| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| GODJ |
Posted - 10 May 2006 : 12:04:14
Club Med taps new president, CEO for North America (05/09/2006)
John Vanderslice, president and CEO, Americas, for Club Med will be leaving the hotel company May 12 after six years at the head of the Americas Business Unit. In his place, Club Med has named Cedric Gobilliard as president and CEO, North America, effective May 11.
According to Club Med, Vanderslice was instrumental in bringing about many crucial changes to Club Med North America, notably its Total All-Inclusive offering.
Gobilliard was vice president of sales and marketing, Europe (except France), for Club Med. He joined Club Med in 1998 and prior to that was with the Disney Co. in its sales and marketing department.
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| 24 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| EET |
Posted - 17 May 2006 : 06:38:30
I just wanted to write a quick response to the marketing question posed before. In a very similar way the operations are directed, the marketing is also directed from Paris. Maybe this perspective will help...
In France there is one center to the universe- Paris. If you market to Paris, you market to all of France. Club med has been trying to make this work for years here in the States. They have always figured that if they market to New York, LA, and Montreal, the whole of North America would follow. No amount of convincing otherwise ever worked. The other issue is that Club Med has very little budget for ads, so they focus on charter gateways to maximize their return on marketing dollars. That is why there are so many New Yorkers and Canadians in Turks, and Sonora was always empty. |
| Seattle Craig |
Posted - 17 May 2006 : 04:41:01
lioness & Blondes
Really good points. The CM website DOES over hype the luxury aspect. You'd think people would figure it out from the 'bargain' price.
I had a similar experience at Cancun with a couple from the south (US). She was a glamour queen and was incensed with the room, etc. Her hubby was a doctor and they almost left CM for another hotel - but they hung in, and ended up having one of the best times of their lives.
Based on the website, if you had never been to CM, you would expect Hyatt/Westin-level room lux, and food that knocks your socks off. While the food is good compared to other all-inclusives, it is rarely 'gourmet' level. And yes, the AC, especially at Cancun. Come to think of it none of the 7 CM venues I've been to have had good AC.
Don't get me wrong, none of this has bothered me because I know what to expect (and still love CM) - but for someone who has not been, I can see how they might be dissapointed. |
| BlondesRmoreFun |
Posted - 17 May 2006 : 02:12:23
Lioness, I totally agree with you. I travel on business quite a bit and stay at very nice hotels, as well as on my other vacations. This is not why I go to CM. But, if I didn't know anything about CM and looked at their web site and other promotional pieces I would absolutely expect much nicer accommodations. They advertise luxury but they are far from it. Even their most recently upgraded luxury villages are not even close to as nice as a Westin, or even a Hyatt. I would be upset too if that's what i was expecting. Like I said in my earlier post, the new GMs are totally different than us old school ones and they just don't get what CM is/was all about. It's really too bad..... |
| lioness |
Posted - 17 May 2006 : 00:11:09
an anecdote but nothing more -- i was on the same flight with another couple on route to cancun last september. we arrived at the village at the same time. i changed, did trapeze, and was at happy hour. i ran into the same couple and the husband was just pacing up and down. i asked what was wrong and he said that he had been frantically looking for another hotel to stay in and to cancel his clubmed booking because his wife saw the room, saw the crappy bed, saw the crappy tv, the lack of good AC, and just demanded to be relocated no matter how expensive it might be. you'd think they could have done some research first, but i suppose not. of course i tried to convince him otherwise but failed miserably. because you know what, everything his wife said was true, only i didn't really mind!
but it's going to be a problem if cm advertises luxury and guests arrive to find something else...
-lioness |
| BlondesRmoreFun |
Posted - 16 May 2006 : 23:52:29
All of this makes sense except one thing......if CM was ever really serious about staying committed to the NA zone and making it successful, why didn't they ever put some marketing dollars behind it and get the word out? There was never a sustained advertising campaign in the U.S. in the effort to gain new GMs and build loyalists out of them. The only people going to CM are the GMs that have been going for years, there are very few new ones. The simple fact is that the NA zone doesn't do well because nobody knows about it and CM corporate has never done anything to change this! The execs in Paris wonder why North Americans aren't their target?? Well, it's because they couldn't care less about us and never committed to us a target audience. |
| HeLLBoYZ |
Posted - 16 May 2006 : 23:36:34
Thank you EET for this very informative post!
It is nice for me, a new GO to be able to understand these informations because since I've been in CM ( 1 year ), I've dealt a lot with old GO, ex GO's and GM's that are pissed at the new CM direction. Having this information on hand will help me making them understand.
Pierre |
| EET |
Posted - 16 May 2006 : 17:43:30
I agree with GAR. I met Vanderslice on his first day working for Club Med, and saw an evolution from within the company as well as from outside. I do feel that some clarification is needed on what was his doing and what was not.
He started in 2000 when the Club was slowly rebounding from all of the dammage that was done in the 90s by the son of the founder. Bourguignon in Paris was getting things in order, and there was actually talk of closing all of the villages in the NA zone because they were sucking all of the profit from the other zones. THey brought him on to try to reserect the lowest performing of all of the zones. In order to try to save what could be saved he tried to get more competitive in the "all inclusive" market for North America by adding a bit of comfort and including alcohol and snacks like the others. There were also the decisions to see what could be profitable and what was taking all of the losses. He wanted however to keep the fun in unlike the competition. THere were a lot of fun villages that they could not make work because of the dollars needed to rennovate to a safe and acceptable level could not be made back in the NA market. 9/11 pushed the NA zone over the edge. Whatever was going to happen changed, and all of the villages that closed were a result of all of this.
Many villages closed world wide to reduce the post 9/11 losses. A decision was made in Paris to begin to rebuild from the strengths of the Club which were the European and Asian zones. It was decided that the villages should all be upgraded to provide all of the creature comforts of the competition (TV, room service, alcohol, Spa), go more family friendly, and the hut villages be closed. THis is because in the hotel business the luxury segment is not only the most expensive, it is the most profitable and fastest growing. Vanderslice was listening to the NA GMs say that they didn't want plasma TVs, they wanted Club Med. I feel that he is gone because he was dragging his heels with the new Pres. in Paris on this. He was trying to keep the Club in North America what it was, and the powers in Paris were following the $$$$.
Now the Club has someone directly from that office coming to be in charge. He was with Disney before Club Med as was Bourguignon. I would expect to see the NA zone follow in the footstepps of the other zones, or be closed completely. Expect to see more upgraded villages, more families, more Spa, more luxury, and much higher cost.
Since leaving the Club I run a hospitality management company specializing in luxury hotels. It is sad for me to see the Club going the way it is, but as a hotelier I understand completely. I don't like the direction they are going, but in their place I would probably do the same thing. In the end, as much as we would like to make Club Med out to be the "utopia" that Gerard Blitz invisioned in 1950, it has been a public company since the 60's. The big bosses in Paris have stock holders to answer to, and the reality is that those stock holders saw a profit in 2005 for the first time since the mid 1980's.
Change happens weather we like it or not. Nothing is as it was 5, 10, or 20 years ago. At least we still have our pictures, our friendships, and that last souvenir bag of bar beads in a box somewhere.
Thanks John for trying to find a way to make money for the stock holders while also trying to keep it real for the masses. You will be missed.
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| Seattle Craig |
Posted - 16 May 2006 : 15:51:52
GAR:
Makes sense - however, I recall that most of those NA village closures occured immediately after 9/11 - when all travel from US and Canda fell off dramatically and took years to return to the same level.
Plus, CM closed numerous other villages throughout the world around the same time period.
CM's recent past has been a rocky one financially - it has been my experience in business that this is caused by 'not keeping your eye on the ball' (metaphorically speaking).
IMO, one of CM's problems is they let villages decline too far before they renovate, and most of their renovation (of past) have been window dressing at best (new TVs, sheets, boutiques, etc.).
Also, in the late 90's, thanks to a certain CDV (now a CM exec), CM dramatically reduced the number of GOs at the typical NA CM.
It's all part of a bigger problem, again in my opinion. These types of problems are usually self generated for companies - not reacting timely and properly to their market. And NA is definitely different than Europe (marketwise). Having a NA CEO makes sense, if that CEO can take care of business. Maybe John is gone because CM would not leave him alone. Maybe he was getting blamed for things not of his causing. Most of us will never know.
The whole thing is sad, though. And apparently the (NA) market, now more yuppified and boomerized than 20 years ago DOES want more TVs and phones.....But then again.... |
| drbri |
Posted - 16 May 2006 : 15:05:42
G.A., while obviously there must be demand for villages to keep them open, on what basis can Vanderslice be judged to have done a "great" job? N.A. revenue was flat to declining, despite the reduction in capacity that should have led to better profitability. One could charitably argue he did the best he could despite the cards Paris dealt him, but if he were "great at his job" he'd still have it, no? Two more cents :) |
| GAR |
Posted - 16 May 2006 : 05:44:20
John Vanderslice did a lot of good for CM NA and happen to be there during some major changes that NA GMs did not always like ... he agreed with some of them I am sure. He is one man and for those who did not know him - he was great at his job period.
All do respect to the NA GMs ... there were 21 villages in NA - now there are 6 or 7 left because the demand is just not there from the GMs. We are not a major player in the game anymore and I think CM has tried to respect us as much as they could but they are a business and will do what it takes to survive ..including change.
In the early days, it was pitching tents, doing your own dishes and playing sports. It has evolved ot have TVs in the room because NA GMs wanted that, locks on the doors, all inclusive alcohol etc ... you might not like it and some of the GMs who post here might not ... we are not the majority!
They are nothing like Beaches or Sandles but they MUST compete to stay alive ... from 21 to 6 villages in 5 years says a lot! We must face the fact that we are part of the problem too.
just my 2 cents worth
G.A. xox |
| drbri |
Posted - 15 May 2006 : 17:41:26
Sandals changed their unfortunate policy on gay couples in 2004. |
| Margarita Girl |
Posted - 12 May 2006 : 22:15:29
quote:
Originally posted by mis2810
I still never understood why Club Med didn't capitalize on their differences instead of trying to compete with Sandals/Beaches. It didn't have to be hut villages, some comfort would be fine, but that's it. They should've gone back to the "Antidote to Civilization" campaign.
Club Med will not be like Sandals or Beaches.
I went to Beaches in Turkoise to check it out once - the kids were in DESKS!!!! in the kids Club!!!!... it is twice as expensive as Club Med and Sandals will only let in STRAIGHT COUPLES in, NO single people,(lets just say I boycotted selling them a while ago) Beaches... the only adult oriented resort is in Cuba which Americans can not travel to.
Margarita Travel Inc.
"Your Exclusive Club Med Travel Agency" |
| JAMESSITE |
Posted - 12 May 2006 : 21:09:26
EET
Did you know Jozann on the beach or Rafael head of Circus?
Jim
How many gold bar beads? |
| mis2810 |
Posted - 12 May 2006 : 20:55:04
I still never understood why Club Med didn't capitalize on their differences instead of trying to compete with Sandals/Beaches. It didn't have to be hut villages, some comfort would be fine, but that's it. They should've gone back to the "Antidote to Civilization" campaign. |
| drbri |
Posted - 11 May 2006 : 15:09:58
quote:
Originally posted by samCM
Drbri,
I could be totally wrong about this but John may have run the Americas, but he was still at the mercy of the CEO in Paris. In light of how things have been going in the Americas it could be very possible that is why John is leaving. He brought the Total all Inclusive to CM in the AM zone and it was a good success. Paris took the idea to Europe and was a huge success. However in the AM zone CM was and still is catching up to the competitors, less the CM atmosphere. However, over in Europe the up scale all inclusive is relativity new. Most European hotels still have 2 twin beds in them. A totally foreign idea to the America traveler. So if I am wrong, I hope CM gets better. If I am right we are in for more ugly changes. We shall see how things go with the newbie. Either way I am off for my next CM trip hopefully soon.
"I had 3 Jacks and a pair of 9's..."
Sam
Sam, charitably once could plausibly say that Vanderslice was caught between the chefs de Paris and an ever-more-competitive North American leisure market. However, if you've ever read anything the man was quoted as saying, he usually sounded completely clueless, if not incoherent. For someone hired as a consumer-product marketing genius, he managed to preside over the closure of more than half of the "products" he managed and marketed. Surely installing someone from HQ cannot be any worse. Mon deux euro cents. |
| EET |
Posted - 11 May 2006 : 06:56:03
I was in Punta Cana as Chief of beach and later CHief of Sports with Pierre Gagnon in 97 and as the HSM/ CDV with Youssef in 2003.
quote:
Originally posted by JAMESSITE
Eric
Thanks for all the information. I see you were in Punta Cana in 1997 and 2002. Was Howard your CDV in 1997? In 2002, was it Youssef or Philippe Scheurlin as you CDV?
Jim
How many gold bar beads?
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| Sand_in_my_shoes |
Posted - 11 May 2006 : 05:16:30
They need to realise that their clientel in The Americas is very different then the one in Europe and it should be treated differently. samCM raises a very good point about European hotels vs what North Americans are used to. Also you can use ClubMedWorld as an example the one in Paris is doing well while the one they tried to open in Montreal failed miserably!! Not the same clientel...
-sand- |
| samCM |
Posted - 11 May 2006 : 03:52:08
Drbri,
I could be totally wrong about this but John may have run the Americas, but he was still at the mercy of the CEO in Paris. In light of how things have been going in the Americas it could be very possible that is why John is leaving. He brought the Total all Inclusive to CM in the AM zone and it was a good success. Paris took the idea to Europe and was a huge success. However in the AM zone CM was and still is catching up to the competitors, less the CM atmosphere. However, over in Europe the up scale all inclusive is relativity new. Most European hotels still have 2 twin beds in them. A totally foreign idea to the America traveler. So if I am wrong, I hope CM gets better. If I am right we are in for more ugly changes. We shall see how things go with the newbie. Either way I am off for my next CM trip hopefully soon.
"I had 3 Jacks and a pair of 9's..."
Sam |
| drbri |
Posted - 10 May 2006 : 19:36:30
If Vanderslice was successful at anything, I think he did manage to suck the fun out of most N.A. clubs. |
| JAMESSITE |
Posted - 10 May 2006 : 19:14:57
Eric
Thanks for all the information. I see you were in Punta Cana in 1997 and 2002. Was Howard your CDV in 1997? In 2002, was it Youssef or Philippe Scheurlin as you CDV?
Jim
How many gold bar beads? |
| EET |
Posted - 10 May 2006 : 18:49:04
FYI...the upscale family direction is coming from Club med President Henri Giscard D'Estang. Vanderslice wasn't moving fast enough in this direction to keep the Paris bosses happy because he was trying to keep the fun in the Club in North America. Now that there will be a direct line from the North American zone to Paris (and ex-Disney no less), expect to see more 5 trident, family friendly rennovations on the horizon. THis direction has been very successful for Club Med in Europe, and since that market is 90% of Club Meds business world wide they will be heading in that direction regardless of what we think. I wouldn't be surprised if the Club shut down the North American Operations office, and went back to only HR and sales call center as it was until the mid 90s. |
| drbri |
Posted - 10 May 2006 : 17:26:36
Selling off Sandpiper to fund new villages outside the U.S.? Let's hear your best conspiracy theory! |
| Nightshade |
Posted - 10 May 2006 : 16:20:11
I have to agree with you Nat maybe they are finally listening to us about all the changes we do not like.
Now it is a wait and see what Mr Gobilliard does. Hopefully better.
Dee
"Where Are We Going And Why Am I In This Handbasket?"
"HELP!!! I am online
and I can't get off!!!"
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| Margarita Girl |
Posted - 10 May 2006 : 15:16:22
well, ok then maybe they are listening ... all the changes, people not liking it!
Margarita Travel Inc.
"Your Exclusive Club Med Travel Agency" |
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