Give Organizers a "Print Nametags" option for RSVPs

I posted a request for nametag printing for organizers over in the organizer forum, but someone suggested I post it over here.

But let me elaborate a bit because some people saw privacy issues in my request when I took special effort to consider how to ensure there would be no privacy issues with what I requested.

Also, realize there are many different types of groups and some small personal interest groups don't need nametags but a larger business networking group like mine badly needs nametags. So if you don't see a need for this in your group, please don't assume it would be a bad thing because it would be OPTIONAL to the organizer and FULLY TRANSPARENT to the members.

In a nutshell the request is this:

• Allow an organizer to specify that an event is a real name required event where the real name is provided exclusively to the organizers and is not posted on web at Meetup.com or findable via Google.
  
• When a person RSVPs for a real name required event, ask them to fill out their nametag but let the organizer set the labels for the three fields; in my case they would be Name, Company and Website URL. Make it clear that the organizer will receive this information and that it is required for the event.
  
• In addition it would be nice to be able to ask them for non-name tag info at that time like phone number, name of guest, etc.
  
• Make those names available only to the organizer as a PDF in Avery Label format.
  
• After the event disable the organizer's access to the real names so that the organizer having access to the information doesn't come around to bite a member several years later.
  

That's it. This would REALLY help cut down the time it takes to organize a meeting AND it would make our signup table a lot less chaotic.

P.S. Actually, you could offer nametags on RSVP as optional for other groups, but for my events I'd ideally need them to be required for RSVP.

I like this idea.

Needs work, but has the germ of a great idea.

The following is opinion regarding potential issues and is not the result of exhaustive research.
Label formats are not internationally agreed. - Offer the option of the data in CSV format as this IS internationally acceptable. Offer an A4 as well as a letter format PDF (Avery do both.)

Ensure there is no user impact from all the additional requirements, so that the option is to use, rather than not use the feature. No point in alienating everyone else.

Ensure the additional information request is in the acceptable opt-in format rather than of the potentially illegal opt-out type, and that any retention of information by the organiser after the event is agreed by the member, or it will contravene the data protection act. - Since Meetup membership is open to residents of the UK, the act will apply.

Len

Hi Mike,

I went ahead and replied to the duplicate post over here.

Rachel

Needs work, but has the germ of a great idea.

Thanks for the support.

Label formats are not internationally agreed. - Offer the option of the data in CSV format as this IS internationally acceptable. Offer an A4 as well as a letter format PDF (Avery do both.)

I don't know what it's like over in the UK, but here at OfficeDepot, OfficeMax, Staples, etc. you can pick up a box of Avery labels and they have an Avery code on them that corresponds to the exact specs, even for the store-brand labels, and a lot of software including MS Word understands those codes. I was envisioning that Meetup could pick a few Avery Label sizes and just specify that those were the ones people needed to use. Would this not work across the pond?

Ensure there is no user impact from all the additional requirements, so that the option is to use, rather than not use the feature. No point in alienating everyone else.

Absolutely, and if it wasn't clear, I definitely meant for my suggestion to be opt-in otherwise is should behave exactly as before.

Ensure the additional information request is in the acceptable opt-in format rather than of the potentially illegal opt-out type

What do you mean by "illegal opt-out type?"

and that any retention of information by the organiser after the event is agreed by the member, or it will contravene the data protection act. - Since Meetup membership is open to residents of the UK, the act will apply.

I just reviewed your data protection act; whew! Glad I don't operate a small business in the UK; talk about overly burdensome! While I do appreciate and support the spirit of that act, it seems that it imposes a high cost on doing business to ensure things are done just so even when the businesses aren't even contemplating doing anything outside the spirit of the law. And I thought the USA had some burdensome regulations... :-)

Anyway, though I'm clearly not a UK lawyer I don't think allowing nametags would cause Meetup to go afoul of that act, assuming they made it opt-in, transparent, and purged the data after a while.

As an aside, even though UK residents can use Meetup.com to form meetups, I wonder if UK actually has jurisdiction over Meetup.com as Meetup.com is a US company based in NYC. If they have offices in the UK they certainly would have to comply (I haven't looked to see if they do), but given that the web has no borders I'm not sure that simply allowing UK residents to use there service is enough to require them to follow UK laws. Anyone reading this a lawyer (or staff of Meetup) that might know for certain?

More thoughts on the name tag suggestion...

I have been using the Meetup.com downloadable Excel Membership List as an ADMINISTRATIVE tool for tracking membership, RSVPs and actual meeting attendance. I appreciate having this information in an EDITABLE format because I can export from Excel to Word to create a REGISTRATION LIST and NAMETAGS for each meeting.

However, even with three people at the registration table, it can get hectic, especially if you?re looking up five Mikes along with quite a few other characters with more unusual screen IDs. We?re trying to keep accurate records, including: WHO actually came to the meeting? Did they pay by CASH or PAYPAL, and so on. Usually 40 or our 60 to 80 people show up at the same time. The better the list, with FIRST NAMES and LAST NAMES, the more efficiently we can manage not only check in, but longer term planning for the organization.

I would NOT be in favor of sacrificing either the PRIVACY or the SIMPLICITY that is paramount for all Members and Organizers who use the Meetup.com Service. However, If I could get more precise information at the time of RSVP, it would be helpful. We continue to explore changes in our own process ? but maybe there?s a way that Meetup.com can help. For example:

1. Using the current Meetup.com downloadable Excel Membership List I can sort for those members who have visited our Meetup.com page since the last meeting (DATE LAST VISITED). And I can sort also for those who have ever RSVPd YES for a meeting. In an ideal world it would be a bonus to be able to narrow that sort to those who have RSVPd YES to the UPCOMING MEETING scheduled for a SPECIFIC DATE.

2. At that point, I would have an accurate REGISTRATION LIST plus NAMETAGS for that meeting. But about half of them would be First Names / Screen Names. If the RSVP YES feature allowed the member to answer the question, ?What NAME and / or COMPANY do you want us to print on your Nametag??, that would be a an added bonus. A simple download of the FIRST NAME and LAST NAME combined with MEMBER ID NUMBER and voila! I?ve got my Registration List and Nametag data, viewable only by Administrators, as Mike has suggested.

3. If suggestion #2 is a problem because of privacy issues, I would still appreciate consideration of #1. With a NAME attached to a MEMBER ID NUMBER I should be able to merge the new RSVP data with member data collected through other sources such as PayPal or at the door.

Thanks

What do you mean by "illegal opt-out type?"

Many very shady scams involve opt out.
You are assumed to have opted in unless you opt out. This is not legal.

You should have to opt in, and then have to reply in the affirmative to a query that you opted in. This saves people being opted in by others, in a malicious manner, without their permission.

The data protection act does apply to international organisations as there is a very heated discussion ongoing between Europe and the US regarding illegal information demanded by US based airlines transporting European citizens. We apparently agree the information is needed for security purposes, but the law requires that it is not kept on file beyond the required time. The US department of Homeland Security wants to keep all data they collect, ad infinitum. Big Brother is not only watching, but wants a copy on file too.

The US as a whole may not like the fact that there are indeed binding internationally agreed laws governing Internet based activity and data protection, but they are still there. It IS a minefield. The UN is based in NY too. Being based in NY does not grant any special status. (Apart from the unique accent.)

Len

Today, the member download option has limited usefullness. But if the organizer could:

• Specify what profile fields are to be downloaded, then the organizer could create profile fields for company, name, etc. as they see fit and specify which have to be filled out to either attend events or even join the group.
  
• Download based on options, such as RSVP yes, no, or maybe for a specific event.
  

Then the organizer could use simple mail merge programs to create the labels. This would be the ultimate in flexibility. Avery et. al. provide those formats as downloads and organizers could use any label or software they choose to. For instance, a group could choose whether or not the meetup.com logo is even displayed on the tag.

There are many software packages, both commercial and free, that provide for this capability.

It's a little more work to setup the first time, but once set up is the ultimate in flexibility. Organizers would not be constrained with what meetup considered to be the 'acceptable' formats. And meetup would not constantly have to hear 'I want this size' or 'can I put my logo here' type suggestions.

I appreciate that some want meetup to do all the work, but I prefer to put in a little bit of work and have a lot more flexibility. There is also no reason why meetup can't do the above *and* provide fixed label formats by allowing an organizer to specify which profile question goes where.

Big Brother is not only watching, but wants a copy on file too.

Or, as in the case of the UK, keep the video on file.

(Sorry Len .. couldn't resist. One good jab deserves another. Keep up the informative post, I never tire of reading yours!!!!)

Big Brother is not only watching, but wants a copy on file too.

Or, as in the case of the UK, keep the video on file.

(Sorry Len .. couldn't resist. One good jab deserves another. Keep up the informative post, I never tire of reading yours!!!!)

I fully expect to take as good as I give.

Keep on keepin' on.

Len