Category: Tell TAC

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Every December Club Members Are Stranded Outside the Gym The Last Two Weeks Of The Month

Dear Tokyo American Club Management,

Every year members are stranded outside the club on the cold December mornings before the new year.  A quick review of the club website showed no clear schedule of when the gym was actually opening before the hour changes.

Would you PLEASE do a better job of communicating the hours of the gym?  Frankly, opening 1 hour later is a pain for growing majority of us who are still working through the remain business days in the calendar!Thank you for your efforts to make your year-end hours clearer and reconsidering shutting down the prime time many of us use the club during our week.-MABT

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Membership Introduction Campaign Needs Fixed

This week I took a friend who joined the TAC via our introduction for lunch.  Before lunch I called the membership office to ask about the 40,000 yen vouchers.

I was told they had be mailed to my office and they would “make concessions” and reissue them. That was strange a strange comment to make when you are thanking someone for helping.

Upon picking up the vouchers we saw they were not a credit on our club account but were in fact some pieces of paper (to carry around) that are printed in denominations of 10,000 yen. In using these papers you cannot receive change.

My lunch was just over 5,000 yen so rather than throwing 5,000 yen down the toilet, I ended up paying for my friends lunch.  Seems to defeat the whole purpose.

I suggest TAC-

-Credit the referral to the member’s account

-Let them use the cash in full not limiting usage or at least print in 1,000 yen papers.

-Let it be used for ANYTHING in the club.  Including dues if the member wants to do that.

After this experience, I don’t this program really has any value to other members as it just gives you the impression that TAC doesn’t want to give you the full amount.

Currently, it may come across as a ploy to get people to come into the club and spend money instead of rewarding a member for introducing another great person to join the Tokyo American Club.

Hope that helps.

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A Performance Review Of The General Manager

If you ask around the club, you will find varying reviewing on varying things.  One subject area seems to get the same review from everyone.  We at the  MABT members receive the same reports regarding the Tokyo American Club general manager.   We’re really wondering what is going on.

This is a very important job as the GM role is entrusted with the staff and resources of the club.  Our money.

We would like to recommend that the Board of Governors review the performance of the GM in managing the resources, rapport with the membership, and financial performance of the club.  If the GM performance is good, then the pay should be good.  If the performance is… well you get the idea.

All the members of the Making A Better TAC (MABT) team were surprised at the renewal of the current GM’s contract by the board of governors.  Of course, you could argue that we need to have consistency in management as we go into our new facility.  Did anyone see what they membership thought about the GM?

We put the question out to you.  We are not here to trash anyone, or to blindly say “they’re doing a great job”.  What is your experience as a TAC member.

Overall are you happy with the GM and his performance over the last few years?  What are some good things the GM has done?  What are some things that concern you?  Please feel free to comment below.  The more feedback we have the better.

Encourage your BOG member to do real reviews of this GM role as it is detrimental to the health of the Tokyo American Club.

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People Power- We did it! Next Steps

Thanks to all who have supported the Action Group – your comments, ideas and –  most importantly – your “No” vote have meant that we have been able to argue a solid case for change going forward.
The Action Group is currently talking to the BoG about how we move ahead. In those discussions, our key focus continues to be the principles of (1) a sense of urgency; (2) absolute transparency; (3) inclusion; and (4) accountability.
We expect to be able to let you know the detailed mechanisms for building a comprehensive Action Plan in the next few days. Our hope is that all parties can come together to solve the large problems we face. All members and staff deserve our complete commitment and collective effort.
In the meantime, keep the comments and ideas coming! We will only be successful if we continue to earn your support.
Help build a better American Club by being part of the change you want to see!
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Great Job Tokyo American Club Staff- Gold Star

From: Mamoru Ohara
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 9:57 AM
To: ‘TAC – Member Services Desk’
Subject: TELL TAC
Dear Management, HR and HR Committee,
I know that many of the employees that take good care of me, of all members everyday are worried about their jobs.  My letter is intended to be a gold star, a mark of exceptional service, for each employee that has served me since we became members in 1988.  I take their welfare personally and I want to make it very clear to you all that I don’t want to see the budget cuts start with the Garden Café staff like Kumaran, Satoko, Ayumi, Mariko, Chika, Allan, and the managers Osamu, Christophe, Armand – I may not remember all their names but their faces I know very well.
The same goes for the Vineyards – Mina, Minjee and all the gracious staff who have already had their hours cuts.  Let’s not forget the Grille with Suzanna, Miki, Jason, Wede, Antonio and the rest of the staff who manage to remember every dish and drink my husband and prefer.  Banquet staff, American Room staff as well – we enjoy the brunch service and the special events there.
Then there is video and book library with Akisato san and her lovely ladies that apologize for each video that I return late, apologize for not remembering my number and the most gracious library staff who help me find books, extend my check for my books – Keiko, Joe, Erica – and the others who are more polite than most of the members.
The parking lot guys who meet us with a smile and a greeting – they are the front line, the first persons we see and they are the face of TAC.  Their skill with taxi drivers, people with luggage and stuff – is above the call of duty – all of them know me by name.  The MS Desk, most members would be lost without them.  Hayashi san always helps me with my exhibition issues, all of them remember my name and greet me with a smile and will do anything to help me and my guests.
My favorite pool staff – they are at top performance this season and the best at what they do and I want you to insure that they have the full support they need to do their job to keep us safe and happy during the hot summer months – Masa, Mac, Toshi, Ken, Ray, Beni, Yasuko, Altiani, Dylan, Harrison, Reina (shes’s the queen) Max, Henry – just to mention a few.
The Rec. Desk and the Gym – Noriko, Harumi, Gerry, Hide, the new guy Ronny, all of these folks keep it clean and running smooth and patiently explain to members who date back to the Black Ships and chauffeured cars that not all classes are ticket and what each class offers.  And don’t forget the trainers – Taka, Lori, Travis, Koichi, Kaori – they are the face of the gym and make the place special by making us feel special.
The kitchen staff who bake my chocolate pie, make my salad just the way I want it and season the dish of the day to my taste – I don’t know their names but I know they know mine.
Last but not least housekeeping and grounds keeper who work tirelessly to keep this place clean and comfortable – they clean the restrooms, the lobbies, the drive way, decorate, make sure the pool pump is running – I like the way they do their job and I don’t want them outsourced to Duskin or some other faceless company because they won’t really care if the work is up to standard.
Without all these folks this is not the best club in all of Asia.  Let me be clear – we want to see them after cost cutting measures, and any other way you find to trim the fat, get rid of the dead wood.  These people are not to be replaced by outsourcing, or any other hair brain scheme you dream up because they make the Club, they are the Club and without them there is NO point in coming to TAC.  After all I have NOTHING in common with the boors who berated the Board at the last debacle, I don’t date back to the Raj and I drive my own car or walk – those folks, well they are just passing through but I will be here long after most of you are gone.
I may not be the longest membership, I may not be the one who spends the most but I have spent many years working with these folks to make this club better for every member.  In my efforts I have had to endure insults, scorn, and rude behavior from other powerful members.   But I have helped to create Masters Swim, Adult Swim, Stroke Development and Core Class and I can honestly say members enjoy the fruits of my labor and the club has benefited.  So remember my voice is very powerful among the members and we own this club.
Sincerely,
Veronica Ohara