Website suggestion: Combining Entries for multiple Members
| Author | Date | Message |
|---|---|---|
| David Masterson | Jun 17 2024, 10:27am | Hi guys, Just a quick suggestion: a nice addition to the web online entry system would be the ability to pay for other members entries while paying for my own each week. The most obvious use case is family entries - in order to enter us all each week, I end up doing the entry dance four times with four different logins, but it would be nice if I could add an entry cost for a race for a few different member id to my cart before checkout, and do it all as one. I suspect to make it as simple as possible to implement, it would only work for members who already had an active membership for the year, so I could search/select them by name/number/something. I understand it would take time and development/testing effort, but just putting it out there - maybe someday there would be bandwidth to do it. Or maybe its already on someones development wish-list. The system (as it is) is really good anyways - just a small way to make it even better. Dave |
| Maggie Lawler | Jun 18 2024, 6:34am | Hi Dave, I think that would be very helpful function to have. Maggie |
| Dave Docherty | Jun 18 2024, 10:20am | Could I add a suggestion if someone is considering tweaking the shop? On the carbon contribution, it is currently only possible to make one purchase of each item per transaction. I know we have options of different amounts to compensate for this but I think it would be more user friendly if you could make multiple purchases of these items or even enter a specific amount...…says the plumber, who has no idea of what's involved to change it. Thanks |
| Eoin Keith | Jun 18 2024, 11:08am | Replying here with my Webmaster hat on... Firstly thanks for the suggestions. Suggestions can also be sent to the webmaster email address (or any other relevant committee email addresses). We have a large "to do" list for the website, which quite literally has a backlog of years of work listed. Obviously enough we prioritise things on the list and try to work through the high priority items first. David, On the suggestion of allowing Members to buy race entries for other members : as well as I.T. changes, which would be a relatively big change in terms of time to implement, we would also have to ensure that there would indeed be no impact with our insurance / waivers / T&Cs etc (as you correctly anticipated could be an issue). It's definitely not easy or straightforward. But I can absolutely understand how and why this would be a useful upgrade to some members, and we'll put it on the list for evaluation. Dave, I think your suggestion on the Carbon Contributions is already on our list. The current option of several different amounts is an intermediate quick fix before the bigger block of work to enable multiple purchases of a single item and/or user input of a payment amount. Again, thanks for the suggestions. |
| John Murphy74 | Jun 18 2024, 11:19am | Eoin, would the idea of a family membership help with insurance issues and help with multiple entries from one family? |
| Eoin Keith | Jun 18 2024, 11:45am | John, Keeping things more generic would be more inclusive I think. There's definitely more than families that could potentially find the ability to pay for another person's race entry useful. (and the words "durable relationship" might remind you of potential pitfalls in defining how that could work :) ). |
| John Murphy74 | Jun 18 2024, 1:44pm | Eoin, 100%. I was thinking of it from when I register my kids for say the local rugby club and we pay a family option but I recognise the wording isn't necessarily inclusive. |
| Maggie Lawler | Jun 18 2024, 2:53pm | NIMRA are using SiEntries, which seems to have a range of options. https://www.sientries.co.uk/new_event.php |
| Conor Murphy | Jun 21 2024, 8:10am | While the honesty and transparency is welcome, Eoin Keith's admission that there is "quite literally...a backlog of years of work listed" for the website is concerning. Now we know there's a problem, the obvious question is...what is the Committee doing to address it? |
| Maggie Lawler | Jun 21 2024, 12:07pm | I think it’s a good question Conor. It would also be good to know how the members will be kept up to date on discussion at committee level as it is the policy not to release committee minutes to the members. |
| Conor O'Farrell | Jun 21 2024, 4:06pm | Ooohh!!! That evil committee!!!! |
| David Power | Jun 21 2024, 4:48pm | The AGM is the appropriate forum for every single member to have a voice and raise motions, or ask questions under AOB. The committee present an annual report on key activities, so you would expect a hugh level overview of communications and entry systems are addressed. I'm sure if you would like to get involved in website development, or any area of the organisation, it would be welcomed if it progresses the experience for members. Any member can also contact the secretary, as I'm sure they can advise on specific details or meeting activity. Suggestions in any organisation are welcome, the people involved in implementing same responded. IMRA also does a member survey, so perhaps that's another forum to share feedback. As with any volunteer org, resources are limited, so prioritisation of work sounds completely reasonable to me. |
| Conor Murphy | Jun 21 2024, 6:00pm | You make very reasonable points David. And I accept that the AGM is one place to address problems. But there are serious drawbacks with letting something go until an AGM:- 1. For large swathes of the country, there is no reality to travelling to a meeting with a Committee, many of whom may be friends with the person the subject of challenge or criticism. I suspect not many make it from Donegal or West Cork. 2. It is stating the obvious, but AGMs only happen once a year. So when a problem arises, shelving it until the AGM is not good. In fact - and I appreciate you are not doing this - but we all know of organisations who use this to avoid an issue. 3. Prioritisation of work may be reasonable. I did not take issue with that. My concern is with the phrase "quite literally...a backlog of years of work". I think that may be of concern to other members and to potential sponsors. It's not a good message to send out. 4. The Committee has a communications subgroup. This could be a good way of demonstrating a willingness to communicate. Now we know there is a problem, I think the Committee should assure members it will be addressed and, in early course revert and tell us what is going to be done. No need for for further analysis on forums or meetings in 6 months time. |
