COC Coordinator Manual

Please see the Andwa Web Site User Guide for web site How-To information.

General Info
Getting Started
General Club Information
Commandments

Safety
Waivers
Safety Policy
Avalanche Safety
Accident Reports
Emergency Numbers
Equipment

Volunteer Team
Volunteer Forum
Staying Current
Helping Others
Training Program
Banning Someone
Member Notations

Event Management
Choosing Your Event
Setting up Events
Paid Events
Modifying Your Event
Cancelling An Event
Managing Upcoming Events
Running Your Event
Completing Your Event

Paid Events

Paid events are different and more complicated than regular events, but they don't have to be painful. Before setting up a paid event, please make sure you're familiar with our policies and procedures. In the past, the COC treasurer managed payment collection for events, but this was discontinued in 2009. Please review the information below carefully for complete instructions.

There are a number of different methods you can use to run an event in which attendees have to pay for something. Choose the method that will work best for your specific situation, and if you have any questions, contact the Lead Volunteer Coordinator, for assistance.
1) Pay at the door/venue - don't set this up as a paid event, just note in the itinerary how people will be expected to pay, and how much. Set the event up on the web site:
- Enter "Member Cost" (and, if you're allowing guests, enter the same amount for "Non-Member Cost")
- In the "Itinerary", and the "Cost Includes" section, enter details about what the cost includes, and how/when people will be expected to pay.
2) People individually pre-pay the service provider i.e. if everyone has to register themselves for a diving course.
Set the event up on the web site:
- Enter "Member Cost" (and, if you're allowing guests, enter the same amount for "Non-Member Cost")
- In the "Itinerary", and the "Cost Includes" section, enter details about what the cost includes, and how/when people will be expected to pay.
- We recommend, but don't require, that you set your maximum group size to "1" and register yourself, OR, set your cut-off date to a past date. Doing one of these things will "force" registrants onto the waiting list rather than the attendee list. Then, as you receive confirmation from people that they've paid the service provider, you can move them to the attendee list. This way you do not end up with a bunch of people "parking" their name on the event and then never following through on registering/paying with the service provider.
3) Attendees pay YOU directly. We recommend setting this event up the same as in #2 above. You should clearly spell out, in your event itinerary, your payment terms, including:
- The cut-off date for payment
- Where and how to send payment
- What forms of payment you will accept
- Refund policies (for before and after event cut-off)

Creating a new Paid Event:
  • When you set up your event, make sure you include everything that is necessary in the "cost" amount: Member cost should include:
    - The cost of the event
    - Taxes
    - Gratuities
    If the cost is variable depending on the number of people who sign up, choose the HIGHER price, it's easier to refund than it is to ask for additional funds.
  • Non-member cost can be higher, an additional $5 or so (which must be remitted to the club) to encourage participants to join the club.
  • Your event registration cut-off date should be at least one day (although we recommend several days) before you need to pay the service provider. NOTE that you should NEVER pay a service provider until after the cut-off date, and only pay for the number of spots that you've received payment for. The club will not cover spots that go empty if you overpay - YOU will be responsible for covering the difference!
  • We recommend setting your cut-off date fairly short. If people are serious about going, they should be able to get their payment in quickly. If you make your payment cut-off unnecessarily "generous", what often happens is that people park their name on the event right up until the cut-off without paying, and then you're left scrambling at the end to try to find others from the waiting list to replace them.
Prior to Event Cut-Off:
  • Our policy is that all payments will be handled by the event coordinator except where it is specifically provided that an event attendee is responsible for a payment directly to a service provider. Only payments received by the event coordinator will be marked as "Received" on the web site. You will be responsible for keeping track of who has paid and who has not.
  • Registrants are responsible for getting their payment to the event coordinator by the cut-off date and time.
  • An automated email is sent to the member when the payment has been processed by the event coordinator, so the member has proof of payment.
  • Five days prior to cut-off, the event coordinator should send out a reminder to anyone who hasn't yet paid. Remember it is the event coordinator's responsibility to monitor and remind attendees that payment is due and if necessary replace a Registrant with someone from the Waiting List. You can check to see who has paid by going to the "Track Pyts" link under
At Event Cut-Off:

COC policy supports filling empty spots on a paid event on a "first paid first serve" basis, rather than our usual "first come first serve" basis to make it as simple as possible for you to fill your empty event spots after cut-off. Be sure to build enough slack into your timing to account for at least 20% of registered attendees not paying on time - this is just a fact of life. Don't leave yourself scrambling to find replacements!

Late Drop-Outs:
In the case where someone wishes to drop out of an event AFTER the cut-off date has passed, note the following:
  • They will receive a refund ONLY if a replacement is found to take their spot.
  • THEY, not YOU, are responsible for finding a replacement, however, you can facilitate if you wish by contacting the people on the waiting list.
  • The empty spot should be given to the FIRST person to submit payment to you regardless of their position on the waiting list.

 
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