ACRBO and PayPal

[Mike McCall]

@Mike…..

Ya a bit personal with comments you made such as:

The "current billing method that has been used for all members since the organization began."
This would seem to indicate that this actually has been in place for 6-years. How would I know otherwise?

The current billing system being paypal (but like I said I did checks and credit cards). But, yes Paypal has been in place but I actually used AEC Subscription manager for the purposes of tracking members vice what is being used now.

"This tells me they must be aware of this requirement and condone it. I have trouble believing I'm the first to complain about this practice."

I don't believe anyone involved with the association "condones" things that are not right anymore than I did when I ran it. But, if nobody ever mentioned a problem then there was no problem to fix. I know if "anyone" ever got ahold of me with an issue it was resolved.

How is it that the board of an Association comprised of highly technical people, who's current president apparently runs a company specializing in web design and similar offerings, is unable to provide its members with current technologies for payment and subscription options?

To me this is an insult and condescending…..and i'll even take me out of the equation and take it as tho you are just referring to Herman. The bad part is I've known Herman for quite sometime as well as many others in the industry and I am sure they would take issue with thinking anything but outstanding results from Herman and his entire team.

a different resolution by being a "squeaky wheel" while everyone else it happens to is ignored because they didn't complain isn't exactly appealing.

Again to me personal

This isn't personal, Herman. It's the fact that ACRBO, as a professional trade organization, has allowed this to continue for the entire 6-years of it's existence.

Wrong based on his understanding of the issue and the module/plug being utilized at the time.

Obviously I have non dog in the fight except that I know what the Association is about and the amount of help it has provided business owners over the years not only in the line of discounts for products but just money handed out to business owners in need.

Dan, nowhere have I attacked you, Herman, or any other member of ACRBO. I have called into question certain practices. I have purposely remained focused on the issue, not on the people involved. Yes, I have found it troubling that a trade organization comprised of technical people, and headed by someone who specializes in web design and related offerings, would find resolving a payment issue so difficult. Yet, ACRBO did manage to provide the means to process payments through PayPal without requiring the establishment of an account and recurring billing only this morning. Apparently it is easier to accomplish than ACRBO has thought. Before I avail myself of this new service I have cancelled my recurring billing and my PayPal account. Of course, this also cancelled my ACRBO account as well. I will wait until my money from both attempts to pay for membership are returned before making another attempt. Will it be returned?

The comment about a "squeaky wheel" isn't mine. However, if it weren't for my initial post bellyaching about the issue (which has grown far beyond the initial intent), how long would it be before change would take place? I understand what it is to be personally invested in something I built, and to feel as though any criticism is a personal attack. That is not how any of this is intended. Frankly, I don't know you or Herman well enough to have a personal beef with you. This is, and has always been about ACRBO membership payments and the requirements that include PayPal accounts and recurring billing. Those are the issues.

 

[mraikes]

@Mike…..

Ya a bit personal with comments you made such as:.......

a different resolution by being a "squeaky wheel" while everyone else it happens to is ignored because they didn't complain isn't exactly appealing.

Again to me personal

......snipped.... .

Sorry to intrude, but the squeaky wheel comment was mine, so don't blame OP for that one. And it was a direct reply to Herman and his offer to rectify the situation. It wasn't intended as a personal insult to anyone.

 

[cmonova]

I guess I remained focused on knowing if a member has an issue then it typically gets resolved one way or another. But of course the problem has to be known.

 

[Mike McCall]

Perhaps it would be beneficial to look into how many people have bailed before completing the payment process via your web analytics, and how many members like @mraikes you've lost?

 

[Bigtek1]

I find it funny I checked out the ACRBO web site a long time ago, I remember it had what appeared to be links to vendors discounts but listed no actual vendors but seemed to lack hardly any real content just list with no real info. I thought it was a total scam and never looked at it again, much like the 10 to 20 emails on programs or companies wanting to me to do business with them on a daily basis. lol
Guess I should visit the site and read it again.

 

[acscva]

I have been an ACRBO member for many years and must say they have quite a few vendor discounts that are very valuable to my business.

You can't see all the vendors discounts until you actually signup. Yes they should show at least the vendors and their discounts before you sign up.

The GFI Maxfocus discount alone saves me over $70 per month on their services and is increasing everyday.

 

[TenYardFight]

^^^ This would seem to indicate that this actually has been in place for 6-years. How would I know otherwise?

Dan, this is not personal. I have no way of knowing who ran things previously or how. That isn't my concern, nor is it what this is all about. It was not my intent to start such a thread as this, but perhaps it will help bring about change. In fact, it seems that is already has. Just this morning I received an email from Taylor containing a link to a new ACRBO checkout page that does not require the establishment of a PayPal account. So, perhaps it wasn't so difficult to do after all? Up until this very morning there was no option to pay without establishing a PayPal account and recurring billing, nor was there any mention of the option of writing a check anywhere on the ACRBO website. I don't know what was before, but I do know what my experience has been, and I am not alone in that.

As for the hassles of managing memberships, invoicing, and such, that seems to be the responsibility of the board members to figure out. Certainly there are systems that can be implemented and board members that can contribute their support to the administrative duties. I'm confident that a reasonable and workable solution can be found, just like there appears to be for payment processing only this morning. It can be done.

Am I reading this right? They fixed it? ...and you didn't even say thanks?

I hope Dan and Herman don't think your attitude is reflective of all ACRBO members. I personally think you were acting rude, and that you aren't entitled to use any particular payment method the association doesn't want to offer.