NPS 2010 Recap

[AmyD]

It is certainly worth thinking about. I'll pass it on to the folks who make those arrangements.

My suggestion was largely tongue-in-cheek, but it seems like it would be easier on both ends.

[Casandra]

Um, wow, haven't read this in a minute!

@Matthew- Honey, I hear you.  And I've been there.  It is an observation for next year, really, and I concur with Steve- if that's the ONLY thing that didn't work as well as it could have, just relax and enjoy all the things that DID go well.  AND A LOT DID.  And I certainly STILL had a great time on the last night after I convinced myself that there wouldn't be a tornado after all.

@Steve- thanks for taking the suggestions, and funneling them along.  I'm sure Abby, Deb and Erik have suggestions, too.  One new thing this year was a MUCH PUBLICIZED (THANK YOU ABBY!) NEW DEADLINE for renewing/purchasing membership from the website, about a week prior to NPS.  Another element that streamlined and helped this process was Abby's diligence in letting SlamMasters know the current membership status, WAY BEFORE that deadline, of their entire team.

Peace
Casandra

[amcehn]

I'm completely against emailing and faxing your paperwork to me. Because people continue to wait until the last minute to do things (note the number of memberships paid on Mon and Tues) I will have to take more time to locate faxes and emails. And, undoubtedly people will fax stuff to the office on Monday when I am already doing registration on site.

Personally, I think SlamMasters can be responsible and bring paperwork ahead of time. I've tried to make it simple by even sending the attachments you need weeks in advance.

The other problem is that teams always have additions and drops and a lot of it is given to us at registration.

I'm not opposed to a later registration time on Monday however the host city likes to plan events for late afternoon and we don't like to have registration and events at the same time. We also have to have an orientation after registration on Monday. This is something that PSI and the host city should talk about closer for next year.

As for the SM meeting, we can try to get that line through faster but we do have to make sure each SM is accounted for. If people send their proxy info to Cassie ahead of time instead of bringing it to the meeting. That could speed up the process.

[Dahled]

I'm completely against emailing and faxing your paperwork to me. Because people continue to wait until the last minute to do things (note the number of memberships paid on Mon and Tues) I will have to take more time to locate faxes and emails. And, undoubtedly people will fax stuff to the office on Monday when I am already doing registration on site.

how about with a much earlier cut off date? something like 2 or even 3 weeks before the date of the tournament. that would give you ample time to take care of things in the office at your leisure and there'd be that much less paper to be carted around.

[simone]

how about with a much earlier cut off date? something like 2 or even 3 weeks before the date of the tournament. that would give you ample time to take care of things in the office at your leisure and there'd be that much less paper to be carted around.

I think what Abbey is saying is that even with deadlines, people will continue to pass them and fax and email stuff to her well after the set date. Our community tends to play fast and loose with deadlines.

[amcehn]

Thanks Simone, that is exactly what I am saying.

My biggest concern here is that the email/fax paperwork in suggests that I do more work when a SM could just take a few minutes to have everyone sign their paperwork and hang on to them and bring them to registration. It seems like faxing and emailing would take an extra step.

[Dahled]

ok, so how do we make it so the folks that have actually done all of that don't have to wait in line for an hour behind folks that haven't? could there be an express line or something like that?

[jesster]

ok, so how do we make it so the folks that have actually done all of that don't have to wait in line for an hour behind folks that haven't? could there be an express line or something like that?

Or even just... two lines.

-Jesse

[Steve]

Two lines means two registration teams. Logistics.

[AmyD]

ok, so how do we make it so the folks that have actually done all of that don't have to wait in line for an hour behind folks that haven't? could there be an express line or something like that?

You have a volunteer at the end of the line checking paperwork when a SM gets in line, and if they do not have everything, they are sent out of the line until they do have it.

[amcehn]

We already do that. If they come to me (where you start) and you don't have the whole team's registration ready, we won't process you. On Monday, we processed ONLY 10 teams, that means we had 90% of the teams come through on Tuesday. That's gonna take time no matter how you do it.

[Bro.Said]

We already do that. If they come to me (where you start) and you don't have the whole team's registration ready, we won't process you. On Monday, we processed ONLY 10 teams, that means we had 90% of the teams come through on Tuesday. That's gonna take time no matter how you do it.

And that will always be an issue: paper work done or not, most teams arrive on Tuesday.

[Steve]

Actually, we have a far better first day arrival rate when we are on either coast. When we go back to the middle of country everyone seems to think they can show up for late registration.

[hsampson]

Better suggestion, and this falls right on you Cassandra!!!   (AND, a huge thanks for taking on this job, and bringing your growing wealth of experience with it to each event so that they are all run in the highly professional manner in which they should be!!!)
     Several years ago, we stationed all of the forms that needed to be filled out - outside the registration room.   The last form was a check list that the slammaster had to check off herself showing that all paperwork had been completed.... then (and here's where you come in Cassandra) there was one extra volunteer, maybe two for company, who would stand sentry at the door to the registration room, and go over the checklist and all of the paperwork, and no one was even admitted to line unless everything was completed, done up proper, signed, whatever else needed to be done.  If everything is not complete, get out of line, go back to the table where the forms are, and get the hell out of the way of people who are getting in line with all their shit done!!  That doesn't mean there won't be a line for registration, but it will move a hell of a lot quicker!!
     Cassandra, put this extra volunteer on your permanent to do list!!

[inkera]

@Henry I love this idea. I would also suggest having the person checking memberships outside the room or at a different station. That way when the slammaster comes through the line they are registering their team and moving on.