AHA membership processing takes several weeks

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Garyius

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I finally joined the AHA. They took my money within 24 hours, but four weeks later emailed to say it would be another three weeks to get a card.

I said that as their focus was on taking my money, not giving service, they likely got the last $38 they were ever getting from me.

Posted this at Beer Advocate, within 5 minutes the post was yanked.

I know folks have been saying BA has turned towards pimping for sponsors, but this was really bad. How long before bad beer reviews start getting deleted?

Now I am saddened that I wasted forty bucks with the AHA, and that as the rumor mill has been saying BA is sliding fast.
 
Sometimes **** happens. Is it fair? No, its not but what you should have done was ask the to email you a confirmation of your AHA membership so you can enjoy the benefits you have payed for until your card comes in the mail.

If your main intention was bashing the AHA on BA then yeah they're going to delete it. What does this have to do with BA and "pimping sponsors". Is the AHA a sponsor of Beer Advocate? Also, if you posted it in the wrong forum it usually gets deleted as well.

And poor reviews have been deleted from Beer Advocate in the past. Its a common occurrence.

Lastly, if you were to never to receive/use any of the benefits you paid for then yes you wasted $40. The membership includes a subscription to a magazine, discounts on certain competition fees, and discounts at participating bars, brewpubs and breweries. I'm sure you'll be able to get your $40 worth of this membership.
 
Seven weeks to get a card for an annual membership? That's almost 1/6 of the entire membership period. Are they going to backdate your membership to the day you paid, or the day the card goes out? If they are going to make you eat two months of your membership, I would also discontinue additional dues in the future. That's ridiculous.
 
Garyius said:
Thanks for the advice. I did email and ask them that, and they said no.
Click to expand...

Well, that's BS unless your membership doesn't begin until the card is issued in which that date should be relatively close to the date in which you receive said card. I'd inquire about this first and if this is not the case then I find it hard to believe they can not accommodate you with a simple request to furnish some form of proof of membership. Simply put, you should not have to pay for services/goods not rendered.

Also, call them; don't email. I find speaking with someone over the phone is more effective than communicating via email. Its harder for someone to physically say no to you than type it.
 
FWIW, I'm in the same boat....

Bought a 3-year membership I don't even know how long ago (at least 7 weeks). My web browser accidently submitted the order twice; so I e-mailed them asking to have one of the charges not processed. About 3 weeks later I got a reply. About 4 weeks later I got an e-mail with my membership number. I still don't have my card....

Oh, and this was for a membership renewal....

I'm not happy with the service, but it does save me a bunch of money on entries into the national competition....
 
The information that an AHA membership takes several weeks to process is worth sharing, so this thread will remain. Please keep your comments polite and factual.

Those wishing to enter AHA competitions or attend events, be forewarned.
 
Interesting. Over the time I have been brewing I have often wondered about joining. I have my answer.

B
 
couple = 2
few = 3-5
several = 6+

In either case, AHA membership is dirt cheap and as a result the AHA is leanly staffed. Deal with it or join the governing committee and argue that waiting for the card is such a problem that dues should be increased to hire a dedicated staff member to process them.

I pay 1200 or so in professional dues, that organization is more zippy than the AHA but for the 70 something three year membership for my wife and I, I am willing to accept a lower level of service in terms of things like this as long as I get a good magazine, a good conference and good legislative efforts out of it, and I do.
 
remilard said:
couple = 2
few = 3-5
several = 6+

In either case, AHA membership is dirt cheap and as a result the AHA is leanly staffed. Deal with it or join the governing committee and argue that waiting for the card is such a problem that dues should be increased to hire a dedicated staff member to process them.

I pay 1200 or so in professional dues, that organization is more zippy than the AHA but for the 70 something three year membership for my wife and I, I am willing to accept a lower level of service in terms of things like this as long as I get a good magazine, a good conference and good legislative efforts out of it, and I do.
Click to expand...


I see where you're coming from, but I'm a member of professional organizations that charge a lot less than $1200 (but generally more than $38) and are a lot more responsive and organized than AHA seems to be, with significantly fewer members. I don't think the finances have a significant impact on the customer facing. Obviously somebody had the time to write back an email and that email could have just as easily included a membership number and effective date, even if the number was made up as a temporary number and the effective date was the payment date. So to that end there is already an individual allocated to perform that customer service function.

My understanding is that the OP is more frustrated that he is paying for an annual membership and then losing two months of the year, not necessarily that he doesn't have a shiny AHA card in his wallet. You could tell people the permanent cards take 6-8 weeks but then send a confirmation email with a membership number and effective date immediately.

Giving a first impression to a new member that you don't care about their membership you don't inspire that person to encourage others to join or to renew their membership. That's bad for business.
 
I pay three hundred dollars a year to my state bar, plus another 120 to the client protection fund.

They run legislative events at all levels, sponsor learning events all over the state, run a complete investigation and hearing system, and still got my membership card out to me the week I swore into the bar. They also get the renewal out to me weeks before my old card expires.

remilard said:
couple = 2
few = 3-5
several = 6+

In either case, AHA membership is dirt cheap and as a result the AHA is leanly staffed. Deal with it or join the governing committee and argue that waiting for the card is such a problem that dues should be increased to hire a dedicated staff member to process them.

I pay 1200 or so in professional dues, that organization is more zippy than the AHA but for the 70 something three year membership for my wife and I, I am willing to accept a lower level of service in terms of things like this as long as I get a good magazine, a good conference and good legislative efforts out of it, and I do.
Click to expand...
 
I would wait to see what the date on the card is before you get mad about it. As I have been a AHA member for the past 3 years or so, they have always given me another month if say I renew in the month that its set to expire.
 
Garyius said:
I pay three hundred dollars a year to my state bar, plus another 120 to the client protection fund.

They run legislative events at all levels, sponsor learning events all over the state, run a complete investigation and hearing system, and still got my membership card out to me the week I swore into the bar. They also get the renewal out to me weeks before my old card expires.
Click to expand...

If we can up the AHA membership to $300 I am pretty sure the cards can get out faster.

For $38 we get a process that is performed once a month.
 
I joined AHA on 1/31 of this year (ordered it on line that date). I was a little concerned about getting my membership info because I wanted to enter the NHC competition this year and use my membership to get the discount. I emailed them expressing this concern and got a reply within a few days saying my membership was being processed and if I need help before the entry date on the competition, they would help me. I received an email a couple weeks later saying my membership was processed and that the "package" would be sent out in a few weeks and that mailings happen on the 1st of the month.

I received my card around the middle of February and the expiration date on the card is 2/29/12 (got the card before the end of Feb. so I gues I got free days). I have heard (from posts on this thread) that AHA is a 2 1/2 person operation. I'm not sure how many applications they process but the turn around time wasn't that bad for a $38 dollar membership (I belong to other organizations that cost a lot more and have a greater enrollment but still it takes about the same amount of time).

Bottom line from my point of view - they do a good job, sponsor a great conference and provide a great resource for the homebrewer. If YOU think the service sucks, don't renew - but don't throw them under the bus for what they do.

My 2¢
 
remilard said:
If we can up the AHA membership to $300 I am pretty sure the cards can get out faster.

For $38 we get a process that is performed once a month.
Click to expand...

I was responding to the guy who posted about higher priced services. For $300 I get legislative lobbying that works, effective professional education, and a complete investigative and hearing system. Plus fast service and a magazine.

For $38, I get a magazine that I won't get for 2/12 months of my membership, and a card I won't get for 2/12 months of my membership. And not much else.

2/12=1/6
 
That is nice they helped you. I emailed at week four of them having my money and got a response of "no".

That is anti-help.

LarryC said:
I joined AHA on 1/31 of this year (ordered it on line that date). I was a little concerned about getting my membership info because I wanted to enter the NHC competition this year and use my membership to get the discount. I emailed them expressing this concern and got a reply within a few days saying my membership was being processed and if I need help before the entry date on the competition, they would help me. I received an email a couple weeks later saying my membership was processed and that the "package" would be sent out in a few weeks and that mailings happen on the 1st of the month.

I received my card around the middle of February and the expiration date on the card is 2/29/12 (got the card before the end of Feb. so I gues I got free days). I have heard (from posts on this thread) that AHA is a 2 1/2 person operation. I'm not sure how many applications they process but the turn around time wasn't that bad for a $38 dollar membership (I belong to other organizations that cost a lot more and have a greater enrollment but still it takes about the same amount of time).

Bottom line from my point of view - they do a good job, sponsor a great conference and provide a great resource for the homebrewer. If YOU think the service sucks, don't renew - but don't throw them under the bus for what they do.

My 2¢
Click to expand...
 
I bought a membership a few days ago and was hoping to use the discount for the NHC... anything I can do to get my # faster?
 
Garyius said:
I was responding to the guy who posted about higher priced services. For $300 I get legislative lobbying that works, effective professional education, and a complete investigative and hearing system. Plus fast service and a magazine.

For $38, I get a magazine that I won't get for 2/12 months of my membership, and a card I won't get for 2/12 months of my membership. And not much else.

2/12=1/6
Click to expand...

Wow, you're really misstating what AHA does, in my opinion. Legislative advocacy, education events, and the annual conference all come to mind.

And I am skeptical that you will get cheated out of a full year's subscription to the magazine. If you do, then complain. When you get your membership card, if the expiration date is after the date you receive the card, are you going to post about it here?
 
bovineblitz said:
I bought a membership a few days ago and was hoping to use the discount for the NHC... anything I can do to get my # faster?
Click to expand...

Try emailing this guy and asking for help - he was very responsive to my issues

Ian Stevens [[email protected]]

Edit:
If you go to the NHC entry page, you can join there and the discount is applied immediately
 
LarryC said:
Try emailing this guy and asking for help - he was very responsive to my issues

Ian Stevens [[email protected]]

Edit:
If you go to the NHC entry page, you can join there and the discount is applied immediately
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll try that.

I found out about the discount being applied immediately after I'd already bought the membership. Hopefully the info will help out others though.
 
One last fyi, they sent me my AHA member number in an email before I received my card - I used it when I entered the NHC competition
 
I signed up a couple months ago and as previously started the card expires 12 months from the end of the month in which the card is sent out. It seems you do not lose any months of benefit.
 

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