AMCA Verification of Member Data??????

[felthamw]

Beware, if you get a little yellow card in the mail.
It will ask you to call so you can enter data into a "national directory".....at a cost?
It was a sales pitch to sell gear, packages and of course to "allow you access to the directory".
I don't mean to be rude, but is this on level? Does the AMCA sanction this?
I get bombarded enough with requests for personal information, I should think our Club can do better than that!
My two cents worth.
Wayne #4329

[T. Cotten]

Just went through it, Wayne!

And I just said 'No'.
(My own customer file is probably comparable, and far more specific to my field. But I'm not selling it to snailmail spammers,... soon anyway.)

It did allow me to update my email address, as my old one is on a lit fuse...

....Cotten

[RichO]

Wayne and Cotton, I just got off the phone with the "Verification" squad. They must be kidding me but I don't think so. I have all the rosters since 1980 except for the one "blue book" they came out with that no one wanted because it cost $45 bucks at the time. All we have wanted was the same old updated roster so we could contact fellow members. What they're trying to peddle us is some super book/roster for quite a sum of money or the super duper package with more draw fillers for a great sum of money. I never heard about or seen this one coming. Where was this in our magazine minutes or web newsletter. This smells very corporate to me. When will they ever learn. I'm done defending the machine. Sorry about the rant.

[RSunday]

I just got the card today too.
I did not call the number because it smelled mighty fishy.
Has anyone from club leadership commented on this anywhere? From the posts above it sounds like when I smelled fish, my sniffer was giving an accurate reading.
Is our membership list being sold to any scammer that comes along? I currently have my profile set up to allow my name, address & phone to be included in these lists, but if this is the kind of thing I'm going to get I'll certainly turn that off.

[T. Cotten]

I just got the card today too. Is our membership list being sold to any scammer that comes along? I currently have my profile set up to allow my name, address & phone to be included in these lists, but if this is the kind of thing I'm going to get I'll certainly turn that off.

Miy file's worth more...
For snail-spamming American machine owners anyway!

(Gotta edit out the deceased however.)

....Cotten

[exeric]

It will ask you to call so you can enter data into a "national directory".....at a cost?
Wayne #4329

Are you saying they want money? . . And, if so, how much?

I think the roster has always been a good idea, and it has been very helpful to me in the past, and I bought the most recent edition. However, I can't stand ambiguity, and I thought as a club, we learned some valuable lessons about keeping the membership informed.

[Hollywood]

This is Bullshit! The AMCA Facebook Page is blowing up with discontent right now... rightfully so...

[Green Indian]

I'm not happy with it either, got mine today I'll pass on updating them if everyone's getting the B.S. run-around.

[Keith Kizer]

All, I must first apologize for not getting a notice out prior to the cards going in the mail. I was in hopes that tomorrows newsletter would go out before the post cards started arriving.

The AMCA has contracted with Publishing Concepts to publish a new AMCA Membership Directory that will be published next year. As part of this process they are contacting all AMCA members to verify and update our database. This is also an effort for membership retention as they are also contacting expired members. PCI is the company representing AMCA in an effort to publish this directory at no cost to the AMCA. Yes, the cost to purchase a directory is far and above the old Roster, but the club lost a lot of money producing the roster.

This information is included in the March board minutes, which also were finally approved and posted this afternoon.

[RichO]

Just this afternoon it was approved after the deal was made and cards sent and received? It's just not a roster but stories, photos, etc. This not the simple roster we have all needed for so long. I heard from a good source that the board didn't like this deal either but Mr. Kizer proceeded. You need to get real and serve the membership and their needs and not these companies that use us members for their products and profit.

[RichO]

I might add that I believe the only roster the club lost money on was the grandiose blue book roster that Mr. Gagan dreamed up. Our regular paper covered ones were just fine thank you.

[Lonnie]

I just want to reassure everyone that this is not a scam. Perhaps the card could have done a better job of explaining the purpose behind acquiring this information. Rather than publishing a regular roster, we are working with Publishing Concepts, as Keith explained above, in generating a yearbook-style roster which would allow the membership, at their own discretion, to relay to other members information about their particular favorite motorcycle. This is the same type format utilized by, among others, the Ford Model T Club of America.

For clarification, this program was approved by the Board at the Board Meeting in Daytona back in March, though the minutes from that meeting were just recently approved. Those minutes relay the actions taken by the Board and approval of those minutes does not impact the implementation of actions approved in the meeting itself, meaning that Keith proceeded with Board approval.

Regards to all, Lonnie

[wideglide38]

It sure felt like a Time Share pitch. I kept saying "No" to packages they offered and the lady said "well, let me take out this item? How does this value work for you?" Again, No and another reduction. After asking what part of no she didn't understand.....and she quit.

[Rubone]

I just tossed mine (ours actually as both my wife and I have full memberships), and feel just fine about it.

[Keith Kizer]

Rich,

The two main objectives in my job title is to increase the membership and chapters. One of the main things out of our ability to do is contact every single member, active and expired. With over 30,000 names in our database, two-thirds are expired. The offer to have a third party company come in and make those contacts for us in their attempt to sell some members a membership directory was a good project to present to the board. A live presentation was made to the board by PCI. There were mixed opinions and a 6 to 3 vote gave approval to move forward. I only present the opportunities and options. I do not have a vote in what ideas are approved.

The post cards are being sent out with the AMCA Board blessing. We are developing a new Membership Directory through Publishing Concepts. This directory is being done at no cost to the AMCA or its membership unless a member chooses to purchase a directory or any of the merchandise they are selling.

Please know that AMCA receives only $10 from any of the sales of a directory and zero dollars for any merchandise. That profit is what allows PCI to offer directories at no cost to the club.

Members are under no obligation to purchase anything. We do ask that you please confirm your contact information so our records are up to date.

This campaign also allows us to try and renew expired members. This saves the club thousands of dollars in marketing to expired members. PCI is also not allowed to share our database with anyone and can only use our data for use of this directory only.