Membership cards - when will they arrive?

AJB
AJB Forum Participant Posts: 120
edited December 2016 in Club Membership #1

We've got delays with despatch of Handbooks and maps (see other discussions) - but will we get the new 2017 membership cards on time? 

What happens if I want to stay on a site in January (which I will be doing), but the cards haven't arrived?  Is there a back-up system?

What with the known delays with handbook, and the problems with the web-site in general, it seems like the Club IT and admin systems are in a bit of a poor state....

Comments

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited December 2016 #2

    Your membership card is normally issued a couple of weeks before your renewal date(ours end of Feb) so as long as you have renewed your membership ,it will show on the site computers

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,302 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #3

    As JVB says, ours have always come at least of couple of weeks before. However, if you are on auto renewal, the fact you have renewed will show on the system. I would hope that the site staff could check that you have current membership on their computer. However, if there has been a delay in receiving your card I would ring HO, or even the site, and check there is a procedure for this eventuality.

  • AJB
    AJB Forum Participant Posts: 120
    edited December 2016 #4

    Unfortunately then they are already late as our renewal is end-December.....We'll wait and see - but it seems odd (co-incidental?) that they are late along with handbooks AND issues with the web-site...are there more underlying issues with the IT function?  Let's hope not, but it's upsetting an awful lot of members...

  • Pippah45
    Pippah45 Forum Participant Posts: 2,452
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    edited December 2016 #6

    The CLub's computers always used to be able to find me on the system if the card went AWOL - however - not sure the new system could cope?  Time for wardens to exercise discretion perhaps and give members the benefit of any doubt? 

  • N1805
    N1805 Forum Participant Posts: 1,092
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    edited December 2016 #7

    Probably best to check with HO who will be able to give you help. If you pay by DD it should be easy for membership dept to verify I would hope even if cards have not reached you.

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,581 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #8

    Our membership is due at the end of the month but no renewal reminder or cards as yet. I would assume wardens will accept last years card but it might be worth ringing them beforehand just to make them aware of the problem.

  • Firedragon
    Firedragon Forum Participant Posts: 509
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    edited December 2016 #9

    Our renewal date is 31st December and our new cards arrived this morning.

    Alison

  • harryb
    harryb Forum Participant Posts: 1,536
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    edited December 2016 #10

    The OP does have something to worry about though. He says he is going away in Jan but has no membership card. Hence the post.

  • harryb
    harryb Forum Participant Posts: 1,536
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    edited December 2016 #11

    My membership expires on 31st Dec. My 2017 card has just arrived now as I speak..

    Can anyone tell me why you have to sign it? Puzzled!

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #12

    As all you get on a site from being a member is a bit of discount from the public price I would just pay the difference and claim it back later rather than spend the festive season worrying.

  • AJB
    AJB Forum Participant Posts: 120
    edited December 2016 #13

    Renewal cards arrived today so no further 'worrying' (not the correct expression but you know what I mean...).

    I don't think wardens would give the benefit of the doubt...it wouldn't be up to them!  I'm sure the club has a procedure to cover this - they have for everything else! (IT problems excepted)

    Unless anyone else wants to continue I think we ought to close this discussion....

    Thanks for the replies.

  • crown green bowler
    crown green bowler Forum Participant Posts: 407
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    edited December 2016 #14

    Our,s came yesterday,  but if you have your 2016 card with you in January and explain to the wardens the problem,   I would not think they will turn you away.

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,581 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #15

    Mine arrived today. A bit late but no problem. Frankly I do not see the wardens worrying, I have used my wifes card before today and they never bothered and they know you have renewed as it is on the computer.

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,666 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #16

     Mine also arrived before Christmas and the money has left my account today.

    David 

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,302 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #17

    Has it not increased this year then? I always understood that you should be informed several weeks before, if this is the case, to give you time to accept or decline. The National Trust and English Heritage typically send our new cards about a month before.

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,666 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #18

    Yes, the annual prescription has increased this year, but I can't honestly remember exactly how long before Christmas my new membership cards arrived.

    David 

  • AJB
    AJB Forum Participant Posts: 120
    edited January 2017 #19

    DSB - I think SteveL is saying there ought to be individual notification of increases in a Direct Debit to the account holder, and sent well before the issue of the new cards....  To be honest I hadn't thought about that - but as he rightly says, many other organisations certainly give advance notice - including Green Flag/Mayday.

    I'm not 100% certain but it might be a condition of the Direct Debit scheme - if so the Club needs to look at this pdq!!  How do we get confirmation of this? or otherwise?  

    Latest....read www.DirectDebit.co.uk - I think the Club is being remiss about collecting increased memberships fees.  Someone needs to explain.  As SteveL raised this do you want to contact the Club membership department?

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,302 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #20

    Good idea AJB

    I have sent an email requesting they communicate their policy on collecting DD. I will post their response when I recieve it.

    Automated response received saying they try to reply within two working days.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,302 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2017 #21

    I received the following reply re when they send out membership cards.

    Thank you for your email.

    You should be receiving your new membership cards and renewal documents in around 7 working days.


    As they are usually sent out so you receive them 2 weeks before renewal.

    I note they say usually. To me this implies they are sent out at other times, both before and after the two weeks mentioned. On the web site AJB indicated, they state you should be informed in advance of the amount and 10 days is mentioned. Although it does not say at least. So I have no idea if this is mandatory. However, certainly if the CC tell you within 2 weeks, they are complying. It's just that other organisations give more notice.

  • DerekGDevon
    DerekGDevon Forum Participant Posts: 28
    edited January 2017 #22

    I can't quite put my finger on exactly when I ceased to be a member of a club for caravanners and was magically converted into a customer for a big business aimed at maximising its profits from people hooked on caravanning (or, as in our case, motorhoming).     But it has happened and I don't like it.

    And, before I'm swamped by helpful messages advising me what to do about it or, indeed, where to go, I have already made up my mind.

    I wonder if that means I will never receive my 2017 handbook, sites map and local centre membership.  We'll see.

     

                 

     

  • compass362
    compass362 Forum Participant Posts: 619
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    edited January 2017 #23

    I always thought it was sound business sense for any company to make a profit , regardless of how they do it .

    I'm sure the likes of Tesco , Sainsbury & any large enterprise is totally & utterly profit oriented they don't sell milk & bread for the sake of it , they sell it to make money ,  & more money .

    Why should the CC be any different , now days if you sign on at the job centre you're a customer...............😉 & not a claimant

  • DerekGDevon
    DerekGDevon Forum Participant Posts: 28
    edited January 2017 #24

    Why should the Caravan Club  be any different from "any large enterprise (that) is totally & utterly profit oriented"?  

    As a longstanding "customer" of the Caravan Club, I didn't say it was any different from any other large business.  

    That's rather the point.

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