Conventions: Members Versus Customers

[kevin_standlee]

The post-Eastercon discussions going on in eastercon and elsewhere include the question of those people who attend conventions viewing themselves solely as "paying customers." I suggested we may need to start printing a fine-print contract on membership materials, the way sporting events and concerts do on their tickets, such as:

THIS IS NOT A TICKET. You are a member of this convention. This event is being organized entirely by volunteers who are working without compensation and who had to pay for their own memberships and travel expenses. While the organizers will make a reasonable effort to present this event in the way it is described in its written materials, they cannot guarantee that all things will happen as planned. By purchasing this membership you explicitly acknowledge that all functions are subject to change or cancellation with or without notice for any reason whatsoever.

This is only a rough first effort, but I think you get the idea. It is a little sad that I can say that I'm quite serious that we may really need to do this or face threats of litigation for "false advertising" and "breech of contract" with attendees.

Comments

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

You probably also had people convinced you were getting huge freebies and perks for chairing a Worldcon.

Yep. And a sense that full disclosure is good prompts me to say that I did get (a) a good hotel room location (top floor, flanking the boardroom); (b) a slightly-reduced room rate ($99 as I recall; we had about 20 such "organizer" hotel room rates available, which we parceled out as equitably as we though we could); and (c) a couple of thank-you baskets from the hotel and from the San Jose CVB. (If it hadn't been for those baskets of fruit, crackers, and dry sausage, there would have been at least two nights of ConJose during which I wouldn't have had dinner.)

I think something like this, but not in fine print, would be useful for most of our conventions.

I see your point, and agree with most of what you say.

I think when we put stuff into a kind of modified legal language, we lose...

You're right, but for some of the people with whom we're dealing, that's the only thing that will get through to them when they start demanding their "rights" and "entitlements."

[twilight2000.livejournal.com]

You're right, Kevin, the Gate Shows have contributed to this phenomenon. Oddly, the long running amazingly competent volunteers that have been doing it for 20 years may also, unwittingly have contributed to the problem -- in that if I go and see the same faces year after year (and my other exposures are Gate Shows), I'm likely to assume (enter Tony Randall here please) that those "Regulars" are paid like the folks at Creation Cons, et al.

So something like what Deb wrote up front -- and the small print legalese at the back for those who have that issue. That way we invite those that are willing to be invited and CYA the con for those who just want to complain.

Tho I'm sorely tempted to put a sign that says something like:
THIS IS NOT A GATE SHOW. WE DON'T PAY OUR LACKEYS. PLEASE VOLUNTEER BEFORE COMPLAINING.

Not that I would -- it's just a really tempting idea...

On the other hand, making sure Volunteer Sign Up is more obvious is alos a good thing. Put up a Sigh Up at Reg (and make it really visible), put one up in Hospitality, put one up in the Green Room (a good chunk of the "pros" came up the hard way and know the drill) -- Put one up in Gaming -- you get my drift -- the more chances folks have to sign up (or at least see flyers for where to go to sign up), the more folks realize it's part and parcel of what we do as a fan run con.

[debgeisler.livejournal.com]

You're right, but for some of the people with whom we're dealing, that's the only thing that will get through to them when they start demanding their "rights" and "entitlements."

That's sadly true. I tire of hearing what people's "rights" are, especially when I've burned myself up making sure that it's a good convention.

On the other hand, we're much better off dealing with the cranky ones piecemeal and making our public statements those that will serve the greater good (and the greater numbers).

Our problem, sometimes, is we got so damned tired and frustrated that we just want to chuck up our arms and say, "Fine, ya bastids, eat flaming laser death...er...nasty contractual language."