Question for the masses

[Guest ian luxford]

as of yet i dont have a car on the road(thats another story)

 

no thats a novel on a scale of war and peace!!!!

 

i can kinda see what trevor means when he says there is an inner sanctum BUT where would this site be without the likes of jim, bill and riz!! i have never had anything but help from everyone on here even though i know nothing about the mechanics and not actually building a car.

 

i am sure it isnt easy being an area sec (good luck jon!) and i think the sec is only as good as the people in his area (you have no chance jon! )

 

i am sorry you feel the way you do trevor i hope you will still be coming on here and helping others as you have before

[Guest Bob's Babe]

You may think Tim's comments earlier were rather calm and muted for him ???? But he just told me that he had only seen the one previous post and had missed Trevor's effort. Well he had to go to work then so I'm hoping he calms down a bit before getting to a PC

See you all at Newark

SUE

[Mat-Moo]

PS sorry, I just editted my own post, is this OK?

Of course!

[Guest rizla]

no thats a novel on a scale of war and peace!!!!

now that hurt

where would this site be without the likes of jim, bill and riz!!

that has to be the nicest thing anyone could say,thankyou ian

[Guest Guy]

Well this thread alone is worth my £15!

 

It’s a fact that the enthusiasm for kit cars goes up dramatically in the spring/summer so why not consider having the renewal date at this time of year and not in the depths of winter?

[Swan Jnr]

It is all about what you put into the club, and indeed the board. Just look at the total number of posts those 3 (Rizla JIm and Bill) have made between them. As for inner sanctums of people at shows, i'm sure it isnt as complicated as that. People just get to know one another from show to show. Your first show is like a first day at work, everyone seems to know everyone else. But like with most social situations you make that initial effort and get the rewards.

 

I dont agree with the criticism of the committee blowing their own trumpets, from what i have heard and read they are constantly asking for feedback both good and bad in order for them to be able to improve the club. However they arent mind readers. The member ship list is an example of this. How hard would it have been to email Tim for the list after the first week? Its hard to moan about poor communication when you cant be bothered to simply send an email. Holding a position like the area sec has to be all about actively building good club relations not with just your own members but with the committee, surely this is the only way to best serve your own members.

 

as for this site, i think the editing of posts is very important for preserving good PR. I'm a user on a few other seven sites - (i think we all have a nosey occasionallydont we?) and am appalled by the abusive comments that are posted and allowed to stay. For a community board like this with such a large amount of members to exist with an almost total absence of the type of nastiness and rudeness that typifies most internet discussion boards, is a credit to the moderators, there will always be occasional disagreements about what should or shouldnt have been removed, because these things are subjective, but if the moderator acts in good faith and for the benefit of the club then its important to accept it. Like Jim says you can always enquire why a post was removed)

 

speaking of message boards, setting up your own regional message board isnt likely to help you feel a part of the larger club. In fact i'd suggest it would have exactly the opposite effect on yourself and your members. Its important to build a strong regional feel to your area, as i think is thr case with many of the area secs, but surely not to the detriment of the club as a whole.

 

(two penneth inserted)

 

paul

[Jon Bradbury]

i am sure it isnt easy being an area sec (good luck jon!) and i think the sec is only as good as the people in his area (you have no chance jon! )

Who are these people, Ian?

 

I will find out on Sunday morning, and we will discuss what we're going to do with our area.

 

Incidentally, I have no official response from the club regarding my area sec proposal, but I have to say that I will not be able to do that much organising as Jim is obviously expecting. I offered to do it because Sue's eariler post indicates that running round like a blue arsed fly isn't necessary. An area sec is better than none whatsoever IMO, even if he / she is just acting as a club point of contact.

 

Well, I hope to do more than that, but I am not imposing my ideas on the Sussex Dudes..

 

If Tim could send me something by email before Sunday I'd be very happy.

[Guest Trevor 2B]

I will try and answer as many comments/observations as possible…..

 

Firstly, this thread is titled ‘Question for the masses - why are people not joining/renewing?’. This is the question I responded to. By asking a question like this it is possible to receive feedback which is not desired -i.e. negative, and this does not appear to have been received very well. A question was asked and I (as one of the masses) replied to it. It is not my intention to upset or offend individuals (if I have I apologise) but merely pass a point of view which was requested. My original posting was written carefully and after a lot of thought.

 

I have been a paid up member of RHOCaR since the beginning of 2002, so I have experienced the club under two different regimes.

 

I was given three day notice of the print date of the last magazine, and with my work commitments this allowed me no time to come up with a feature.

 

I did request by email the membership list but I am yet to receive them.

 

With regard to Stoneleigh Show I accept that I could have made introductions - however, on a local basis I ensure any new members are made welcome on arrival and I try and introduce them to someone who has a similar car or who can help them with a problem. We are not exactly over run by area secretaries and with our banner on display we were clearly identifiable as a group, so I do not feel it would be too much to ask for a committee member to come across and introduce themselves. The committee are the PR of the club and should do all they can to welcome members

 

On a local basis I have organised runs, a group of us attended ITV’s Speed Sunday programme as part of the audience, and we had a visit to Castle Coombe race circuit. All local members receive either a monthly email or letter to advise what is going on. So on a local basis at least I feel I have done what I can to support RHOCaR.

 

With regards to the cost of membership the amount (£15) in today’s world is a nominal sum. What I am commenting on is the return. Some have commented you only get out what you put in - I mailed over 60 local members a month, but a good local meeting is around 15 people - if 75% don’t even attend the local meetings what are they getting out of it?

 

My comments regards to the committee congratulating themselves was an observation from the ‘outside‘, having been a member of the club prior to their appointment, I did not notice any difference between their tenure and the previous committee. Change or progress is worthy of praise, but in my opinion I had not seen any change or progress - which also means I had not seen it regress either. I am fully aware being on a club committee is a thankless task, but unfortunately it goes with the territory.

 

Posting of the mags appears to take up a lot of time so why not look at an external mailing house that may cause the membership to rise to £20 but would take some of the weight off the committee and free their time for other roles within the club?

 

As regards the ‘inner sanctum’ comments some appear to agree with me - there are 900+ members and it would be interesting to know how many are regular community board posters? I am fully aware not everyone has internet access, but I quite sure a large % do. Looking briefly down the list of respondents to this thread there appears to be only around 15 different posters.

 

As regards the amendments of posts I am in favour of policing of posts to ensure they are not offensive, etc (I have done the same on our local site). What I was referring to was the amendments of posts in this thread when negative comments had been made.

[Robbie 2B]

I as a Robbin Hood owner and a RHOCAR member have found this board very good and have thoughally enjoyed some of the post and comments made, and believe the club is run very proffesionally but i thing i have picked up on at shows is you don't tend to find much communication between 'hoodies'.

 

I am not aimed to offend anyone with this post but it may be an ideal that people should put name badges on there cars (like joel did at stonely) so that anyone who liked the look of something on that car, can just get home go onto this board and look up the member and then find out the details (start a post) etc...

 

Don't want to get any ferther involved but thats my idea?

Robbie

[Mat-Moo]

As regards the ‘inner sanctum’ comments some appear to agree with me - there are 900+ members and it would be interesting to know how many are regular community board posters? I am fully aware not everyone has internet access, but I quite sure a large % do. Looking briefly down the list of respondents to this thread there appears to be only around 15 different posters.

This is common on any board, look at yours even, there are regular posters, and those that come and ask one question. BTW I don't likte the fact that your board shows an IP address of the poster can act as a magnet for various attacks over the net against you.

[Guest Trevor 2B]

Matt

 

Thanks for the advice regarding IP address's - I have removed them from the local message board.

 

Trevor

[Guest Wozzer]

Hi Tim,

 

Going back to your original question about members renewing........

 

I hope you dont mind me putting my 'bit' in as I am a relatively new member...but...

 

I have been thinking of joining the owners club since I bought my kit back in June 2002. The thing that put me off was that when I actually remembered I always thought that with a common renewal date of the 1st of Jan (and it was probably early Spring that I remembered) it seemed to be better to get a 'full'year out of my money (I know its not a lot). and wait until the following January!

 

I run a business where we are reliant on regular payments coming in (rents) on specific days. If it were left to them to send me a cheque on the correct day I would be bankrupt!

 

My suggestions are (for what it's worth):

 

1. Do not have a common renewal date - which will attract more new members.

 

2. With the next magazine send out a Standing Order Form which will automatically pay the money into the clubs account every 1st January.

 

I do understand both these ideas will generate a little more work but I would suggest you would not have to chase people as often and it will grow the membership.

 

You asked for comments.........

[Guest TerryBarry]

Writing as someone who doesn't have to do the work - here's my two-pennyworth.

 

Sending out individual reminders 12 times a year has got to be a real pain in the butt.

You could consider setting a date ( say Oct 31st ) and anyone joining after that date gets somewhere between 13 to 14 month membership for the standard fee.

 

Example -- join on 1st November 2004, pay the £15 and get to renew 1st Jan 2006.

 

Another possibility would be to have a "Special Deal" at Donnington '04 - Join up for special fee of £ 18 (or so) and you don't need to renew until Jan '06.

 

Terry

[Big Jim]

Sending out individual reminders 12 times a year has got to be a real pain in the butt.

You could consider setting a date ( say Oct 31st ) and anyone joining after that date gets somewhere between 13 to 14 month membership for the standard fee.

 

Example -- join on 1st November 2004, pay the £15 and get to renew 1st Jan 2006.

 

Another possibility would be to have a "Special Deal" at Donnington '04 - Join up for special fee of £ 18 (or so) and you don't need to renew until Jan '06.

all this already happens Terry.

[Guest Andybarbet]

I joined at Donny last year (on a special deal) and was told i would be paid up to january next year if this answers the question ???

 

As far as re-newing goes, i think if you dont pay your money - no mags !

 

As for shows, i stayed over at Stoneleigh with my four year old son and we were both made very welcome by everyone - i hadn't really met any of them before but we both had a great time and will be camping at newark too..........im now a convert ! Although i have a terrible head for names but i remember Mick,Tim & 'Bobs babe'.

 

I still do not have a kit yet due to low funds but will continue to be a member and go to the local hertfordshire meets, where everyone is also made very welcome too (thanks to john & Helen cos they do a great job !).

 

I do occasionally post on here but until i get a kit - i dont have that many questions to ask.......

 

There ya go - thats what i think