Love relationships are what make us all tick. In the old days, relatives would introduce suitors to their daughters at coming of age or debutante parties. Those not so well off could still guaranteed to marry, courtesy of introductions by friends and family. But in today’s fast paced climate, where it is too easy to run your life via social media or by text message, how do we meet a real prospective partner?

In The Beginning

What is significant about these the ‘old’ way of doing things security stamp which came with knowing your relation or close friend played a part in you meeting your potential sweet. This ensured the best match in terms of education, life aspirations and reliability. Womens’ date cards were usually full, and they enjoyed attentions from a series of men at dinners and dances until they were ‘claimed’ by The One. In the last thirty years, many things have revolutionised the way we interact with each other, especially when in comes to romance with the result that both men and women have never been so confused when it comes to dating.   

Thanks to technology many people can conduct relationships at a distance. Dating websites have sprung up all over the place where prospects put up personal profiles and begin searching for a mate. The blurring of gender ‘roles’ has confused things further. Can women ask a man out, should a man still hold a door open for a woman?So what are the problems with websites you might ask? After all, isn’t it timesaving to browse thousands of profiles from the convenience of your home?Well for one, some websites aren’t monitored, so any old Joe can sign up. We’ve all heard tales of dates who look physically very different from their profile picture. Some members lie about their availability – the list of disappointments goes on.

An Introduction Agency is Born (CEO Daniel Andre is in above pic)

Enter Hayley H, a clinical pharmacist who after dating enough unsuitable men, and finding herself at odds with the ambiguity of today’s dating etiquette, saw a gap in the market for a tailor made, personal dating service. In 2005 she founded Elect, which is an introduction agency and social network for professionals. After opening, Hayley ‘retired’ to begin family life, and entrepreneur Daniel Andre bought the company from her. Daniel, who has an extensive background in events management quickly grew her vision, with the result that Elect today have offices in all major cities in England and abroad. Thousands of members in each city can’t be all wrong, so people are clearly keen to experience this agency’s approach to romantic relationships. Daniel Andre is now CEO and owner of Elect Club.

Introduction agencies differ from dating agencies because they personally vet every hopeful before signing them up. Background checks may include verifying hopefuls’ stats via the electoral register, confirming employment details, financial health assessments, marital and family status checks. If your date says they don’t have children or aren’t married then that is exactly the person you’ll be meeting. It is a strict regime, but ensures peace of mind and safety at all times – crucial requirements for any self-respecting dater. Only after passing this test do hopefuls become members.    

Membership

Membership of Elect is by referral or invitation. Your joining fee will depend on the level of service you require, and the amount payable is available on application. At your interview, you are assigned a consultant who explains how the club works. After joining, you maintain your tailored package by paying a monthly fee. Once you begin dating you can suspend membership until further notice, without penalties. Membership is available throughout the year.  

Clients

Includes actors, directors, sportsmen, entrepreneurs, Members of Parliament. In short, Elect caters for busy professionals who are time poor, have little knowledge of where to meet suitable partners, or are jaded about the quality of people they meet in bars or clubs. Your consultant will send you profiles of potential partners they deem closely matched to your requirements. Your potential partner will also receive your profile. If both sides agree, a date is set up. If not, no date will take place. At all times discretion and confidentiality of members’ details is assured.

Staff

Elect staff are NLP trained and qualified (Neuro-linguistic Programming). Elect staff are the only introduction agency staff members who have this accolade. Add to that experience in the hospitality fields, it is clear Elect staff are people oriented, an important characteristic for running such an agency. To that end dating disasters are rare, as coaching is given to smooth nerves and rough edges. Feedback post-date is always encouraged, and information from this is used to improve the experience of other members in future. 

Parties and Meetings

Strictly for members and/or their friends, Elect run Club events for the 25-45 age group, and Club Classic evens for the over 40s. This helps people mix with their age group, though there’s nothing to stop members attending any event. Events take place in fashionable private member’ clubs and include boat parties, masked balls, get-togethers. Members are friendly and you’ll always be made welcome. Elect staff are also at the ready to introduce people to one another and to ensure smooth running of the events.  We at Simply Woman enjoyed a recent Club masquerade ball and a Club Classic evening.

We can say the dynamics of both evenings were very different, as we’d have expected. For example, the live DJ and dancefloor antics of the Club event contrasted sharply with the Classic’s pace where life experience and get-to-know-you banter replaced the need for music. All part of life’s rich tapestry!  To conclude, more than 90% of Elect members meet a potential partner within the first four months of membership.

When it comes to finding your life partner, someone you feel compelled enough to share your life with, why leave it to chance? Good old-fashioned introductions have stood the test of time, and given today’s confused climate, a rebirth of tradition can only be a good thing. After all, agencies like Elect are only doing what society used to not so long ago.  For the 2012 calendar of events and further information see www.electclub.co.uk