Measure Twice – Cut Once

by Bill Roberge

This goes for taking membership applications too. I have to talk about filling out information on a membership form and double checking that if you are turning it in, you have checked it over to make sure it is completely filled out. We have several different types of forms we use, but the information on each type is the same. I know I have talked about this before, but it is very important, and we still have a few problems that show up from time to time. Our members expect, as they should, to have their membership processed accurately and quickly. One of the things we ask for is – are you a new or renewing member? If the applicant checks renewal and they are really new, we spend a lot of time trying to track them in the system. This will affect what we send them. A new member gets a membership patch, while a renewing member should get a year pin or a rocker. If we send them the wrong things it not only makes us look like we don’t know what we are doing but takes time and more postage to correct it. Think about it. Checking the wrong box creates a lot of extra work, so double check that.

We also ask what form of newsletter the members want – mailed or digital (emailed.) Make sure they know the difference. You are familiar with this, but new members might not be.

Please date the application and be sure their name is not only correct, but that it is legible. If you can’t read it, neither can we. Renewals are pulled from our computer database, so if the name is misspelled, we can’t find the member we’re looking for.

Couple membership? Same thing. Check name spellings for accuracy. Couple members need to live at the same address. If not, they need to sign up as individuals. Remember that only one copy of the newsletter is sent out to a couple.

We ask for the county of residence. This is to match you a member to a specific District and Region.

Phone numbers are especially important. If we have a problem with processing, we are able to call and get the information we need. We would also like to have the applicant’s email address. If a member moves and does not leave us new information, it is another way to contact them.

If you want credit for bringing in that member….put your name on the application as recruited by. It would be good if we could read that name also…and use your given name, not a nickname. We have a lot of “Cowboys” amongst us.

So, how can we make our membership process work better? Make sure you can read ALL of the information provided. Check that it is accurate. Ask questions if you can’t figure out what is written. It is better to get it right the first time, than to try to fix it days later.

Processing an application quickly is really up to you. Thank you for recruiting new members and in helping our active members to renew. I appreciate all that you do.

I will see you at the Hummer. It’s going to be one of the best ones yet!

Tri folds are finally done. Marie will have them available to her. Just let her know how many you need, and she’ll be sure to get you some.

Ride Safe, Ride Free, Ride with ABATE.

Bill