General thoughts on Registration: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 05:58, 15 January 2010

Treasury interface

Treasury interface is frequently an issue. DDB remembers years of fighting about whether all checks must be seen by the treasurer, and years where we photocopied every check. There is information on the check that helps registration get the right information into the database, it's important they have this information. DDB has run a number of conventions quite successfully using a system where registration directly makes the deposit, and turns over records to treasury showing how many registrations of what type were in it. At that time, the registration software he wrote produced those reports.

Checks

Checks are presumably getting less common, but it's difficult to measure trends with our small numbers. We currently (Minicon 44/45) accept cash and checks at the con, whereas we accept checks and PayPal for pre-reg (well, and cash too, but rarely). Since three quarters of our members register either at-con a year ahead, or at-the-door, this leaves the pool of people who can use PayPal at only about 100. For Minicon 44, pre-registrations were about 2/3 PayPal, 1/3 checks, but with statistical variation alone (to say nothing of issues of how much we advertise each method, how friendly the website registration form is, etc.) means this is barely distinguishable from 50/50.

Speed in cashing peoples checks is frequently a problem. People grouse about this nearly every single year. It confuses people, makes us look unorganized, and exposes the checks to opportunities for loss and theft. For Minicon 27 we set ourselves a goal for maximum time from PO Box to deposit, and essentially met it. For Minicons 44 and 45, Matt has been trying to check the PO box at least once a month and to cash checks within a week of pickup.

Confirmations

Confirmations should be sent relatively promptly, not just in a big batch at the end. Again, it's a question of looking organized. Given people's usual organizational skills (our members' skills), it might be a good idea to also send everybody another confirmation right before the con.

Nevertheless, we haven't been sending confirmations in the last few years (as of Minicon 45) except on PR mailing labels and sometimes right before the con, and then only by e-mail (which doesn't reach everyone).

Badge interface

Plan the interface from registration to badge-making! Test it before the last second!

Plan ahead on how to attach programming schedule labels.

Registration packets

Plan ahead on whether there will be registration "packets" or not. This depends on how important you think it is that each member definitely get (1) a program book (2) a pocket program (3) whatever else we printed enough for every member to get one of and (4) if there are non-directly-convention-related materials that we have agreed to get into our members' hands, i.e. coupons to nearby restaurants. Matt comes down on the side that it's pretty important to get (1), (2) and (3) into everyone's hands, especially new members who don't know what to expect.

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-Treasury interface is frequently an issue. I remember years of fighting about whether all checks must be seen by the treasurer, and years where we photocopied every check.  There is information on the check that helps registration get the right information into the database, it's important they have this information. I've run a number of conventions quite successfully using a system where registration directly makes the deposit, and turns over records to treasury showing how many registrations of what type were in it.  At that time, the registration software I wrote produced those reports.
+== Treasury interface ==
-Checks are presumably getting less common.  What are current proportions of checks vs. PayPal vs. any other payment forms?
+Treasury interface is frequently an issue. DDB remembers years of fighting about whether all checks must be seen by the treasurer, and years where we photocopied every check.  There is information on the check that helps registration get the right information into the database, it's important they have this information. DDB has run a number of conventions quite successfully using a system where registration directly makes the deposit, and turns over records to treasury showing how many registrations of what type were in it.  At that time, the registration software he wrote produced those reports.
-Speed in cashing peoples checks is frequently a problem.  I hear people grouse about this nearly every single year.  It confuses people, makes us look unorganized, and exposes the checks to opportunities for loss and theft.  For Minicon 27 we set ourselves a goal for maximum time from PO Box to deposit, and essentially met it.
+== Checks ==
-Confirmations should be sent relatively promptly, not just in a big batch at the end.  Again, it's a question of looking organized.  Given people's usual organizational skills (our members' skills), it might be a good idea to ''also'' send everybody another confirmation right before the con.
+Checks are presumably getting less common, but it's difficult to measure trends with our small numbers.  We currently (Minicon 44/45) accept cash and checks at the con, whereas we accept checks and PayPal for pre-reg (well, and cash too, but rarely).  Since three quarters of our members register either at-con a year ahead, or at-the-door, this leaves the pool of people who can use PayPal at only about 100.  For Minicon 44, pre-registrations were about 2/3 PayPal, 1/3 checks, but with statistical variation alone (to say nothing of issues of how much we advertise each method, how friendly the website registration form is, etc.) means this is barely distinguishable from 50/50.
+Speed in cashing peoples checks is frequently a problem.  People grouse about this nearly every single year.  It confuses people, makes us look unorganized, and exposes the checks to opportunities for loss and theft.  For Minicon 27 we set ourselves a goal for maximum time from PO Box to deposit, and essentially met it.  For Minicons 44 and 45, Matt has been trying to check the PO box at least once a month and to cash checks within a week of pickup.
+== Confirmations ==
+Confirmations should be sent relatively promptly, not just in a big batch at the end.  Again, it's a question of looking organized.  Given people's usual organizational skills (our members' skills), it might be a good idea to ''also'' send everybody another confirmation right before the con.
+Nevertheless, we haven't been sending confirmations in the last few years (as of Minicon 45) except on PR mailing labels and sometimes right before the con, and then only by e-mail (which doesn't reach everyone).
+== Badge interface ==
 Plan the interface from registration to badge-making!  Test it before the last second!
-Plan ahead on whether there will be registration "packets" or not.  The question comes down to how much delivering of specialized stuff to members should registration support.
+Plan ahead on how to attach programming schedule labels.
-Plan ahead on how to attach programming schedule labels.
+== Registration packets ==
-(Somebody whose experience is more current than mine should talk about what we think are best practices today.)
+Plan ahead on whether there will be registration "packets" or not.  This depends on how important you think it is that each member definitely get (1) a program book (2) a pocket program (3) whatever else we printed enough for every member to get one of and (4) if there are non-directly-convention-related materials that we have agreed to get into our members' hands, i.e. coupons to nearby restaurants.  Matt comes down on the side that it's pretty important to get (1), (2) and (3) into everyone's hands, '''especially''' new members who don't know what to expect.