December 2008 / January 2009 - Association of Dutch Businessmen

Singapore
with a Dutch touch. Nowadays, the majority of the
Hollandse Club members are actually of another
nationality than the Dutch nationality. Dutch people
only account for about 27% of the total. Second are
the British with 17%, then the Singaporean with 15%
and other nationalities make up 41%.
Motivations for the British to become a member
of the Hollandse Club are partially mentioned
above: location and a child-friendly atmosphere.
Another reason might be the slightly more informal
ambiance at the Hollandse Club as opposed to the
British Club. One delicate aspect is that no maids
are allowed at the Club, as it demands its member
parents to be hands-on with their children. This
has been a topic for discussion for years, critics
advocating that maids are not treated as fellow
human beings. During the last survey of the
members, though, it was found that the majority
still view that the hands-on parenting approach is
desirable, and this is a legitimate reason not to
allow maids.
For Singaporeans the main reasons to choose for
the Hollandse Club are that they like their children
to get in touch with an international community,
but they may also see becoming a member of the
Club as an investment. The premises of the Club are
built on freehold land, land that belongs to the Club
and Camden Park is prime residential area, where
recently one bungalow was sold for $20 million. So
should the club cease to exist, the residual money
will be shared amongst the members.
What is the typical profile of your members? Are
you specifically targeting this group?
The Hollandse Club is definitely a family club.
The Club specifically targets this group, with its
affordable food and beverages, its relaxed ambiance
and its facilities. Especially the pool area usually is
a get-together of families with children enjoying the
good weather and the company of their friends at
the Club. The Club has strong ties with Aquaducks,
a swimming lessons company, as the founder of the
company has been a member of the club since he
was a child. Over 450 children are currently involved
in swimming lessons at the Club.
Bachelors and couples without children are to a
lesser extent targeted by the Club. Being realistic,
these groups will probably enjoy the variety of
restaurants and activities in Singapore, looking for
new experiences every weekend.
Who are your staff, what nationalities do they
have?
The current General Manager (GM) at the Club is,
as you would expect, a Dutchman but this has only
been the case since late last year. Before Gérard
Hanssen took over, the Club’s GM was of British
descent. The office staff consists of two more
Dutchmen of the 14, while the serving staff is
mainly Singaporean and a small percentage is Malay.
To preserve the Dutch character of the Club, four
members of the Board are required to be Dutch.
Treating the (serving) staff well is highly valued
at the Hollandse Club. Management at the Hollandse
Club believes that both members and staff should
feel comfortable at the Club with a pleasant
environment for everybody.
What are the challenges the Hollandse Club has
facing the future?
It is clear that the current economic outlook is a
great disadvantage for clubs in Singapore. People
think twice before they spend their money and
if they have to cut costs memberships of clubs
and associations are one of the first expenses to
economize. During the early nineties the Club lost
a lot of memberships, so 2009 might also become a
difficult year with regards to not only memberships
but also with sponsors investing in the Club. The
Club looks to large Companies to sponsor the
activities organised by the Club.
As the Club wants to build on its quality and
service standards, it is difficult to know how to
react with decreasing membership numbers. It
considers itself a premiere club, which provides
a home away from home for its members. And
to do that, renovations are a necessary part of
Club life. A recent membership meeting resulted
in the go ahead to invest in a new kitchen, new
food facilities and upgraded changing rooms at the
swimming pool.
Constantly renewing its facilities to stay
competitive with the other expat clubs is another
challenge the Hollandse Club faces.
The Hollandse
Club is definitely
a family club.
The Club
specifically
targets this
group, with its
affordable food
and beverages,
its relaxed
ambiance and
its facilities.
Especially the
pool area usually
is a get-together
of families
with children
enjoying the
good weather
and the company
of their friends
at the Club.
11
Vol.18 • No. 10 • December 2008 / January 2009