Protecting Rotary's Core - not its Core Value, its Core Supporters

   All successful businesses know that to succeed their top priority must be to protect and preserve the loyalty of their core customers.  The resources dedicated to doing so is minuscule compared to the resources needed to replace their loss and develop new customers.
   But Depending on core customers alone can be a death knell.  Those same successful organizations know that delivering renewed value to core customers will retain them, a valuable resource when it comes to attracting new customers.

   How does this relate to Rotary International, The Rotary Foundation, and clubs?  Here are some interesting facts that end with a rhetorical question from The Angry Rotarian:

• Rotary International's (R.I.) core customers are its member clubs.
• Clubs core customers are existing Rotarians.   
• The Rotary Foundation's (TRF) core customers, core supporters, are retained Rotarians.
• R.I. does not have a grasp on the rate core customers are walking away.
• R.I. does not have a grasp on the rate core customers are being attracted. 
• TRF does not have a grasp on the importance of retained Rotarians.
• Neither R.I. nor TRF have established realistic desired rates on retaining Rotarians.
• Neither R.I. nor TRF have established realistic desired rates on attracting new Rotarians.
• Neither R.I. nor TRF have realistic historically accurate data to use as reference in trying to establish realistic desired rates.
• R.I. and TRF say that neither have influence on the above because all are club responsibilities.
• R.I. and TRF say they can offer little meaningful club support in retaining and attracting Rotarians because revenues to do so are declining.
• Neither R.I. nor TRF have creating Rotarians as its top priority.*

 Rotarians continue to leave in high numbers.  Do Senior Leaders still wonder why?

(Edit Sept 23, 2015.  The Angry Rotarian has returned into being a Hopeful Rotarian.  President Ravi has placed importance on retaining Rotarians.  The RI Board has established membership as its top 'internal priority'  The Angry Rotarian's hope was reinforced when President Elect John Germ announced that membership awards and recognition would be based on year-end numbers, not some interim date.)