[SCA-AE] NMS--wider consideration

[Iain mac an Bhaird]

I would agree that from the perspective of "the outsider" this is a 
more favourable way to spin it: "here's the fee and there is a member 
discount".  In the long run I think that it could encourage 
membership as well because people like discounts.

What this does mean is that every autocrat has to inflate their site 
fees to include the NMS to then offer the discount.  Also, because of 
the way NMS policies are worded (that they are not to be applied to 
"discounted site fees") pricing might look odd (again, from that 
outside perspective) for those eligible for other offered 
discounts.  For example, the member discount would be $5, but the 
minor discount would be $5 plus whatever discount is being set, even 
though they aren't members.  Maybe that's a bad example as minors 
might be understandable/acceptable to many, but what if it's a 
student discount?  Again, we'd understand where it comes from, but 
you're looking at that outside perspective.

Then the rest of us would need to change our own perspectives.  I'm 
sure that members are used to being able to skim event announcements 
to check on site fees.  They'll see $15 and think "whoa", without 
looking for the following sentence that mentions the $5 membership 
discount.  They'll be happily surprised at the gate - IF they decided to go.

The current system of adding the NMS is easy for our Tollners and 
intuitive to our members.  I don't disagree that the "more inclusive" 
perspective you describe has merits, but it will involve everyone 
adjusting their own mindsets.  That's a long road and I don't know 
where we would begin.

-Iain


>The psychology for this is all wrong in the first place. You don't put a
>surcharge on non-members. That says "we don't really want you here".
>Corporate needs to rethink how they spin these things. You set the event
>fee to whatever amount including the corporate "cut" and then offer a
>member discount. It all amounts to the same thing in the end, but you
>are putting the stress on a positive note rather than a negative one. It
>says "we value our members" not "we hate outsiders." (Carrot, not stick,
>please.)
>
>Friends of mine (long-time members that had drifted away) wanted to get
>back into the SCA and came to Pax. First they were shocked by how
>expensive events had become but then the other shoe was dropped on them
>when they couldn't produce a membership card. They were disgusted and on
>their way out the door when another friend caught them and paid the
>surcharge for them. They stayed for the day but haven't been back since
>(a year and a half). They spent much of the day grumbling about the
>extra charge. The situation could have been mitigated by saying "this is
>the entry fee but if you have a membership card we can discount that for
>you. People LIKE discounts. They don't like "extra" charges. Think about
>your purchases anywhere else. When they take money off the base amount
>you are more likely to leave the store happy. When they add money on to
>the base charge you feel cheated and are more likely to leave the store
>angry. Extra points question... do you want your customer base to be
>happy or angry...
>
>Saleem