Brca membership site farce

Valvoltec · #1 28-02-2015

Been trying unsuccessfully for weeks to use the Brca site to join several members of the same family.Despite paying via Paypal we have received no membership cards and are uncertain of our membership status.I now can't log into any account,and password change requests do not arrive.The site flickers on my mobile phone,the whole membership process seem complex and disjointed.
I have rang the membership number several times and received no reply,
The club we belong to now does not collect membership fees for on behalf of the Brca.
Other people there are saying they have not received membership back?
I would suggest that an easily accessible website that actually works and recognizes that family's often have several juniors racing,and need to make multiple membership requests,was a basic requirement for a national organization.

knighthawk · #2 28-02-2015

I have four BRCA Memberships

Have you got your family on the same email address, if so this may be your problem.

Each of our accounts had its own email address, I renewed again this year via the website and received our cards 5 days later, never had a problem with the BRCA Process.

StwBald · #3 28-02-2015

I think the main question here is why should juniors need there own email address to become a member of the brca..?? By the sound of it, it just complicates things.

Should there not be a way of multiple memberships on one email for family.?

racingdwarf · #4 28-02-2015

Right, In theory the system should work fine, but I'm in the same position as you as I normally have to join 4x family members and run the club membership all from my home pc and it's not been without problems, The Email addresses are a pain in the arse, having to have a individual email for each member was a pain, then for some reason my account got given a default brca Email that I was unable to access but after contacting the brca it was sorted,

But now things work quite strangely! this year I joined just two of us on the same night in january did my sons 1st no problem and received confirmation email to his account,system worked like clockwork. Then logged out of his account and into mine joined myself,,,,nothing no emails,no update on my account nothing to say I had joined the only proof I had was the paypal payment details, But that only shows I sent to payments to the brca,it doesn't show who your paying for. Went to stotfold the sunday and was told connor showed as member but the brca system said I had not renewed

with luck I showed the paypal details and they said thats ok. Tuesday the next week both our new cards arrived in the post

BUT according the the system I never joined only proof I have ever had was the paypal payment.

so it does work….but it's far from perfect.I was told that each member is required to have a separate Email to ensure that in theory each member will receive any communications for insurance etc and also I think it has something to do with cyber law! The brca are not being difficult, they have to do it

Rob · #5 28-02-2015

Joined online last week to make my son a member, had to create new email address for him but received the membership letter/card about 3 days later fine.

NeilRalph77 · #6 28-02-2015

Having been a member of the BRCA for the last 4/5 seasons but only ever affiliated through a club when they no longer did license applications I had to log on and create an account to renew my license myself, so I filled in my detail's including membership number and received the email with the step guide and link back to the website to renew my license, simple, subscribe pay job done, then I received my new card with a new membership number, when I questioned this they said it was because I'd created a new membership and since the card was already printed that was that. Surely the fact I followed the link back from my email and that I was logged in to my newly created account with my original number means that's the account I want to renew, wouldn't it?

Apparently I've since found out, there's a different route to pay if your already a member but I guess I'll only find out next season when I join again.

I'm still waiting for the apology for taking my money but making it a right ball ache, and the apology for changing my membership number and then brushing me off when I requested it changing back, and their offer to reprint me a new card at very little expense to themselves.

In conclusion yes farce!!!!!!!!

K-Brewer · #7 28-02-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeilRalph77

Having been a member of the BRCA for the last 4/5 seasons but only ever affiliated through a club when they no longer did license applications I had to log on and create an account to renew my license myself, so I filled in my detail's including membership number and received the email with the step guide and link back to the website to renew my license, simple, subscribe pay job done, then I received my new card with a new membership number, when I questioned this they said it was because I'd created a new membership and since the card was already printed that was that. Surely the fact I followed the link back from my email and that I was logged in to my newly created account with my original number means that's the account I want to renew, wouldn't it?

Apparently I've since found out, there's a different route to pay if your already a member but I guess I'll only find out next season when I join again.

I'm still waiting for the apology for taking my money but making it a right ball ache, and the apology for changing my membership number and then brushing me off when I requested it changing back, and their offer to reprint me a new card at very little expense to themselves.

In conclusion yes farce!!!!!!!!

Yeah i did the same, new membership number sent out but as long as ive got membership im not too bothered what the number is as i always carry my card with me

NeilRalph77 · #8 28-02-2015

Yeh I was pi$$ed off to start with but then I am way grumpy when I'm tired, the nark of it is is I remember my original number still and it was easy when booking in for anything online or in person, the new 10 digit number eludes me and I always end up having to go to my hauler for it or if we're group booking at a mates sending it through later.

But more than anything would it really have been that hard for them to change it back?

Steven Forster · #9 01-03-2015

Still waiting for my mine since I paid is PayPal on 17th of November. .....there also needs to be a better way of checking for members who are covered rather than search through loads of name's. ...!!!

CHEVY · #10 01-03-2015

renewed mine on a Friday paypal got new card monday

dale · #11 01-03-2015

Yep, the site is pretty awful. You try to register, it gives you a box for your existing brca number... Which it promptly ignores and gives you a new thousand digit number.

All I can say is, if you need software doing, don't get a child with an ipad to do it for you.

paulywally · #12 02-03-2015

I personally feel the membership renewal side of the web site needs to be reviewed, and simplified.

I tried to join my son last year and ended up emailing the BRCA to ask if it was possible to make him a member without creating and email address for him and explained in the email he is only 3 1/2 years old and I felt it not necessary to create an email address for a 3 1/2 year old.

They opened his membership with a generic brca email address ( which doesn't work)

I was unable to renew his membership via the web site this year as it just wouldn't recognise his details or go passed the renewal section. ended up sending several emails with both our details and the paypal payment No over several weeks and eventually got a response. confirming our membership and received the cards in 3 days.

as the chairman of Benfield who have a large juniors base I have had a majority of the parents advising they have problems re-joining or joining the juniors.

as the current membership renew system is disjointed I bet a lot of drivers have not renewed there membership or have thought they have by making the paypal payment, but not received there cards and over looked or forgotten about it. I feel there should also be a much easier way for club officials to be able to check and confirm attendees membership status

Regards Paul

Cosworth · #13 03-03-2015

The website really is pants when viewed on a mobile phone.

However I managed to do my brca insurance Sunday and the card came through in the post today. So no complaints there.

Big paul · #14 03-03-2015

As a old git. I had to get my son to do mine, I really think they could make it more easy. After all they want your money, so make it more straight forward like putting the number you have in, then take it from there.

Valvoltec · #15 03-03-2015

Thanks for all the replays on this,We still await our cards.
I just wondered how many members the Brca has?

Dr Fly · #16 04-03-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valvoltec

Thanks for all the replays on this,We still await our cards.
I just wondered how many members the Brca has?

From memory it fluctuates somewhere between 7,000 and 9,000. So hopefully you can understand when sometimes things don't go smoothly. Its a lot of people to deal with using a simple website, and an overworked entry secretary. But not enough people to justify the cost of a professional site.

If you are still having some issues you can always ask your local club to look you up. Each club should have access to the drivers database, to see if you show as a 2015 member.

Yachty · #17 04-03-2015

Got my card yesterday two weeks after joining via my club so no complaints from me. Personally the BRCA could invest much more heavily in integrated membership database, payment systems and results systems to give better service these things can always be improved. I suspect they are better than most other equivalent sports though. However these thing take time and money as people expectation now require skilled programmers. Got to remember the BRCA is a membership based organisation I don't help them other than paying the fee so I find it hard to critise the group that do we should be grateful. If it was commercial we wouldn't have a thread like this!

Richard Lowe · #18 05-03-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeilRalph77

the nark of it is is I remember my original number still and it was easy when booking in for anything online or in person, the new 10 digit number eludes me...
But more than anything would it really have been that hard for them to change it back?

I got one of the daft telephone numbers for my 2014 license, when I renewed for 2015 in the notes I asked if I could have my old number back - 2015 I got my number 18 again

The website is pretty poor though, for 2014 I ended up joining about three times with no confirmation for the first two attempts. I seem to remember paying twice too but never got my second surplus membership fee back.

emtee · #19 06-03-2015

I must admit to having a little trouble renewing.. I ended up opening a new account and got my card(with the silly long number..)within 2 days.. I then asked if I could have my old number instead, no probs the email said, the new card with my old number on again arrived within 2 days.. Can't complain really but the website is a bit dated in appearance I agree...

JCJC · #20 06-03-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yachty

Got to remember the BRCA is a membership based organisation I don't help them other than paying the fee so I find it hard to critise the group that do we should be grateful.

Spot on comment

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yachty

If it was commercial we wouldn't have a thread like this!

We can have a thread on anything it's an open forum, pick your target