# Advice for new membership secretary ....



## GlasgowFinn (29 Dec 2018)

Hi folks,

I have recently taken on the role of membership secretary for my club. We currently have no computerised records, no membership application forms; everything is on a spreadsheet.

I intend to start a tidy up by getting application forms completed. I am tempted to use membermojo as I have heard good things about it but was hoping that you wise folk might be able to give me some advice if you have undertaken a similar task.

Cheers


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## fossyant (29 Dec 2018)

I was club secretary way before anything other than spreadsheets were available. We did keep membership forms so we had all members details - surprised that's not done.

Other things, make sure the club's insurance/subs to BC/Cycling UK etc is upto date.


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## Katherine (29 Dec 2018)

Is your club affiliated with BC?


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## Venod (29 Dec 2018)

We used to do membership by bank transfer, but our new membership secretary has set it up via British Cycling this year, much easier.

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/c...iqEJ-ChnUSvLqao1RavcMbPQVpPO-UUcPZdCRckdGovKM


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## Ming the Merciless (29 Dec 2018)

How big is the club? Nothing wrong with spreadsheets and forms depending on its size. You could look at Google forms, Docs, and sheets if you want to put it online. Just be mindful of privacy and GDPR requirements.


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## GlasgowFinn (29 Dec 2018)

Thanks all for you input. The club is over 100 years old and has evolved in membership requirements over the years. I would like to get things more organised without upsetting existing members (some of whom are founder members I think)!



Dogtrousers said:


> Club I used to ride with used RiderHQ. That's not a recommendation or endorsement, I was never involved in admin. It seemed to work ok.Just adding an option.



Thanks, I hadn't heard of that one. I'll take a look.



fossyant said:


> I was club secretary way before anything other than spreadsheets were available. We did keep membership forms so we had all members details - surprised that's not done.
> 
> Other things, make sure the club's insurance/subs to BC/Cycling UK etc is upto date.



If everything was up to date then I would probably just work with what was there. As there's a need to reevaluate what we have I thought it as well to go back to basics. Good point re insurance - all up to date.



Katherine said:


> Is your club affiliated with BC?



Yes, although BC membership is not (yet) a club membership requirement.



Afnug said:


> We used to do membership by bank transfer, but our new membership secretary has set it up via British Cycling this year, much easier.
> 
> https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/c...iqEJ-ChnUSvLqao1RavcMbPQVpPO-UUcPZdCRckdGovKM



We do offer this as way to pay but we also take cash, cheques(!) and bank transfer.



YukonBoy said:


> How big is the club? Nothing wrong with spreadsheets and forms depending on its size. You could look at Google forms, Docs, and sheets if you want to put it online. Just be mindful of privacy and GDPR requirements.



The club's around 140 in strength. I'll take a look at Google forms.


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## Slick (29 Dec 2018)

YukonBoy said:


> How big is the club? Nothing wrong with spreadsheets and forms depending on its size. You could look at Google forms, Docs, and sheets if you want to put it online. Just be mindful of privacy and GDPR requirements.


^^^^^This in spades. 

We have a spread sheet at work with thousands of names and loads of information attached to each name and despite spending thousands of pounds numerous times to modernise the system, it has yet to be bettered.


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## Katherine (29 Dec 2018)

GlasgowFinn said:


> We do offer this as way to pay but we also take cash, cheques(!) and bank transfer.



Our club secretary used to do that but it was too much. 
All via BC now.


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## mjr (29 Dec 2018)

If you're in an area of financial inequality, move beyond old-fashioned subscription membership because it's too much bureaucracy, serves little purpose and is somewhat divisive. Instead, appeal for donations each late summer to cover costs including any affiliation and insurance.


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## jefmcg (29 Dec 2018)

GlasgowFinn said:


> We do offer this as way to pay but we also take cash, cheques(!) and bank transfer.


I think it would be unfair to remove any payment methods that the current membership is using, but can I suggest that you (with committee approval) pick the one or two methods you want and make all the others only available to existing members who are using that method already?

So new members have to pay the way you prefer, and existing members have to use the approved methods or continue the method they are currently using.

(or if you - for example - prefer cash to cheque, then allow that change)


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## PaulSB (30 Dec 2018)

@GlasgowFinn as a fellow club secretary I would advise you not to underestimate the amount of work a membership of 140 can generate. My club is +/- 190. As it's raining I'll probably spend 3-4 hours on club admin this morning!!!

We moved to the BC system three years ago. While I will happily make exceptions 100% of sign ups and renewals are now via BC. It is an entirely painless process for both members and administrators. If alternatives are advertised people will use them, if there is a genuine need for an exception those concerned will contact you and you can help out.

There are many benefits to the BC system:


GDPR responsibility is with BC as the data collector
All member data is secure
Members enter their own data eliminating potential error when you transfer data from a form to spreadsheet
Huge time savings. 140 forms to issue, receive, process, chase up, data input, file and store? I'd wager 15 minutes per member, that's 35 hours, a full working week.
Coordinating all the different payments, banking, cash handling etc. eliminated.
Renewal reminders can be generated from BC for any number of members you wish. Chasing up is simplified - it takes a great deal of time to chase the "I'll do it tomorrow" brigade. Keep in mind unpaid renewals could have insurance implications
BC send a statement and payment monthly
Your membership do not have to join BC
The cost is £1 per person. A secretary can't match that cost
Those are the key benefits. You can download all the data to your spreadsheet at the click of a button.

One potential pitfall, and this happens every year, one or two members will accidentally join BC! If you have members with race licenses make it clear they must renew those in December and not when renewing club membership.

Obviously you will need a transition period but I'd suggest this only needs to be one year. The whole process presumes everyone has/is web savvy. Everything we do is electronic, your situation may be different.


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## GlasgowFinn (30 Dec 2018)

PaulSB said:


> @GlasgowFinn as a fellow club secretary I would advise you not to underestimate the amount of work a membership of 140 can generate. My club is +/- 190. As it's raining I'll probably spend 3-4 hours on club admin this morning!!!



Paul, thank you for this. I know there's a lot of work ahead but to put a time limit of a year seems very workable.


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