the “developer hangover,” an idea I was exposed to by
“The spectrum from owner to consumer was first brought to our attention by Ray Cronin of Club Benchmarking.” — Steven Freund, Executive Director
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