FACILITIES - SUPPLIES - PEOPLE

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Rod Heckelman
June 26, 2026

Bonding With the Members

By Rod Heckelman


If you were to ask most members their opinion of the manager at their club, their answer would largely be based on their personal interaction with that manager. Indeed, the manager’s performance and impact on the club would also influence their opinion. Still, in an industry largely built on social interaction, a manager who develops a strong rapport with members is much more likely to build a positive relationship and image.

Take, for example, someone who had a bad experience at the club or had issues with a service that was either broken or inaccessible.

Because the manager has developed a positive rapport with that member, their initial interaction with the manager is far more likely to be compatible rather than adversarial.

With larger facilities, the strategy to accomplish these relationships is more challenging. There will be a greater need to engineer a complete package to achieve that goal.

There are basically four forms of communication at a manager's disposal: first, person-to-person, second, person-to-group, third, in-house media, and fourth, through your employees.

In person-to-person, the key for the manager is being accessible. Avoid being buried in a back office and out of sight. If you can, locate your office so that it is visible and accessible at all times.

If possible, position your point of operation so that members can see you as they enter the facility. This is a great way to demonstrate that you are approachable and prepared to take time to talk with anyone at the drop of a hat.

Mike Barrell: Performance Coaching - A Conversation Starter!

There has always been a disconnect with this word. In sports, “developmental coaching” and “performance coaching” are often described as if they sit on opposite ends of the spectrum—one soft and nurturing, the other hard and elite. But that framing has never made sense. These aren’t opposing philosophies; they’re stages along the same participation pathway. And if you look closely at the most overused word in sport—performance—you might start to rethink the entire conversation.

Remember, unlike other businesses, the club business involves a great deal of interaction and personal contact. Members come to the club to enjoy their time and receive great service; if that is compromised, they want an answer, for that matter, they want an answer right away. If they feel they can't get that answer from one of your employees, they will carry those feelings back home and maybe even to other members. If they can reach you right away, you have the opportunity to resolve those issues quickly.

When management offers a disgruntled member the option of venting their complaint through a note or a suggestion box, that should be the last resort, not the first. The best environment would be one where the member never needs to write down any complaint or concern, but rather gets a satisfactory answer right there on the spot. Also, they would never need to be asked after in interaction to “rate their experience.” Nothing says, “we don’t know how you like us or feel,” more than a follow-up inquiry asking someone to fill out a questionnaire about their experience.

Becoming acquainted with your members through person-to-group communication can be very efficient. Establishing a committee of members that you can meet on a regular basis will provide several benefits.

First, once again, you will create a great rapport with these people, and second, these people can serve as support for decisions about the direction the club takes. It's important, however, not to create too many committees. One central committee will avoid contradictions between members and make it clear to the membership that the facilities operation guidelines are being reviewed by their fellow members.

Manage your committees through organization and not control, via your position as manager. To do that, be punctual, consistent, and have an agenda that can help direct the meeting. This will also help avoid members wanting to use the committee for their own personal agenda.

Make it clear that these meetings are to help the club move forward and develop policies that work for the majority. Report on those meetings through a newsletter or mailing. Show the membership that these meetings have an impact and that they are always productive.

Dominique Lemperle: Incredibly honored to have won the RSPA Miami Pro of the Year Award. Big thank you goes to my boss Paulo Barros and the entire racquets team at Fisher Island Club for allowing me to support this amazing operation and serving the membership.

Emma Victoria Wells: UK’s Largest Female Tennis Parks Operator. What started as a brain dump has turned into a book. I’m excited to share the title: GRIT.

Reaching your membership through the media is usually done via newsletters, group texting, or e-mails. All of these methods are effective, but will be more impactful if they are professionally personalized. Too often, the message is lost by using a low standard of writing or publishing. Always think of your membership as intelligent people who want to see well-written material on a well-produced document. Misspelling, poor punctuation, or just poor writing will reflect on the author and can result in a loss of respect. Find someone, if not a couple of people, who can proofread and edit anything you intend to publish. Don't send out the message until it is perfect. Also, find someone who knows how to produce a quality appearance for your message. The clubs that produce publications that look unprofessional not only come across as second-class, but are also an embarrassment to your members.

Letters or emails to members or to employees should also always look professional. There are a multitude of software or online programs that are capable of accomplishing this task. Be careful about the overuse of emails. This may be a very proficient way to deliver a group message, but too many of these messages can become just common noise.

Also, very important, with all the spam permeating the Internet, it is important to find ways to ensure your messages can be readily identified. Proper logo use and recognition should be added to your occasional e-mails.

Another area that is often misused in clubs is flyers and notices. Multiple bulletin boards and excessive flyers can dilute the message. Clubs that post too many flyers will eventually numb the members to their importance. If you want to have an impact through this type of media, keep it clean and organized. Have only one bulletin board in an area with the most traffic, but without negatively impacting the flow. Have a consistent flyer format that can be personalized to display your message. There is a fine line between advertising and notifying your membership. Advertising too frequently loses its punch and can turn off your member or just become ignored.

Tim Gallwey: For many years I have felt that the true potential impact of The Inner Game was lying in wait. With modern technology (yes, AI included as a powerful mirror for self-awareness) we have transformed a lifetime of work and learning into a hyper personalized experience for those seeking performance psychology coaching.

For messages to be effective with your staff, they have to be relevant and concise. Remember, what you say or write is likely to be repeated by those employees, so accuracy and complete understanding of these messages are important.

Written messages to the members should be informational, not rule-based. Passing on information such as “(Name of Manager) would like to get your feedback on the new court surfaces,” or “(Name of Manager) has looked into that new type of cleaning system for the pool and is going to provide a report in the coming newsletter,” creates the impression that you and your staff are passing on relevant information. What you don’t want are comments such as, “(Name of Manager) said that everyone has to shower before using the pool,” or (Name of Manager) said that you cannot reserve a court two days in a row.” If you want to address an issue that has become a problem, do so personally and target only those who are directly involved.

Lastly, never pass up an opportunity to meet someone. Get out of your office and take several daily tours of your facility so you can meet and interact with your members. Take the time to attend events at the club and watch your members perform their sports. When members see that you are interested in what they are doing, you send the message that you care and enjoy their participation, and how they use and enjoy your facility.

Bonding with your members should be one of the easiest tasks for a manager. After all, it’s likely that you got into club management because you enjoy a work environment inclined to host social interaction, so take advantage of your natural inclination to be sociable and bond with your members.

Rod Heckelman

Rod Heckelman's career started in 1966 when he began his 5-year role as a teacher at John Gardiner’s Tennis Ranch in Carmel Valley, California. Later he opened as the resident pro for Gardiner’s Tennis Ranch on Camelback in Scottsdale, Arizona.

In 1976, he took over as head professional/tennis director at the Mt. Tam Racquet Club in Larkspur, California, and added the title and responsibilities of general manager in 1982. After 48 years, he retired to work exclusively in helping others in the industry. 

In 2010, he was awarded “Manager of the Year” for the USPTA NorCal Division and the “Manager of the Year” at the USPTA World Conference. Rod has written several books, including “Down Your Alley” in 1993, “Playing Into the Sunset” in 2013, and most recently, “250 Ways to Play Tennis.”

He also produced the “Facility Manager’s Manual” and the “Business Handbook for Tennis Pros,” which is distributed by the TIA.