FMCA & Verizon Offers Specifics?

[smithy]

Hello all,

As you can imagine, blasting a great deal like this out to 72,000 members all at one time would cripple our membership department. We soft launched to 5,000 members as a test run. With a new benefit, we wanted to use this crowd to finalize our process before opening it up to everyone.

As soon as the soft launch was emailed out Tuesday, someone sent it to Technomadia. They quickly had a write-up and video on their website highlighting the benefit.This has spread, and unfortunately we have no control over that.

The digital edition of the magazine will be available on the 20th. Physical copies will follow shortly after that. In my article, which was written a month ago, it states that we intended to do the full launch on the 26th to all of membership.

If you would like to sign up now, please call membership. Devices will ship on July 20th or 21st. 

I again apologize to current membership. We wanted to be prepared for the full launch by having the soft launch. It was then leaked to the outside world and took off.

With all that said, we are very excited about the offering and feel it will be a valuable member benefit.

[wolfe10]

Thanks Chris.

Makes perfect sense.

[joannelmorgan]

In today's world it is a mistake to assume something like this would not go viral. Regardless of your intentions you have upset many of your current members who are now unable to take advantage of this benefit. FAIL

[smithy]

You can call in and take advantage of the benefit right now.

[kaypsmith]

smithy, thanks for your efforts, I have been using Verizon for internet for years, and just recently was offered the unlimited plan for $65.00 and thought that was wonderful, had been paying $80.00 for 12 gig. So to think now about being offered the plan with another $20.00 discount is a great advantage. So guys, and gals please be appreciative of FMCA to continue looking for more benefits for us. I don't feel that this a failure, leaks happen, if you don't believe it, listen or watch the news. THANKS AGAIN, Kay

[doug1117]

Just called FMCA, they are taking orders that will be filled on July 24.

[spuds]

  On 6/16/2017 at 12:13 PM, smithy said:

We soft launched to 5,000 members as a test run. With a new benefit, we wanted to use this crowd to finalize our process before opening it up to everyone.

If you would like to sign up now, please call membership. Devices will ship on July 20th or 21st. 

I'm curious why some of us who followed the instructions and submitted the request online in time for the June allotment have never gotten our calls (and now have to wait at least a month).  It sounds like FMCA didn't restrict the first devices to these 5000 existing members who were intended to be the "soft launch", either, nor even to existing members.  One would hope a benefit would first be provided to current membership, but that is clearly not what happened.  On the surface, it appears more to be used to increase membership, with little concern as to whether the new members actually qualify under the club charter.

This is one of the poorest roll outs I've seen and the apparent lack of concern that FMCA is being scammed by folks who don't own RVs joining and taking advantage of the program is disappointing.

[smithy]

  On 6/16/2017 at 1:23 PM, spuds said:

I'm curious why some of us who followed the instructions and submitted the request online in time for the June allotment have never gotten our calls (and now have to wait at least a month).

This is one of the poorest roll outs I've seen and the apparent lack of concern that FMCA is being scammed by folks who don't own RVs joining and taking advantage of the program is disappointing.

The demand has been overwhelming. It is all hands on deck to call people back who requested information about the program. The June offering was a soft launch, so even if you filled out the form three days ago, there was no guarantee you would make the June shipment. In fact the info request form says a call back will take some time.

I'm sorry you feel the roll out was poor. It is a shame one of our members leaked the story to Technomadia, and in turn to the outside world. Technically we have not rolled it out ourselves. A leak happened and unfortunately we cannot control that.

People who sign up are asked if they are a motor home owner. If they answer yes and do not provide a coach code, we contact them to obtain it. If they say they don't own one or do not provide the code, we cancel their membership immediately. We enforce the requirements to the best of our ability.

 

[kaypsmith]

Just called FMCA, I already have Verizon Myfi, was told to contact Verizon to ask for the offer, they in turn will instigate a three way call with me on the line, and FMCA, I will have my membership info as well as the Verizon account on hand. Hope this is helpful.

[manholt]

  Quote

 

Well, the geeks finely got away from RVillage, long enough to grace us with their opinion!  I too, wonder where the leak came from?!  Like the FMCA Committee lady who told everyone in Quartzite this year at the RV Show, "It's a done deal, the fix is in"!  Or like Charlie A. who was signing up folks for the Verizon at the Six State Planning Rally, 2 month's ago!  The plan and final cost had not been agreed upon yet, between Legal Dept. and Verizon!

I'm not PC, not running for any office and those that I have?  Feel free to take them back if you don't like my opinion and comments.   

[rhinderber]

I just signed up for Jetpack I believe I talked to Noah will arrive 7/24 FMCA will bill credit card pretty much a painless process. I got an E-Mail about the wifi program a couple of days ago. I did not sign up that day next day sold out. In for July.

[susaninsd]

i just called membership and was told that they ceased taking orders 30 minutes ago.  the person i talked to did not have any information about when/whether they would resume taking orders and that they would contact members with an update but could not say when.

[jdonthego]

  On 6/16/2017 at 3:37 PM, susaninsd said:

i just called membership and was told that they ceased taking orders 30 minutes ago.  the person i talked to did not have any information about when/whether they would resume taking orders and that they would contact members with an update but could not say when.

Me too.  Bummer. Not the end of the world though - probably just overwhelmed and need to regroup.

[rfsod48]

I just called and was told that the program had been shut down and no other information at this time. Would be notifying members some time in the future. And they wonder why there is a membership problem.

[rfsod48]

In the greed to get new members the existing members were thrown to the trash. Poor organization skills.

[stephikroll]

I just had the same experience as susaninsd.  I called the 800 number 45 minutes ago and was told they weren't taking any more new orders.  I signed up on the web sign-up form 2 days ago when it was still live but have not received a call back.  Chris posts on this forum this morning that we can call in and get signed up, but I call in and am told No!

[hobart]

In what world does the main office live? In todays world a soft rollout as they tried is just not going to happen, the leakage is a result of modern communications not some sinister plot. We as members see this as an opportunity to grow our ranks and sharing the information is a natural result " good news travels" and any way we can save money is looked to as good news.

[fire344]

I used the online form two days ago and never got a return call.  Called them today and was told Verizon put a hold on the plan due to the response.  They are now putting people on a mailing list and will notify you when the program re-opens.  

[Boundertom]

I am very disappointed (and a little angry) about how this has been handled. I learned about the deal from RVmobileinternet. I submitted my info to FMCA early yesterday morning and never got a response. I just called FMCA and was told that the program was frozen. When I asked a question, I was told curtly that no further information was available. I see that the link I used yesterday to submit my information is no longer working. I can find nothing about the data plan on the FMCA website, other than this discussion. I have been an FMCA member for approximately 35 years. I personally know of someone who was NOT a member, does NOT own a motorhome, but called in yesterday, joined, and signed up for the data plan. This is completely unacceptable and may just be enough reason for me to discontinue my membership. Clearly the FMCA management is more interested in signing up new members than serving existing long term members. That fits in with the plans to open membership to all types of RVs. 

Tom Thomas

F58933

2006 Fleetwood Expedition

Edited June 16, 2017 by Boundertom
grammar

[rmatteucci]

  On 6/16/2017 at 5:37 PM, fire344 said:

I used the online form two days ago and never got a return call.  Called them today and was told Verizon put a hold on the plan due to the response.  They are now putting people on a mailing list and will notify you when the program re-opens.  

I did the same filled the form out two days ago and never got a return call and then called them around 2 PM today and was told the plan is on hold and that they were putting in people for July.  I wasn't asked to be put on a list however I was told to call back in a week or so to see if the program is up and running.  I agree with the disappointment in the FMCA that many others have expressed.   This is one of the many of the poor choices that the association has made over the past several years from the handling of the "makeover" aka towable inclusion, investing in RVillage rather than coming up with something that draws people to the FMCA website not away from it. and failure to have the vision to change the organization with the times so that younger people would join.  The organization will go no where if it's always in crisis management mode.

[Guest]

FMCA recently sent out notifications to a limited group of members as part of a “soft launch” or “beta test” of a wireless data plan from Verizon. FMCA had plans to share this information with the entire membership after this test period. Online news outlets heard about the plan and released information before FMCA was ready to make the announcement to all members. Response during this test period has been overwhelming, and we have had to suspend entries to the program. Rest assured that once we are ready to release information about the benefit, all members will be given the opportunity to evaluate the program and enroll if they believe it will meet their needs. Stay tuned for additional information.