Membership renewals

[Ian Thompson]

... So I sigh, and find the FAQ. This tells me I should receive a renewal email prompt (soon) which will give me the registration details. Hhmm

I got two of these e-mails today (both sent early this morning and identical apart from the time they were sent as far as I can see). They tell me my 3 year Gold membership is "up for renewal" and the cost of renewing in my current membership category is £2.30 if I do it online or £3.30 if I renew by phone or mail. That seems pretty good to me - I was expecting it would cost about £81 (35/36 months * £84 - £1) to renew it online, as my current membership expires on 30 September 2013.

I've been to the PaySubsOnline to pay my £2.30 and decided to look at some of the other online membership options I have:

Bronze for £1.05
3-year Gold (expiring August 2015) for £83
Platinum for £5
3-year Platinum (expiring August 2015) for £179

and all options to choose different membership options have disappeared so my only choice now is a 3-year Platinum membership that expires in 2 years time.

[Simon Spivack]

I got two of these e-mails today (both sent early this morning and identical apart from the time they were sent as far as I can see). They tell me my 3 year Gold membership is "up for renewal" and the cost of renewing in my current membership category is £2.30 if I do it online or £3.30 if I renew by phone or mail. That seems pretty good to me - I was expecting it would cost about £81 (35/36 months * £84 - £1) to renew it online, as my current membership expires on 30 September 2013.

I've been to the PaySubsOnline to pay my £2.30 and decided to look at some of the other online membership options I have:

Bronze for £1.05
3-year Gold (expiring August 2015) for £83
Platinum for £5
3-year Platinum (expiring August 2015) for £179

and all options to choose different membership options have disappeared so my only choice now is a 3-year Platinum membership that expires in 2 years time.

I, too, have received two emails sent early this morning. The sums asked are as given by Ian.

According to my embossed card, my three year membership expires on 30th September 2013, a different date to what was on the downloadable spreadsheet when I last looked.

It's possible that others are affected too. I intend to wait for clarification from the Federation.

[Roger de Coverly]

It's possible that others are affected too. I intend to wait for clarification from the Federation.

I reckon there will be 45 of you. It includes some well known names including an ex-President.

[Simon Spivack]

I received an email from the Federation dated 3rd September. I believe it was sent to all affected who had supplied an email address. Included in the text were the words:

In the meantime could I please ask you defer renewing your membership for a few days until we are able to confirm to you that the system is again functioning correctly.

It seems to me that a fortnight amply exceeds "a few days". Nonetheless, I've heard nothing since.

I'm reluctant to act as a guinea pig by trying to renew when the system might still be broken. Can anyone shed any light?

[David Gilbert]

I received an email from the Federation dated 3rd September. I believe it was sent to all affected who had supplied an email address. Included in the text were the words:

In the meantime could I please ask you defer renewing your membership for a few days until we are able to confirm to you that the system is again functioning correctly.

It seems to me that a fortnight amply exceeds "a few days". Nonetheless, I've heard nothing since.

I'm reluctant to act as a guinea pig by trying to renew when the system might still be broken. Can anyone shed any light?

Over a thousand names have appeared on the list since 3 September 2013, so I'd guess things are now working properly.

[Ian Thompson]

I received an email from the Federation dated 3rd September. I believe it was sent to all affected who had supplied an email address. Included in the text were the words:

In the meantime could I please ask you defer renewing your membership for a few days until we are able to confirm to you that the system is again functioning correctly.

It seems to me that a fortnight amply exceeds "a few days". Nonetheless, I've heard nothing since.

I'm reluctant to act as a guinea pig by trying to renew when the system might still be broken. Can anyone shed any light?

Over a thousand names have appeared on the list since 3 September 2013, so I'd guess things are now working properly.

I haven't received any e-mails from the ECF since the one on 1 September inviting me to renew my membership. I did send an e-mail to the ECF last Sunday (15 September) when I discovered my name has vanished from the 2013-14 membership list on the website, in which I also mentioned the problems I described above, where the only membership option I have is 3 year Platinum, expiring in August 2015.

I got a prompt response from the ECF suggesting that I renew by telephone instead of online, and also implying that the PaySubOnline system is in a mess. Conclusion - nothing fixed since 1 September and at least one new problem introduced.

[Simon Spivack]

Conclusion - nothing fixed since 1 September and at least one new problem introduced.

Thanks, Ian. One thing's for sure: silence is not golden.

[Simon Spivack]

I received an email today. It included the words:

... we have finally corrected the system and that you will now be able to renew on-line for the coming season at the correct rates.

As a good London boy, I naturally logged on. I was asked for £22.30, which seems a couple of quid shy of 11/12 of £28 less a £1 discount. At least it was in the right ball park. So I've paid.

Can someone explain how this figure of £22.30 was arrived at? Assuming it's wrong, the ECF need only ask for the extra. I'm done chasing this thing.

Incidentally, the three year option still expires in two years' time.

[Roger de Coverly]

Can someone explain how this figure of £22.30 was arrived at? Assuming it's wrong, the ECF need only ask for the extra. I'm done chasing this thing.

One guess is that it charges for ten months, deducts the £ 1 and rounds to the nearer 10p. Doesn't tell us why though.

[Ian Thompson]

I received an email today. It included the words:

... we have finally corrected the system and that you will now be able to renew on-line for the coming season at the correct rates.

Not corrected for me though. My membership options haven't changed as of a few minutes ago, but then I didn't get an e-mail saying anything had been corrected.

[Simon Spivack]

One guess is that it charges for ten months, deducts the £ 1 and rounds to the nearer 10p. Doesn't tell us why though.

On the spreadsheet the record shows that my membership expires in October. If it's done on a monthly basis, one could arrive at the number ten.

Not corrected for me though. My membership options haven't changed as of a few minutes ago, but then I didn't get an e-mail saying anything had been corrected.

A bespoke service!

[Roger de Coverly]

On the spreadsheet the record shows that my membership expires in October. If it's done on a monthly basis, one could arrive at the number ten.

The previous system always deemed membership to have terminated at a month end. When they migrated the data to the paysubsonline system, a few extra days were added. Why isn't known. Last year the balance of year calculation only gave credit for whole months, so why it's changed this year is a mystery.

Whilst it would be very bad for the ECF's credibility if the membership collection system fell apart, you do wonder about the reliability of the system design and implementation. Offering a three year membership that only lasts two years is strange as well. You could get there by associating three year membership with expiry 31 Aug 2015, but surely no one would code it that way?

[Peter Shaw]

Help!

Last year I created ECF memberships online for a few members of my club. Now I've gone on to the ECF site to try to renew them and I'm stuck. I think I made a mistake 12 months ago by not using my email address for all the players I registered, as when I login I only get my details.

Is there anything I can do?

[Roger de Coverly]

Is there anything I can do?

You login using the email address you quoted to the ECF and whatever password you used last year. If you don't know what that password was, you can request that it be emailed, which presents a problem since the reply email won't be sent to you. To find out the password, you could implausibly have to hack into their email server, which is unlikely to make you popular, or ask them to tell you what the password is when they get the email from the ECF.

[John Philpott]

Peter Shaw wrote

Help!

Last year I created ECF memberships online for a few members of my club. Now I've gone on to the ECF site to try to renew them and I'm stuck. I think I made a mistake 12 months ago by not using my email address for all the players I registered, as when I login I only get my details.

Is there anything I can do?

Peter - PM me as much information as you can, and I will try to sort this out for you when I am in Battle on Monday.