That brings us to the end of our survey with but one question
left that many of you no doubt wondered why I even bothered to
include. The innocuous query asked you to name your preferred
style of badge, A whopping 72% of you answered in favor of the
current WBC badgeholder. 16%
opted for lanyards while 12% split their preference between pin-ons
and wristbands. Now, of all the gripes I have to put up with about
WBC, the kvetching about badgeholders is the one that frosts me
the most because its so downright silly.
I’ve broken every CD rule in the book by airing everyone’s
grievances so bear with me a little longer while I air MY pet
peeve. What’s wrong with the WBC badgeholder? The gripes appear
to be twofold. First, that people don’t like badges that hang
around their neck. OK, so why is the second choice a lanyard?
I’m afraid to ask what they are hanging those on. Second, that
people object to being forced to pay $2 for a badgeholder.
Well, I suggest they do a little checking into the costs involved.
First, the things cost us more than $2 each, so each time we force
you to buy one we are losing money. So much for the ripping you
off theory. If we’re doing it to make money, we sure aren’t very
good at it. We could raise the rates $10 and still be the cheapest
con around and no one would bat an eye. But $2 for a reusable
badgeholder? OMG! Call the cops—we’re being robbed!
When we first bought the things, they were selling for $10
each at the major cons as an extra item. I liked them because
they were classy, gave people a convenient place to put their
cash, room keys, pens, etc and I thought folks would love getting
them as opposed to the standard pin on disposable plastic things
that are bad for both the environment, your shirts and the US
balance of payments. I figured we were sending China enough cash
without throwing away thousands of badges each year. So, to encourage
you not to forget them, we charge you separately for a replacement
so put it in your favorite game when you leave. But $2? Really?
You pay that and more for an event ticket elsewhere. Paying it
once on top of the lowest admission prices in existance is too
much to ask?
Having everybody wear our badgeholder makes it easier for our
security guys to spot those with badges without hassling them.
Would you rather we put guards at the door to check you as you
enter? And I don’t care how many years you’ve been attending or
how many attendees you know by their first name and vice versa.
If you choose not to wear your badge, you send a signal to everyone
else that its ok for them to do the same. That makes it very difficult
for our security people to do their job without becoming annoying.
And that, in turn, will lead to actual guards and event tickets.
So, long story short, do yourself and me a favor and wear your
badge. I’ll admit to adding to the problem by being lax in giving
out badges on the "honor system” to those who left their
holders in their car or their room—and slip the paper into their
wallet instead. But that is going to end this year. Be you a newcomer,
a ten-year veteran, or a Board member you will not leave the Registration
room with a 2013 badge unless it is in a WBC badgeholder—so
come prepared with either WBC badgeholder or $2.00 in hand.
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