CTC a moan

[zimzum42]

I joined a couple of times, both times thought i had set up a direct debit to maintain membership, but it's never worked, so i've given up.....

 

[Amanda P]

I joined a couple of years ago. I mainly wanted to get foreign route information from their website.

It too a couple of weeks to get my membership card, but then I couldn't log on to the site. I sent a couple of moaning emails, to which the response was, hang on, we're working on it.

It all worked eventually, and I seem to be on all their systems. I think if you want the weekly email newsletter you have to subscribe - I don't think it comes automatically.

 

[rickangus]

I tried to (re)join in early Dec 07. They deducted £25 from my account - I don't know why as nothing on the membership side costs £25 - and then... nothing.

I rang them end of January and they took a further £10. And then... nothing.

We're now at the end of February and still nothing. I rang them today but have no real confidence that anything is going to happen.

I also have more deep seated grievance with the CTC that continues to irritate me years after the event - I'm hoping that airing it will help me let it go!

I'd been made redundant from my job and a vacancy had come up at the CTC. I forget the precise details (it was a few years ago) but I would have loved to had a job in cycling and duly applied. After a few weeks I rang to make sure my application had been received. It had and I was being considered. But I never heard another word.

After a couple of months passed I rang to find out what the situation was (I guess underneath I really knew) and was told that an appointment had been made and the new person had already started. Now, I fully acknowledge that I may not have been the best person for the job but even so, not to have been given even the courtesy of a "thanks but no thanks.." letter really irked me - I was, after all, a member of the CTC.

I let my membership lapse for several years after that.

Now I feel a bit better...

 

[Gerry Attrick]

I tried to (re)join in early Dec 07. They deducted £25 from my account - I don't know why as nothing on the membership side costs £25 - and then... nothing.

I rang them end of January and they took a further £10. And then... nothing.

We're now at the end of February and still nothing. I rang them today but have no real confidence that anything is going to happen.

I also have more deep seated grievance with the CTC that continues to irritate me years after the event - I'm hoping that airing it will help me let it go!

I'd been made redundant from my job and a vacancy had come up at the CTC. I forget the precise details (it was a few years ago) but I would have loved to had a job in cycling and duly applied. After a few weeks I rang to make sure my application had been received. It had and I was being considered. But I never heard another word.

After a couple of months passed I rang to find out what the situation was (I guess underneath I really knew) and was told that an appointment had been made and the new person had already started. Now, I fully acknowledge that I may not have been the best person for the job but even so, not to have been given even the courtesy of a "thanks but no thanks.." letter really irked me - I was, after all, a member of the CTC.

I let my membership lapse for several years after that.

Now I feel a bit better...

Welcome to the world. It seems common in these days of routine disrespect, that employers no longer acknowledge applications.

 

[Danny]

I joined recently and had the same problem. Simon 1.5 will be along shortly - he's on the council and is able to kick arse. I'll email him and alert him that others are having probs.

Apparently it's to do with the agency that handles the memberships.

As somebody who works in the not-for-profit sector I understand the difficulty voluntary organisations can have in maintaining efficient services.

However if this relatively small forum attracts this level of complaint about the CTC's membership services then it suggests there is a problem there. This is quite worrying as the CTC is seen by the Government and local councils as one of the bodies that represents cyclists and it risks losing credibility if it doesn't look after its members.

When Simon 1.5 picks up this thread I would be interested to know why these kind of complaints keep arising and what ordinary members can do to help turn things around. I suspect that something more than kicking arse is required.

 

[punkypossum]

I joined on the web last year, no problems and had my pack within 10 days

 

[Dave5N]

I'm not a member, but I think DannyG's comments don't apply to cycling as a whole. The BC membership operation was really helpful, even when I asked them to combine 4 different memberships into one family one.

If you need insurance, check out British Cycling - it is very widely regarded, I believe.

 

[Cheddar George]

Joined CTC end of last year - no problems.

 

[Twenty Inch]

The problem seems to be common to those who join on the web, but a friend of mine has had huge difficulties moving his membership address from London to Scotland.

I've pm'ed Simon, I'll email him now that Hotmail is working for me again.

I've inferred from his communications with me that there is a serious problem with the agency that handles the web-based joining procedure, and that CTC are very unhappy with it.

 

[Amanda P]

Welcome to the world. It seems common in these days of routine disrespect, that employers no longer acknowledge applications.

It's true - my own employer can't be bothered to acknowledge applications.

When you conisder how much effort has to go into putting together a worthwhile application for a professional job, it does these employers no favours. Most require you to fill in a lengthy form - your painstakingly prepared CV won't do. If you're applying for a number of jobs, you have to fill in a new form each time, and it can take hours.

And then an employer can't even be bothered to send you a template email to say thanks but no thanks. Wouldn't cost a penny. <exasperated noise>

Right. I feel slightly better now. Only slightly...

 

[simon l& and a half]

Thankyou, twentyinch and others for alerting me to this thread.

It's no big secret that we had a lousy patch at the end of last year. There were specific reasons for that, but, as you'll agree, it's not acceptable - particularly when it is left to Councillors to alert management to a problem that Arvato, the outsourced service hadn't sought fit to bring to their attention. Dannyg's post doesn't make comfortable reading, but I take the point. The odd thing is that our membership service is nothing to do with the voluntary sector - it's a commercial operation that serves far larger organisations than the CTC.

We've got an independent review under way, and it's going to look at the entire structure of our membership services and data use. That's not much good if you've already been let down, but I would urge people to PM me with names, addresses, membership numbers (if you've managed to lay hands on one) and details of any failings. I'll take these straight to Arvato and get a result, even if it means taking time off work and going down there.

You'll appreciate (if only from the tone of this post) that I share your frustration. Getting members is hard. Sadly, losing them seems perfectly straightforward. If you could put aside your irritation for just a few minutes and give me the relevant details, then you might just be part of the process that puts us on a better footing for the future. Many thanks in anticipation of a flood of complaint

As for the acknowledgement of applications - I'll make enquiries.

 

[rich p]

perfect response, Simon. Good luck.