Club Corner
 |
Joan Gibson
|
We interviewed Heritage Clubs veteran Joan Gibson and here is what she had to share with us:
HCI: Tell us about your most memorable experience with your club?
JG: This is a tough question, as there have truly been so many. From my perspective though, it would be to see the interaction of our travelers with the children of emerging nations like India, Africa and China. The children are always so happy and yet have so little, that we have all been profoundly affected by these experiences. It is extremely humbling to see the delight a simple pen or pencil can bring to a child, and even to adults in many cases. I don’t think those images ever fade.
HCI: Tell us about some of the challenges you face with your club?
JG: Getting our members to realize that there is a huge difference in travel experiences. As we all know, there is a lot of competition out there, and price used to be a huge issue. However, time has proven (to most of them) that in most cases, you get what you pay for. We have always tried to include as much as possible so that there are no hidden surprises. Right now I am concerned with all the extra surcharges we are constantly being hit with. Even though we state in our brochures that prices are subject to change due to fuel increases, I really dislike having to add to a published price. It probably doesn’t affect our credibility with clients, but I personally feel as though it does.
HCI: What words of advice do you have for new club directors?
JG: It takes time for people to get to know you and have confidence in you. Start off slowly, price your trips on low numbers until you get a feel for your member’s responses, and do everything you can to run those first trips, even if you lose money. Make sure those travelers have a great time because they will tell all their friends! Don’t get discouraged if you don’t win ‘em all – none of us do! Pick up the phone and call one of us – we’ve been in exactly the same position you are in right now.
JG: It takes time for people to get to know you and have confidence in you. Start off slowly, price your trips on low numbers until you get a feel for your member’s responses, and do everything you can to run those first trips, even if you lose money. Make sure those travelers have a great time because they will tell all their friends! Don’t get discouraged if you don’t win ‘em all – none of us do! Pick up the phone and call one of us – we’ve been in exactly the same position you are in right now.
HCI: What do you consider to be the greatest benefit of your Heritage Clubs membership?
JG: There are many, but always knowing that you can pick up the phone and call another peer group member for advice or just to share ideas is very important to me. The other is our peer group meeting – it never fails to lift me up to new heights. I am so grateful for the friendships I have made and the opportunity to grow and to learn. It is an absolute “must” for me – it’s like a big annual family reunion and there are always some “new cousins” to meet!
Club Corner Archives:
July 2008 - Kitty Nash (Home State Bank, N.A. - Crystal Lake, IL) Club_Corner.Kitty_Nash_July_2008.pdf
June 2008 - Val Kelsey (D.L. Evans Bank - Burley, ID) Club_Corner.Val_Kelsey_June08.pdf
