"Exit Survey" -- Confused.

[dolebludger]

As a section membership chairman, I was informed a few weeks ago that I would be getting an email and a pdf attachment. The pdf was to be an "exit survey" which I would include with my "please come back" letter I send to all members with expired memberships. The survey was supposed to invite their responses as to why Club membership did not fit their needs and desires, and could be used by the sections to tailor their activities to what members want.

I have not received this pdf, and it's time for me to send out my expired and new member letters. Can somebody give me a "status report" on the "exit survey?"

[mdsalemi]

Richard,

As you are we are all volunteers here. I had misplaced the document that one of our members had received from the PCA (Porsche Club of America). I modified it here; I suggest that anyone using it simply modify it for their own needs and ensure there is a way of getting the information back.

My best guess is that you'll get a whole lot more information if you call the exiting member and ask the questions. People will generally be friendly :) and honest; if they aren't you don't want them in your Section anyway! The last thing in the world any of us needs is unfriendly :cool: dishonest people.

OOPS. I tried to add this as an attachment here, but as usualy it's too big. So, here's the text: cut and paste and create your own document as needed.

MBCA Non-Renewal Survey

The MBCA strives to provide valuable club membership and services to its members. To help us achieve our goal of constant improvement, could you please take a moment of your time and fill out the following survey. Your input is valuable to help us improve the club and understand the needs of its members.

1. Why did you join the MBCA?
a) Gift Membership
b) Dealer-provided membership with sale of car
c) The Star magazine
d) Technical information
e) Club events
f) Discounts
g) Other (please specify)____________________________

2. Why are you discontinuing your membership in the MBCA (Circle/check all that apply)
a) Sold the car. (Remember, we welcome all enthusiasts whether or not they own a Mercedes!)
b) No interest in car clubs.
c) Didn’t find what I was looking for (Please tell us what you were looking for in membership.)
d) Didn’t feel welcomed by the local Section
e) Few or no Section activities
f) Spotty or no Section newsletter

3. Would you like to be contacted by a Club representative to discuss your survey comments?

Please attach any additional information.



Name:

Address:

Telephone:

Email:



Michael Salemi
International Stars

[dolebludger]

Thanks, Michael.

With a little modification, I am sure I can make the survey fit our particular section.

Now, just a final question. I would be sending this survey out to folks whose membership expired in the preceeding month, with a letter I am sending them now. I call this our "please come back letter." Should I also include a self-addressed stamped envelope for the "expired member" to return their survey results to me? Or do you feel that would be an expense not justified by the responses?

As to the matter of phone calls, I always announce the names of "non-renewed" former members at out monthly meeting, find somebody who knows them, and assign them the job of calling. But I like the idea of a printed "exit survey" form sent out with our "please come back letter" in addition to the calls. I think a printed "exit survey" can be worded so as to get the individual thinking "now darn it, why didn't I renew?"

[Alex]

Can somebody give me a "status report" on the "exit survey?"
Richard,

Exit letters and such are a copout for having to call and find out directly. That's because we're not talking about 100 members here (I think,) but just a few every year.

While calling someone on such a delicate matter is not pleasant and no one enjoys rejection, calling is the only way that the job will get done right. That's because regardless how well the survey is composed, it's not possible to put down the kind of questions whose answers can't be ambiguous if the respondent wishes them to be. Whereas he can't hide so well with his voice, unless he is a well trained actor, or a practiced liar. Since the survey's answers can't be relied on, of what benefit is such a survey?

In one minute on the phone you'll get all the answers you need to help guide future plans for the club.

If I was the chairman I would find a person in the Club who knows how to listen and ask him/her to call these people, asking three or four simple questions - doesn't much matter what the questions are. The sound of the person's voice on the other end will reveal to the listener why he left and if there's a chance to turn him.

Multiple-choice surveys, e-mail and forums such as this, in which time-shifted written words are the medium we use, are poor substitutes for direct nose-to-nose communication in real time. A telephone is the next best thing.

[dolebludger]

Alex:

You are not hearing me, man. We DO call. I'm talking about an "exit survey" IN ADDITION TO PERSONAL CALLS. We're not going to stop calling, but our "reconsideration ratio" with just calls has not been that good. My thoughts are that if these folks read the exit survey (properly drafted), they will fall int two categories. Those who don't like car clubs, no matter what the clubs do, and those who have not given the Club or our Section a chance in heck. It's the latter we a giong after.

[Alex]

I misunderstood your post, again.

[dolebludger]

Alex:

No problem! The problem of non-renewing members is reported to be the most serious and complicated problem, at least on the national level. With my Section, it does not seem to be as great a problem as it is nationally.

We seem to have two kinds of members -- those who attend a good number of our meetings and events, and those whom we really never see. When a member of the first type "expires", a phone call takes care of it --- 100% of the time so far. It always turns out to be just a slip-up. With "expired" members of the second type, I can't recall any occasion when a phone call has resulted in a renewal. Of course, all receive my "please come back letter." With "expired" members of the second type, our calls are really "cold calls", and these are not very effective in any marketing effort. These are the "expireds" for whom the Exit Survey should be deisgned. The idea should be to ask them things like "Didn't you like our road trips? Didn't you like our competitive driving events? Didn't you like our discounts and rebates on new cars?" and so on. These non-participating members are likely to say "You mean they have road trips, driving events, discounts, and rebates?" So the survey would be designed to be informative as well as questioning.

I've "customized" an Exit Survey based on the one posted above on this thread, and made it fit the situations with our Section. I will take it to our next Directors' meeting on the 27th, and see what the Board thinks about it.

But I am still wrestling with the question of whether to invest in including a self addressed stamped envelope.

What do you all think?

[mdsalemi]

Thanks, Michael.

With a little modification, I am sure I can make the survey fit our particular section.

Now, just a final question. I would be sending this survey out to folks whose membership expired in the preceeding month, with a letter I am sending them now. I call this our "please come back letter." Should I also include a self-addressed stamped envelope for the "expired member" to return their survey results to me? Or do you feel that would be an expense not justified by the responses?

As to the matter of phone calls, I always announce the names of "non-renewed" former members at out monthly meeting, find somebody who knows them, and assign them the job of calling. But I like the idea of a printed "exit survey" form sent out with our "please come back letter" in addition to the calls. I think a printed "exit survey" can be worded so as to get the individual thinking "now darn it, why didn't I renew?"


I would not expect any returns from mail with the form; I would more use it as a template for a phone call. good Luck! Let us know how it works out for you!

[Alex]

Richard,

I think that a stamped self-adressed envelope would be nice to include because is serves as encouragement to return the thing.

Since you're not sending all that many, it's not a huge cost to do it.

[dolebludger]

I'll check out that idea with our board of directors. Maybe we can give it a six month trial period, to see if we get any responses.

[dolebludger]

By way of follow up, we will be sending out our "Exit Survey" with self addressed stamped envelope beginning with non-renewing members Jor January '07. We're going to give it a three month trial period to see if we get any responses -- and what responses may say. Our Board will decide then, based on these results, whether to extend the trial period, abolish the program, or make the program permanent.

I'll be sure to let you know what happens. If you haven't picked up on it from my other posts, I think that sharing ideas on things tried and successes and failures among sections should be an important function of this Board. Each section should not have to "invent the wheel" on its own, devoid of the information about the experiences of other sections in that area.

[Chuck Landenberger]

Richard,

Have read a number of your posts concerning "how to keep members"...

I'm looking at the February totals and Central Oklahoma now has 117 member with 3 new, 5 renewed, 6 expired and 9 due to expire next month.

Instead of trying to figure out why the 6 expired left through phone interview or a questionnaire, why not just call them and invite them to the next event "gratis". Maybe it's worth a try.

Just a thought.

Take care and be safe,

Chuck

[dolebludger]

panzerwagon:

This is a good idea that we may well impliment. So far, I have received only one Exit Survey back. It indicates that the former member was "no longer interested in car clubs." There were a good number of reasons to chose from. I fear that this will be the reason I will see the most. Expecially from those who have paid their dues for some time. I know that I have extreme interest in an given activity for a while (i.e., cruise vacations) then lose interest. I fear this is human nature.

Our board has voted to send the Exit Surveys out for three months to "
expired members" and see what the results are, then develop strategy from there. Of the six former members that have gone out, I got that one response, and two more re-joined so far.

[dolebludger]

Got my responses (of sorts) from all five of those whose membership expired in January, and who got the exit survey. For of them renewed. One did not, and returned the survey, stating "no longer interested in car clubs." Our exit survey not only askes questions, but provides information as well. I strongly suspect that the survey played a major role in getting the four to renew. I always ask at the monthly meeting if anybody knows any of the "expired members". If they do, they call. My past efforts at "cold calling" the others whom I don't know hasn't produced good results. Guess they were just paying dues for the Star, and got tired of it, or something.

Here's something I'm encountering, and I'd like to know if others are having the same problem. When I make a personal contact to try to get a new member, I do get a few to join. But the majority state that they just aren't interested in car clubs -- even with fringe benefits! I've talked to some of these at length, and it seems to interest them we'd have to become a totally different kind of club -- devoid of the "car emphasis." We don't want to do that, do we?