Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I find that it did not make much of a difference when we made it early discount or when we made it late fee.  There are always those that try to sneak by you. 

 

I know that for a ride I spend a whole lot more $$$ than usual.  Not just the entry fee, driving and gas, time off work but the food I guy for a ride is a lot more expensive.  I buy canned and bottled sodas and water, Gatorade type stuff and quick type foods which are more expensive and which I don't usually buy at home.  This all adds up and I really appreciate anyone who will give me a full refund.  Also, I will definitely help out at that ride.......

 

And to add one other thing, I have a ride this weekend which is a two day ride.  We also have two days in April and 2 days in May.  I have 25 entries sitting at home where the rider did not specify which ride they are doing.  I have emailed most of them but got a few pretty snotty (in my opinion) replies that informed me they were sure they filled it out.  What am I, an idiot.  No but it does help me with my "cranky" image.

 

I considered asking Mike Maul to highlight the instruction to circle the ride you wish to do in red but I have seen the XP ride entry and it is not only highlighted, it is in big letters in two places and they still don't do it right so I guess I will have to continue to deal with it.

 

But since I have to work Friday, there will probably be a considerable line for check in.  Too bad...........mb

 

----- Original Message -----
From: "Barbara McCrary" <bigcreekranch@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "marybenstover" <merryben@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Drin Becker" <jkn3444@xxxxxxxxx>
Cc: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, March 9, 2009 10:20:56 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: Re: [RC]  Ride Refunds



 

----- Original Message -----

From: marybenstover

To: Drin Becker

Cc: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sent: Monday, March 09, 2009 9:39 AM

Subject: Re: [RC] Ride Refunds

My preference is:

 

No shows - no refund.  It is just plain rude not to call.  This is also why I don't accept entries over the phone any more.  I have filled out entries and made up rider cards and packets over the phone and then had riders just not bother to show up.  They have not sent in $$$$ so just don't bother to call.  This means that we have a rider list that needs to have all copies changed the morning of the ride, plus the time and trouble to fill out the entry over the phone.

 

I don't accept faxed entries for the same reason, unless they are followed up promptly by a mailed-in entry and check.  If the rider doesn't send in the mailed-in entry and check, they are treated the same as if they just showed up the day before the ride.

 

We have a cut off date for a full refund.  We also have a "late fee" which I think is necessary.  It is a lot of work for ride management to enter riders who just show up at the ride to enter and having a late fee helps cut that number down.

 

We do it the other way around...discount for prompt entries, full amount for late ones.  Same results.  If someone enters late and thinks maybe I won't remember, too bad, because I keep very correct tablulation of accounts on Excel, and do a registration print-out of all those accounts, which include fees owed to us and any refund we owe the rider.  This actually happens on occasion.  We do accept on-site entries; the rider pays full amount and we hand them an entry blank and a rider card, they fill them out, pay us, and they're good to go.  It's a lot easier than fighting with people who cannot commit, for one reason or another, to an early entry, and it alleviates any guilt I may feel for turning them away.  This way, they KNOW they have to pay the full amount (our discount for early entry is $25) and we cannot take the last-minute time to do their bookwork for them.  All I have to do is remake the rider list the night before the ride, based on any pulls, cancellations, or last-minute entries.  I use a computer database, which makes this fairly easy.  We also don't include a dinner with the entry and we don't sell meal tickets at registration.  They have to pay the caterer at mealtime, if she has extra food, which she usually does.

 

If a person shows up at the ride and gets pulled at the preride I would prefer to give back all of the money, especially if the rider will stay and volunteer which they often do.  A rider spends a lot of money to come to the ride and to withhold a portion for "office charges" just seems like adding insult to injury.

 

We also give full refund for pre-ride pulls, for the same reason.  It's what I would appreciate were it happening to me.

 

The bottom line is that you do need to have rules but can ease up on them on a case by case basis...................mb