Survey responses: members have their say on communications and events

A big thank you to everyone who completed our recent survey and provided suggestions for new Coachlines’ articles and different types of events. All are being reviewed by the Communications and Livery Committees and as many as possible will be taken forward into future events and issues of Coachlines.

In this edition we are already responding directly to one suggestion: several people wrote they would be interested to see and hear about members’ car collections: from classic and vintage to recycled, repurposed, awaiting repair etc. We are therefore very pleased to present the first “Peep Behind the Garage Doors” video tour from Liveryman Tim Metcalfe, who is also part of the group leading and supporting our involvement with this year’s Goodwood Revival.

Back to the survey itself, then: we had 86 responses. The main areas of interest recorded for Coachlines articles are livery updates (92%) and automotive (70%). Next came historical (‘on this day’) events (56%), members’ personal adventure stories (55%) and articles about new and emerging technologies relevant to our sectors (55%), followed by City updates (41%) and aerospace (38%). In statistical analysis terms, this doesn’t mean that automotive has twice as much interest as aerospace: it just shows that more of our members who are into cars completed the survey.

The other main question our survey explored is the extent to which members have participated in the Zoom online events. This ‘virtual’ getting together programme necessarily became the only way members could meet during the ghastly lockdowns enforced by the pandemic, so this formed a really important plank of Livery communications.

The survey showed half of respondents saying they have participated. For those who did not, where any reasons were given the main ones notified were: timings inconvenient (45% of the non-participants), the content not appealing (25%), 11% finding the technology inaccessible and 9% concerned the event costs were too high.

Overall, however, the feedback is clear that people have welcomed the ability to see, chat to and maintain contact with other liverymen during lockdown periods, while also being able to learn from and ask questions of the inspirational speakers we have featured.

In particular, those members who find it difficult or inconvenient to travel for livery events have appreciated the opportunity to join in online sessions. As one respondent noted, they really enjoyed being able to “go into places without having to travel anywhere!” Acknowledging this point, while we all look forward to in-person activities resuming we will certainly incorporate online sessions as a continuing component of the Coachmakers’ events and communications programmes.

Requests for future events include interviews with high-profile people in all sectors: obviously some mentions for aerospace and automotive people, with others asking to hear from top-class sportsmen and women and even a few requests for politicians. Other respondents asked for more informal social events and for presentations/discussions on industry and technology futures. If anyone has a good contact that we can use, please get in touch with the Livery Committee Chairman, Honorary Assistant Richard Robinson – RRobinson@geraldeve.com.

Liveryman & Consort Simon Diffey was the lucky name pulled out of the hat for the bottle of scotch.