Guest Posted November 25, 2001 Share Posted November 25, 2001 The BCA Board of Directors are considering not sending a new Membership Card each year when you renew your membership. We are instead thinking of sending every active member a one time membership card that would be nicer than the stickered card that you receive each time you renew. This would be the only BCA membership card you will be issued. After the initial cost of converting to this, the BCA would see a savings of about $2800.00 per year. Most of this would be in postage and the cost of printing 10,000 membership cards each year. You would still get the "Reminder" notice and the "Last Reminder" notice that your membership is due, but would not get a new card. We would appreciate any and all comments that you might have concerning this "proposal". Thanks!<P>Mike & Nancy Book<BR>BCA National Office Managers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Guy Posted November 25, 2001 Share Posted November 25, 2001 I think it is a great idea. Usually by the time my 3 years have expired ,my card is a wreck. I for one am totally in favor of a plasticized card . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idle Swede Posted November 25, 2001 Share Posted November 25, 2001 I totally agree. The current "card" is a joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sintid58 Posted November 25, 2001 Share Posted November 25, 2001 SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA TO ME I SIGN UP FOR 3 YEARS AT A TIME AND LIKE JOE MY CARD LOOKS LIKE ITS BEEN THROUGH THE WASH AFTER ABOUT A YEAR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Skyking Posted November 25, 2001 Share Posted November 25, 2001 Sounds like a plan to me. Anything that will save the club some money will benefit all of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest COMPACTBC Posted November 25, 2001 Share Posted November 25, 2001 How would a chapter know if their members are current members of the BCA? Also the same thing would apply to verifing membership of participants in a car show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 25, 2001 Share Posted November 25, 2001 Hi Bruce....You raise a valid point, but each Chapter could either send a list to the BCA Office at the first of the year for verification ( we do this for the Reatta Club now ), or require that a member show a recent copy/cover from a Bugle which will have the current status dates. If they can't produce a Bugle, they probably have not gotten one lately, which means they are probably not current.<P>Mike & Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 25, 2001 Share Posted November 25, 2001 Perhaps each chapter could be issued a stamp and when membership is renewed, a the back of the member's card can be stamped in a box for that respective month/year. That's what's done with our union cards and it works pretty well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Skyking Posted November 25, 2001 Share Posted November 25, 2001 Scott, what happens if you don't belong to a chapter, who stamps it then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 25, 2001 Share Posted November 25, 2001 Skyking-<BR>You bring up a good point, I just joined a local chapter recently and have been a member for nearly a year. It was just a suggestion; I knew there would be "bugs" but I was hoping to throw up an idea and we could work out the "bugs" together. <P>As much as I would like a nice card, I just see membership validity problems becoming an issue. As good as the Bugle idea sounds, occasionally there are mail problems (just look at past threads). Also the last thing I'm going to be thinking about getting the car and the family ready for a show is to grab the latest issue of the Bugle. Then there are sure to be guys (I know none of us ) whose memberships have lapsed that will take advantage of these "excuses."<p>[ 11-25-2001: Message edited by: onebadassbuick ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 26, 2001 Share Posted November 26, 2001 I agree with the card change.<P>Chuck<BR>2586 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
critterpainter Posted November 26, 2001 Share Posted November 26, 2001 How about a little sticker that the National club could mail out once a year to be stuck to the permanate card. It could be affixed to one of the monthy magazines and the recipient then could "peel and stick" it to the membership card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest COMPACTBC Posted November 26, 2001 Share Posted November 26, 2001 VERY GOOD IDEA CRITTERPAINTER! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest scott mich bca # 6619 Posted November 27, 2001 Share Posted November 27, 2001 I agree with Crittepainter. A new plastic permanent card. Mail a yearly paid sticker in one of the Bugles or the Roster.<P>This is like out license plates in IL.<P>If you loose your card, you pay a nominal fee to replace it, say $5.00.<P>This way the local chapters can tell if you have paid your BCA dues. The national saves the money it takes to mail 10,000 new paper cards every year.<P>Unless you skip the update tag, and have the updated paid info available to the chapter directors online with a password. Something that can be downloaded.<P>Scott Mich<BR>Assistant Director<BR>Chicagoland Chapter<BR>1955-76C<BR>1959 Olds SS-88 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reatta Man Posted November 27, 2001 Share Posted November 27, 2001 The plastic cards are a great idea. Similar to critterpainter's suggestion, a renewal sticker could be included in the magazine. This would eliminate a seperate mailing. Anytime you can reduce or eliminate mailings, you really help a non-profit organization's budget because postage is such a large percentage of their annual expenses. <P>How would the BCA office know when to send the stickers out? Simple; make all cards renewable in the same month. If, for example they all expired in December of each year, and someone joins in July at the annual meeting, they pay a pro-rated amount to go from July 02 to December 31, 2002. Don't renew? Then you don't get the January 2003 Bugle, which includes your renewal sticker. <P>Here's another plus; if you make the renewals due in December, buying a membership for a Buick lover would be a good Christmas gift.<P>Making the renewals all due in the same month may seem like an accountant's nightmare, but it would accomplish several other things that would benefit the club.<P>1. If all the membership dues are due at the same time, the board of directors would have a better idea of the budget they'll have to work with within 30 days of the annual renewal date.<BR> <BR>2. The staff would not be working nearly as many renewal updates throughout the year; probably 85-95% of the renewals are done all at one time. The renewal notices could also be streamlined by printing them all at once using one of many bulk printing programs and sent out at once. This saves more money; if they do it in-house, they can buy most of their paper in bulk at a big savings, and they can use a bulk mail permit, which would save even more money. (They may be using a bulk permit already; I don't remember what postage was on my last renewal notice.)<P>Joe Wiggins BCA#35662<p>[ 11-26-2001: Message edited by: Reatta Man ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 27, 2001 Share Posted November 27, 2001 Great idea, critterpainter!! This idea's got my vote!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 27, 2001 Share Posted November 27, 2001 OK guys....While the sticker idea sounds good on the surface, the sticker cost, plus the cost of getting the mailing house to insert the stickers into a Bugle would cost more than the yearly cards & postage does now. While a nicer card would certainly be great, it tends to defeat the cost savings plan. Thanks for the responses, but we need to figure out a better plan of attack to reduce costs....keep the ideas coming! <P>Mike & Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reatta Man Posted November 27, 2001 Share Posted November 27, 2001 Guys,<P>As the chief of marketing for a news agency, I have lots of promo items produced, including labels, pins, logos on bags, etc. The cost is not high if it is done right, and there are even companies that sell the software and hardware to produce products in-house. <P>As for another low-cost idea, here's one: Make the mailing label for the Bugle the annual renewal sticker. The label is printed on a plastic-coated adhesive backing that is applied to the shipping cover of the magazine. If the member has paid next year's dues, an additional line on the label would read "John Doe, BCA#12345, expires 12/31/2003." When it arrives, the member peels it off, and applies it to the back of their membership card. As I suggested earlier, this could all be done at once if you make all renewals due the same time each year. No renewal? No magazine, and no renewal label to apply to the back of the membership card. <P>If you need some more information about names of suppliers that can help you produce this, e-mail me. <P>Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 28, 2001 Share Posted November 28, 2001 Could the office supply a read only electronic copy of the membership list containing only current members names, BCA numbers, city and state to chapters via email upon request? That would solve Bruce's problem and save the multiple mailing costs.<P>Also, the BCA used to have a common renewal date and got away from it to avoid having potential members wait to join until the next full renewal or the price break, and then forget to join at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest COMPACTBC Posted November 28, 2001 Share Posted November 28, 2001 Sending renewal stickers to the chapter director is NOT A GOOD IDEA! As a chapter director I don't see a lot of our members, in fact there are some members that I have never met. Also there are a lot of BCA members who are not members of any chapter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest scott mich bca # 6619 Posted November 28, 2001 Share Posted November 28, 2001 To save the money & time it would take to put the stickers in the Bugle, how about if the BCA Office mailed all the renewal stickers to each chapter's director on a sheet?<P>Heck you could mail the new plasitc cards to the local chapter as well. This also will tell the local guys who has paid the BCA dues and who isn't. You have to be in good standing with the National BCA in order to be in good standing with the local chapter.<P>It may sound like a nightmare, but with a lot of thought and a little planning I think it could be done.<P>You would have to put a plan together, and get a vote from the local chapters as well as the National Board.<P>Scott Mich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 28, 2001 Share Posted November 28, 2001 I agree with Bruce Andren. Sending validation stickers to chapter directors doesn't help those who aren't chapter members. But the Bugle label sticker, being peeled off and stuck on the permanent membership card has merit. Texas drivers' license renewals are that way.<P>Pete Phillips, BCA #7338<BR>CBC #104-C<BR>BCA Board Secretary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caGSxlr8 Posted November 29, 2001 Share Posted November 29, 2001 Since the Bugle is mailed with a white mailing sleeve around it and the sleeve is stamped with our name and membership number why not have the expiration date of our membership added to that stamp.<BR>Once the expiration date of our membership is added you could add the BCA logo and whatever else above it on the mailing sleeve, place some dotted "cut here" lines around the stamp (even if you have to fold the card in half once its cut-out). This way you will get a new membership car each time you receive your bugle. If your old card gets dirty, wrinkled or whatever all you need to do is cut a new one out of a previous bugles mailing sleeve.<BR>I think this is a very simple and cost effective way to handle membership cards with expiration dates. <P>Mike T<BR>BCA #37232 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 29, 2001 Share Posted November 29, 2001 A more permanent card sounds good to me. Does anyone have a contact phone for the Nashville BCA club he only lists his address. I would like to contact him to join locally.<BR>Thanks<BR>Tim<BR>BCA 38101 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caGSxlr8 Posted November 29, 2001 Share Posted November 29, 2001 Not to flame anyone but I have to ask why everyone needs a permanent card? How many times are the cards used, once or twice a year?<BR>If the membership card is made part of the Bugle mailing sleeve you will have at least 11 new cards a year to replace worn or tatterd cards.<BR>To this day I have not been able to impress anyone by showing them my BCA membership card and I don't think I will ever be able too. Its just a card..., the important part is attending the shows, receiving the Bugle monthly, meeting other Buick owners and having this bullentin board available.<P>Again, I am not tring to flame anyone, I'm just giving my opinion.<P>Thanks,<BR>Mike T.<BR>BCA #37232 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dans 77 Limited Posted November 29, 2001 Share Posted November 29, 2001 I like Mikes idea about the membership cards, although a permanent membership card would be nice. If the club cant afford permanent memebership cards, then we cant have them , its that simple. I mean whats the use of having a permanent membership card to a club that shut down due to bankruptcy? Also , when I first joined the BCA I didnt recieve a membership card for several months afterward (By the way ..thanks Mike & Nancy ). I think Mikes idea makes sense on a lot of levels, it would be an inexpensive alternative, it would present you with a new membership card every month & for us forgetful types that would be a great thing, also since most new memberships recieve their first copy of the Bugle before they recieve membership cards having the membership card delivered with that first Bugle makes it that much easier to join a local chapter. I know in my own case my local chapter had to take my word that I had joined the BCA until my first Bugle arrived with my # on it anyway. If it had also come with the cut out membership card it would have eliminated both the guessing by my local chapter & the later additional work that Mike & Nancy Book had to do to get my membership card out. I think its an excellent idea <P>Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrg50 Posted November 30, 2001 Share Posted November 30, 2001 my 2c worth! I can't remember EVER showing my BCA card to anyone for any reason in 30+ years of belonging to the BCA and a local chapter! Your BCA # is on the mailing label of the Bugle. If a chapter needs proof of membership in the BCA they can contact the BCA office. After that when will you ever need it again? I think the cards get a little shabby from your wallet not from being used. I say get rid of them and save the club some money!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 31, 2001 Share Posted December 31, 2001 Great idea - The one time card.<BR>Only question I have is when can I get even<BR>one card.<BR>Never did get my first card or the second.<P>Jim Bremner<BR>BCA # 36660<BR>Asst.Director<BR>Southern Arizona Chapter<BR>Buick Club of America Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 31, 2001 Share Posted December 31, 2001 Hi Jim.....Your new BCA National Office will have a membership card in the mail to you first thing in the morning! Wish you had let us know before this!<BR>Happy New Year!<P>Mike & Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 31, 2001 Share Posted December 31, 2001 Thank you for the response!<BR>Past history - but I did inquire to the old office twice - but since we are a rather close knit group here, nothing has really come up where I had to prove my identity except to know my BCA no. which was verified when I joined the chapter.<BR>Anyway, thanks again.<P>Jim Bremner<BR>BCA# 36660<BR>'67 Skylark conv.<BR>'84 Century Olympic Special Edition Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted December 31, 2001 Share Posted December 31, 2001 Maybe it's only the coffee talking this morning, but wouldn't it be <I>real</I> cheap to make the January <I>Bugle</I> mailing lable either detachable as a membership card or a peel-off sticker to attach to the proposed plastic card? <P>Remember, without all these old membership cards, we won't have anything to fill our sock drawers with! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 31, 2001 Share Posted December 31, 2001 Hi Dave.....As we previously had discussed, the concept of a peel-off or detachable card is great, but the cost factor is actually more than our current cost for mailing a new card each year. We will keep everyone posted on what ideas are being looked at, but what's this about putting your old card in your sock drawer???? My sock drawer has older issues of the Bugle stored there!!! Perhaps you should buy a few back issues for your sock drawer...hint, hint!!! The BCA Office has PLENTY of back issues for sale! <P>Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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