Marc,
I dont think it is consistent for you to want everyone to pay electronically and then knock them because they express an opinion you dont like on this electronic forum.  Not everyone is able to go to committee and regional meetings but at least they can chat to like minded breeders on this forum.  A lot of new breeders get useful advice and support here. The AAA cant expect everyone to agree wholeheartedly with all their management, but that's life and who knows, some of the grumps may have a valid point.
Cheers
Michael

Hi Marc,
I am one of the whingers, (so John I think there is us and them). I have no desire to go to a meeting, I think they are a waste of time and money anyway. You dont have to be Einstein to see what most members want, a reduction in fees!!.
I get on this forum as its the only way I have a hope of getting heard. Ringing anybody would be a total waste of time I know that, THEY would not listen to me or take anything I say on board, just do what you do, call me a whinger and ignore me.
I see what you mean about negativity and it doesnt encourage new breeders but the main thing that discourages any new breeders from joining is the cost. Alpacas used to be expensive and therefore the people buying them were rich and the fees were affordable for them, its different now. I am sorry I dont use big words to make my comments sound impressive, its just how I see it.
THEY are always on about having meetings to see how to improve things for our members, I have the solution, you dont need an expensive meeting. Cut out anything that doesnt pay for itself, any shows,workshops, sales days that dont fund themselves, scrap them. Or change them to make them more attractive to US. Have a subscription for the magazines and if you want them pay for them. Less meetings would mean less paperwork and mail outs.
Most breeders that I know really just want a database and pedigree certificate for their animals. Surely that doesnt cost an arm and a leg.
I find this particular thread a bit of a joke, its not a reduction if you pay online,its a increase if you dont. There was a $15 increase already last year and this one's double!!
So any help I and most of us want is the financial help. By hiding the facts from potential new members might work for a year or so but most of them quickly realize that its not worth the price and move on. I am the fool that stayed and I always ask myself why??
Linda

I just have to answer, being one of those opeople regarded as negative and that awful word whinging.   The fees are too high and it is $30 more if paid by cheque, that is the truth.

    Believe me new people to the industry soon find out the truth and  do not join AAA. When we sell creatures we should be upfront and ethical about all things concerned and what happened to honesty. Or is it more important to sell creatures without being upfront. 

     I also have done the survey, mind you you had to search to find it and it was not immediately obvious.  I sent an important email to the office yesterday and there has been no response. We have had our years of helping at shows and etc, 15 years and I would never go on a committee, hate the things and if I voiced an opinion would just be labeled negative

    I just feel sorry for people with no computer being penalized.   This discussion is about half and half so I am not the only one.  I never go miles for meetings anymore and think the forum is a good outlet for discussion. I agree with Linda ,cut out anything that does not pay for itself.  Have lots more to say but will save it as going to feed.     Joy   A lot of people do not go on the forum as frightened of appearing negative and this discussion has just made voicing your opinion worse.

As an infrequent visitor and an even less frequent contributor to the message board, I feel somewhat offended by the remarks of Marc.

My earlier posting was an attempt to put foward the view to those who had already commented on this topic that the requirement to pay $30 extra to renew their membership was a disappointment to many members particularly at a time when we should be doing what we can to encourage them to renew their membership.

Surely members are entitled to expect that they be treated equally as much as possible. As I have said previously, no one would dispute that people who make payments in a way that reduces the cost to the Association should receive some benefit in the way of a discount. But that discount should bear a close relationship to the saving achieved by the Association.

Anyone in business knows how smart it is to do whatever you can to keep your exisiting customers. You don't treat them in a way that makes them feel unappreciated or less important.

I am quite sure it does not cost an extra $30 to process a membership renewal manually and so do the members who are disappointed at the way this two tiered membership renewal fee has been introduced.

I am also quite sure that the AAA will be able to put to good use the nearly $15,000 extra we have probably recieved in membership fees from those who paid their fees by cheque.

People making remarks that border on patronising about how people should get with the change to methods of payment, are missing the point that some members ae trying to make. The fact that they are using this forum indicates that they are already part of the electronic age.

Usually when deciding to take advantage of a discount the person also has the option of whether to make the payment at all. In the case of membership renewals, the member does not have that option. If they want to remain a member, even if only to register their alpacas, they have to pay a membership fee. Those who are not able to, or do not yet trust electronic payment arrangements, have to pay $30 more than some members and they think the $30 is excessive.

No one is saying that we shouldn't be looking for ways to reduce the administrative costs being incurred by the Association. Neither are we saying that there should not be incentives for members to act in a way that reduces those costs. What many members, even many who have paid on line, are saying to me is that the impost in this case for not being able to access the discount is unfair and excessive for some members.

Maybe the concerns I am hearing are confined to my Region because, to be fair, other Region Presidents have told me that they have not had complaints from their members.

I am not trying to "stir" and I am not deriving any pleasure from appearing to be at odds with my fellow Region Presidents, but you know what, sometimes you just have to stand up for the principle of fairness to all members.

Hi Everyone,

Hmmm, I read about nobody being able to talk to AAA representatives, or nobody cares, or we don't need expensive meetings etc, etc.

Yet, I have clearly stated on this forum that I am a member of the AAA IDRP & the Fibre & Fashion Panels, but have had no calls or emails from any of you who have complaints about the AAA.

We meet by teleconference only once a month at 8pm at night after we have all put in a full days work at our normal jobs, so no expensive trips or free lunches there!
We are volunteers, so no payment or a discount on our membership fees either I can assure you.

I was the contact person regards the survey which was found in the members section of the AAA web site & a link was provided in 2 E-Blasts to all members with current email addresses on file, which also included my contact details.
I only received a handful of queries, so can only assume most members had no major trouble finding or completing the survey, or that they didn't bother to do it.

If you really want to offer constructive ideas to improve the way things are done at the AAA, then feel free to give me a call. I don't bite - promise!

My contact details can be found on my website via the link below or look me up in the members section of the IAR database.

Don't personal message me via this forum as I don't always log in & won't see your message.

I do care about our industry & that means every members opinion counts.
I will take your input to the appropriate panel to be considered as part of a recommendation to the board.
So if you really want someone other than the forum to hear your grievances, I'm willing to listen

Regards,
Julie McClen

Hi All
lets be open and honest here.

How many of the members complaining of the membership costs are members of an alternate organisation, pushing for lower fees? and therefore in my opinion have an alteria motive?

My humble opinion is that the overall membership fee this year would be what is being charged to those who pay by cheque, that is if i payed by cheque it would cost $245 for individual, or $300 for partnership renewal and this applie to all. The AAA are offering a reduction in this fee, for those who can pay online as it has less administrative costs, sounds fair to me...... If you dont want to participate in this then dont, quite simple really.

I support Marc 100% in his comments.

In life you get what you pay for. Many of the comments in the forum are from the usual group of 20 - 30 people banging thier drums on certain topics, and in my opinion this is ok, if its not to the detriment of our association. There are avenues to affect change via regional meeetings and proposals to the member elected board, etc if this is what is required. there is no advantage in publically rubishing our association, unless the management have ignored the members wishes which i fell has not occured.

I can see that some people may not participate in discussion for fear of retribution, or negitive comments in return for thier comments. I for one have been abused privately for sticking up for the AAA, of which i am an active member and promoter of its worth. I see the reduction in this years fee for those able / willing to renew online as a positive, and in some cases the way forward, yet others wish to point out this is some sort of attack on them! for not renewing online. To those who made the comment that not all members have access to personal computers, then i suggest the local libray, many of which have free assess to computers, and also tutoring in how to use them, we should not be critising the AAA for passing on cost savings to members..........and after all if you choose not to renew online for what ever reason, then just suit yourself, but not publically criticise the incintive to do so in a more contmpory, and cost negitive way.

Some of us want lower fees, and have publically criticised the Australian Alpaca Association in relation to the fees charged, but when they have come up with a way to lower fees, and pass on savings to the members, there is still negitive comments........to those posing these negitive comments i ask what do you want?, and are you members of an altternate association, which may explain your comments.

Kind regards
Dale Brown

Lets get back to helping each other by sharing knoledge in regard to husbandry, diseases, drenches, etc  rather than throwing more crap in the direction of our national office, after all they are working for us, and the advancement of our industry.

I'm a new member, but I feel that the membership fees are not too onerous. I have gained so much information from AAA resources. 

I find the animal transfer fees are a bit over the top, maybe the way the fee structure is set out needs to be changed ?

I think an industry like this NEEDS a professional organisation to represent it's interests. 

Hello Alison,

I have paid our subscriptions and many (many, many) registrations online using a debit visa card.  Perhaps the problem lies with restrictions imposed by your card provider rather than the AAA system.  Can I suggest that you discuss this with your bank?

regards

Jenni