VCCA Home Forums A disturbing post about VCCA in the Stovebolt.com

I saw this last evening by a soon to be former member of VCCA and have been pondering the issue.
http://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=3&page=1 Scroll down to the Chrome no Chrome topic and see the entry dated Dec 22 at 7:07 PM

Any thoughts?

Could you give us a more specific pointer to the thread or post in reference?

I think this is the post he's referencing.....

Denny got his shorts (panties?) in a wad a while back. Made the same accusations on ChatII. Seems that he didn't get an answer as fast as he expected so went ballistic. Also had a problem with VCCA members having more privileges than others.

There has to be a difference between VCCA members and non-members to keep our not-for-profit status. It is a focus for IRS and other Federal agencies. I know because I was the VCCA Treasurer when the IRS audited the VCCA and the only VCCA representative at the audit. Like the old saw "Why buy the cow when the milk is free?"

I have written a couple of replys to that post, then dumped them. I too think that there needs to be benefits to paying dues. I also realize it is impossible to please everyone.

I wonder though, if there is something different we can and/or should do to keep the members we have. Especially, in recent years VCCA and especially some here in our NGC have worked to make improvements in terms of marketing, the G&D, even starting two online Chapters (NGC included), etc. I admit I don't have any answers. But, I wonder if there is something missing or needing improved.

Part of this wondering, goes back to a concept learned long ago about sales and customers. The essence was that a dissatified customer will carry their negative message onto at least nine contacts, thereby costing additional sales.

You often discover that when you "arrest" the dissatisfied writer, even in a lean way, he is not very willing to think again. May be he expected too much and too fast? He only wants to go on in his own direction. So after one (or at least max. two) comments I drop the case/writing. He never understand why the biggest benefits have to be and are for members, not free users, like we had before. Thanks heaven!

In my seven years period of leading CCON (in Norway) we used several thousand dollars to buy lots of color charts, manuals, all kinds of leaflets for identifying details, models, etc. mostly from USA. We have helped people outside the club, but finally we have had to ask for membership fees to survive. And we did. Some stopped to ask for help, but a lot understood why they had to be member to get it all.

They even might understand that being a member will make the rare parts more available to other members. I check the status of a user before I offer free help and support with vendors, not to be "cruel" but to give a member preference if the item is rare.

In CCON I also gave help to quite a lot asking for adresses for parts, technical help etc. When I checked back after some time they had done nothing about it! Auctions on eBay ended long before they did something to get the stuff. And some items were quite difficult to get. So I have been more relaxed in the last years, telling people they have to react themselves, and I have lefte the subject, hoping they understood what I said. May be not gaining so many new members, but having more pleasure in the hobby for my own sake. And so it will be in the future.