Tokyo American Club- A Better Place For Our Members, A Members Forum
The Tokyo American Club is looking to bring in more foreigners. Apparently we’ve got to get the numbers up for non-Japanese in the club.
It is not good if the club is mostly Japanese but the campaigns have gone from 30,000 yen for an introduction to 100,000 yen for an introduction.
What are your thoughts about this?
It’s official. Despite lowering initiation fees for non-Japanese potential members, the TAC board is again talking about raising monthly dues on the long term members. What are your thoughts on this?
If you talk to Tokyo American Club Employees you would think that they would be excited about Employee Appreciation Day. However, that is not the case from most that we talked to. There is pressure to attend an event that many have said they do not want to attend. So what’s the point of closing down the club so that members can’t use it during the week?
Today, we members celebrate Tokyo American Club Appreciation Day. What is there to celebrate? Actually, not much. We don’t have access to the gym in the morning, lunch at noon, or that customer dinner in the evening.
Tokyo American Club managers and Board of Governors needs to seriously reconsider silly things like the Employee Appreciation Day as well as taking additional fees for bonuses that go to what we hear is less than half of the employees. We were not able to confirm with other clubs in the US or around Asia that have these practices. Time for a change!
If you are a member of TAC, tell us what do you think?
We’re big on participation if you want to change something to the positive. If you think things need fixed, it might be time to run for a position on the Board of Governors. Even if you think things are fine, what a great opportunity to help the TAC that we all enjoy. Please see letter below.
Invitation to Participate in the Tokyo American Club
Board of Governors Election 2012
From the TAC Nominating Committee
Dear Fellow TAC Members:
The TAC Board of Governors works with Management to ensure that the club is managed in the best interest of its members and in accordance with its Articles of Association and all applicable laws. The Board insures we continue to enjoy many excellent and unique benefits as members of the Tokyo American Club.
Each year the Nominating Committee presents a slate of candidates. After Board approval, the slate is placed before the membership for election at the regularly scheduled Annual General Meeting, held in November.
This Notice is to ask if you or someone you know is interested in standing for election to the Board. If you are interested, and you meet the minimum qualifications set forth below, please reply to this email (completing the section at the bottom of this email) no later than July 24. It is your chance to contribute to the continued well-being of the entire TAC community and to make a difference! Someone from the Nominating Committee will be in touch with you in due course.
Minimum Qualifications:
In this first election to be held under the new Articles of Association (effective Oct. 1, 2012), Members must still conform to Article 25 of the current Articles of Association, which requires the following qualifications to serve on the Board of Governors: Minimum membership: “at the time of election have been Resident Regular Members or Resident Regular Company Members for more than one year.”
Refer to the new General Rules, Section 30 Nominations for Governor, 1.4. This outlines the factors that shall be considered in the selection of nominees by the Nominating Committee.
Thank you very much for considering this request.
Nominating Committee
The last couple of weeks, a number of members have complained about getting Facebook spam email from someone calling themselves Mr. Shiro Amakusa.
After a bit of research among our group it was discovered that Shiro Amakusa is an alias of Ken Joseph Jr. According to several members, Ken Joseph has a ‘non profit organization’ called Japan Helpline that goes to large multinationals to solicit funds for the operation of his business.
Why he is sending Facebook requests to all members on the TAC directory is unknown. Ken Joseph is currently a member of the Tokyo American Club.
I have sent a message to Tell Tac but I never get a response so I am posting the following:
What has happened to the old system for taxi service that we had at the club in Takanawa? It was efficient and simple. You made a request at the member’s desk and they phoned a taxi for you. They took your name so that you would keep your place in line. A parking attendant would notify you as you sat waiting inside the entrance.
This system no longer exists.
I stood waiting for a taxi on Thursday evening with my sensei for over 30 minutes. It was embarrassing and it reflected badly upon the club. There is no designated queue. People stood around in a chaotic fashion (it was extremely busy that evening). It is hard to discern who is next in line.
I had made a request for a taxi at the member’s desk next to the Trader’s Bar. Two ladies assured my sensei and I that they had phoned for taxis. However, eight taxis pulled up and parked. They were reserved for other guests. The majority of people waiting were forced to retrieve taxis elsewhere.
I returned back to the member’s service desk but the two ladies had left the desk unmanned. I returned to the trader’s bar and asked the manager on duty to phone for more taxis. To be honest, he did not seem concerned nor was he helpful. He called for the parking attendant who was extremely courteous and apologetic. He quickly retrieved a taxi for us.
What has happened? I am embarrassed to entertain my sensei at the club if such poor service continues.
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.
The New American club opened today. 2010 was a year where members really got a chance to say what they thought. There was a sense of transparency that prevailed and the common feeling was- no more baloney. Whether you are a board of governor, a committee member or a general member, you need to be candid, clear, and honest.
We learned a lot about the positives and negatives of the club operation. We will prepare a summary of what we learned for everyone to review on this site.
In the meantime, the new Tokyo American Club is open. Maybe you walked through, used the gym, the pool, or ate at the restaurant. What do think of the new TAC? Leave comments on below and we’ll make sure that the items of common interest will be addressed.
-MABT (Making A Better TAC)
PLEASE leave your comments on the new Tokyo American Club facility below.
What’s that faint popping sound we hear? Some say it’s the champagne corks going off … the rumor is that Dan Thomas has NOT been re-elected, and that there are “new faces” on the BoG. Well done, MABT-ers!
Unfortunately, if you’re a Facebook user you have probably already seen the premature announcement from one of the presidential candidates whose name is not Rod. Still, it could be worse … it could have been a tie!
Now is the time for all good people to come to the aid of the Party; so keep the pressure up to make sure the TWG2 and FinComm recommendations are turned into reality. Tally ho!
Well, we hoped our suggestions helped you with the elections. We will post the results here on the MABT site as soon as they are announced.
Coming soon..