automatic approval of new member applications
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We hear from a number of chapters that they dislike and find it challenging to deal with the automated acceptance of a new member application. Case in point: the residential realtor seat opens. Chapter wants to hold 2 visitor days for that seat. They receive 8 applications - 4 after the first week and 4 after the second. And not all visitors submit the application immediately. So, those who attended the 2nd visitor day may not submit for several days. By the time that happens, 2 weeks may have elapsed and those who submitted that first week - maybe 4 of those first week visitor applicants now receive emails to say “your application has been accepted.”
Not a great way to be in the marketplace, not great BNI PR if we have to let applicants know that “yes, we are going to receive more applications and by the time we can perform our full vetting of them, you may well get an automated notification that you were accepted – but that's a system thing. Not true. You are only accepted once our Membership Committee person calls you to say so.” It's a bad look for BNI. Looks like the left and right hand are not working together.
There needs to be a way to suspend the automated 14 day timeframe. An important open seat where multiple candidates will be considered, where there will be visitor days for 2 weeks – or possibly 3 - we need a way not to look bad by having automated acceptance emails sent to applicants. We all understand the importance of moving the process along but — in cases of key open seats, multiple visitor days, major holidays or other events that would alter the desired timeframe – there needs to be provision for that. If someone submits an application the week before Christmas, as an example, that's not getting handled until early in January.
This puts Executive Directors in the unenviable position of having to tell Membership Committee members - gee sorry… I can't fix that for you. Those who submit early will after 14 days get that automated letter.
We can talk all we want about the great tech and process and marketing things BNI HQ is doing, but when I have to say “yeah… sorry you'll just have to explain it to the prospects…” - this becomes a negative in members' minds.
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