Crew Loyalty

[Gus]

Originally posted by bigdjiver
I just wondered if you had been contracting your services prior to your split. I could imagine HQ getting heavy about that would be an incentive to pack up. It seemed a reasonable question in the circumstances. No allegation intended.

Fair point ... maybe I'm a bit sensitive after some allegations made by someone from HQ on the Forum a while back.....

No ... the friction between me and HQ was more to do with perceptions about what support a Franchisee should expect and limitations as to putting on events using non-Ceroc instructors. with the passage of time it seems that at least the latter point is now being addressed.

I don’t bear any malice over it and I'm quite happy to recommend even the club I'm banned from to people if they happen to live in that area.

The interesting thing about loyalty is ... loyalty to what? My most difficult point as franchisee of Ceroc Nantwich was when two of my crew, who I'd spent a lot of time coaching, decided to also start crewing for Blitz. I really had a problem with that and tried to point out that Blitz Bowden was (at that time) my biggest competition and in crewing for Blitz they could potentially damage my fledgling club (things between Blitz and Ceroc were pretty tense in those days). My crew didn’t see it like that and I so I was left with a choice or losing two crew (and friends) by sticking to my guns or just going with it. I chose the latter.

I still think they were wrong to crew for a competing venue (after I'd trained them) but their loyalty was to Modern Jive and they thought by crewing at both clubs they were helping to promote MJ. Who is right? Maybe a bit of both.

[Lounge Lizard]

[i]Just recently I've been looking at the business model for MJ classes. There is money to be made if you have loads of classes but the market is so full of players it is a bit like the 'ice cream wars' in Glasgow.


And why was I looking at the business model

Just kidding..

..probably...

Oh goody a new dance organiser in the brighton area, just what we need.....probably

[Andy McGregor]

Originally posted by Lounge Lizard
[B] Oh goody a new dance organiser in the brighton area, just what we need.....probably

What we need in the Brighton area is a good dance organiser. At the moment we've got Phil Duckett's quarterly dances that are good...


On the subject of Gus's dilemma, I think he made the right choice. To do otherwise would be to weaken the market. Which can be no good when you're in it! The problem was probably that the two organisations were in conflict more than the 'defection' of taxi dancers.

I have a personal example of how it went the other way. A few years ago a couple started dance classes in our area. Lynda (of the list, AKA MinnieM) asked local dancers to support them, which I started doing as I'd known the woman for some years. I told them I'd help them. I offered to taxi for them for 6 months if they wanted but no longer as I prefer to just dance. They accepted my offer, I turned up every week, danced with all the beginners, dragged my dancing friends along, suggested a new venue which is still in use, etc, etc - I even wore the, very ordinary, shirt This couple split up soon after I started and the guy, who I hardly knew, carried on with the business - but I stuck to my commitment and carried on with the taxi work. After 6 months I reminded him that my time was up and he needed to find a replacement - he didn't seem to take that in and did nothing even though I kept suggesting people, so I carried on helping.

Then, Graham LeClerc had a hernia operation and couldn't do the ice-breaker lesson at a ball he was running so he asked me to do a 'fun' lesson for 2 couples I'd seen taught by Nigel & Nina and Andy & Rena. Of course I did it (no, LL, I wasn't paid...) because I was asked and I'm a helpful kind of guy. When this other organiser heard about it he 'phoned me and sacked me in a quite unpleasant way for working for the competition

This left me with a nasty taste in my mouth to say the least. But I let bygones be bygones and a few years later this organiser opened a new venue and asked me to busk. I was one of the few that did. Then he asked me to teach a lesson one Wednesday which I was happy to do. Although I didn't ask, he told me that he'd give me an envelope with some 'Admit Ones' in it and a couple of free dance tickets. I taught the lesson with Boozy Bird as my demo, loads of my dancing friends came. Guess what, no envelope - but he gave Boozy Bird a free dance ticket. What I did get was an email telling me that he saw me 'collecting dancer's 'phone numbers for future use' and that he was considering banning me What I'd actually done was written down the number of a friend who'd just moved back to Brighton after spending a few years in the USA

The above is the kind of thing that happens when organisers can't trust each other - and it's not nice to be part of. So I think Gus was right to make the decision he did to keep on his taxi dancers, especially as they are friends

[bigdjiver]

"Loyalty" is a very emotive thing. Most human beings are tribal too some degree, and some are very tribal. We have only to think of people being beaten up for wearing the "wrong" football shirt.

Most humans also have a streak of paranoia, it is a necessary defence mechanism. There will be organisers who see their crew or clientele who visit other venues as “traitors”, and conversely, and illogically, those from other venues as recruiters or spies. Most mature businesses recognise that people shop around and like variety, and what you lose here you gain there.

In the final analysis I believe that if you run a good venue exuding a relaxed sense of happiness, people will come. Bad vibes from the organiser will propagate down through the structure, and put people off.

[Gary]

Originally posted by Gus
...My most difficult point as franchisee of Ceroc Nantwich was when two of my crew, who I'd spent a lot of time coaching, decided to also start crewing for Blitz. I really had a problem with that and tried to point out that Blitz Bowden was (at that time) my biggest competition and in crewing for Blitz they could potentially damage my fledgling club (...). My crew didn’t see it like that ...

It's probably a good idea to get expectations very clear before taking people on.

I'm trying out as a beginner revision teacher for Nicky this quarter. I got a letter explaining what I get and what is expected of me if I'm to be part of the crew. It's then my choice to accept or reject the deal (or negotiate, I guess). It's good to know beforehand what's OK and what's not OK.