Charging for not turning up?

I'm really fed up of people booking on and not showing up! I can understand that things get in the way occasionally, but repeat offenders ought to be fined the cost of their breakfast (all proceeds to go in the charity tin). Its disrespectful to other members and the team who organise the event.

Its OK ringing in to give apologies, but those who just don't bother don't deserve to be members and certainly wouldn't get recommended by me, it just good manners to offer an apology isn't it? They're giving themselves a bad reputation..... Aargh.. (rant over) thanks for reading.

How about first time warning, second time fine for charity, third time out.

I like your thinking Bob. Without running the risk of imposing harsh rules, such as those of other networks, we could keep charging the charity bit until 6 offences, then you're out!

I don't want to be made to feel like a naughty school kid if i don't turn up. I pay my membership fee and if i book a breakfast and don't turn up it just means that i have something more important going on.

Does it really affect the other members if there's a no show, would they even notice?

I agree with James. I'm not interested in attending any networking events where they start with the "heavy hand". The whole reason I wouldn't join BNI is the fact that you can be made to feel like a naughty school kid for "no shows"! Come on... we are business people and do have busy lives. The whole reason I joined 4N is that I'm given a choice to network because I want to- not because I have to.

I do agree that people should do all they can and advise if they are unable to attend but let's be honest here - no one is going to lose any sleep if a particular person doesn't show up now are they?!

I've never not turned up and tend to book my meetings the day before because I know I'm free.

The person losing out the most is the person who doesn't turn up.

It's an 'old fashioned' view but one I wholeheartedly support, It ain't that difficult to whizz of a mail giving apologies or even pick up the phone, doesn't directly affect me as I'm not currently 'breakfasting' but when I did, I usually booked one or two days in advance due to the nature of 'my game', never knowing where I might end up from one day to the next, however playing devils advocate for a minute, if someone has booked days/weeks in advance something else crops up and they forget they're booked in!!!! well I don't think you can go around fining people for that, it could drive people away, the whole point of 4N for me is we 'ain't petty like some other 'well known' networks!!!!!!!!!!!

Rant over(if that's what it was!!)

Luv Ya alll and especially the website/forums dem is brill SIMPLES!!!!

I would not support it to be honest. I book a few in advance, I currently have around 10 booked for the next few weeks. Sometimes things come up and business becomes more important that the breakfast, thats life.

I've missed a couple previously, one of which because I got knocked off my bike on the way to the meeting, if you start charging when things like that happen, people tell you where to go very quickly.

WHS with 'brass' knobs on as opposed to just KNOBS(AKA 'certain' other networks no names nudge nudge wink wink BN who?)Don't want to get sued do I!!!!!!!!!

On occasions we've all planned to attend an event but at the very last minute an unexpected problem has cropped up and we've been unable to do so.

In such circumstances every effort should be made to inform the relevant 4N management team of your non attendance - which is simply common courtesy.

Nobody is forcing you to attend a 4N meeting, but if you regularly say you'll attend and then don't bother to show up - then clearly there's a problem.

And the BNI 'attendance' rules are certainly not as onerous as some people would have us believe. BNI members attend the same group weekly - which greatly helps to cement business relationships with a constant group of colleagues. Three 'no shows' are allowed in any rolling 6 month period (designated for emergencies) and any other absences (such as holidays or business trips) can be covered by use of substitutes. in nearly 9 years of BNI membership (yes BNI works extremely well for me) it's never been a problem. And there's no big stick unless you seriously foul up!

BNI and 4N both have good points and bad points - they work in different ways - and it's personal choice. I enjoy both organisations - for different reasons.

Some people just never get it, but the real truth is, to make both organisations work successfully for you, you do need to be fully committed and attend regularly. Some people are 'hunters' flitting from one group to another in the hope of making a quick kill - whereas others are 'farmers' who attend the same chosen groups on a regular basis to carefully sow seeds by building lasting relationships with other members in attendance - the meet, like, know, trust philosophy.

As has been stated previously, it's those who don't attend who lose out.

Wise words indeed, I must just say, the flexibility of being able to 'passport' is a massive bonus in my particular field(although I'm not currently on the 'circuit') but I do think t'wunderweb element of 4N is simply stupendous and on so many different levels not just 'business'

As OA at Harrogate, I've found that the vast majority who book on and confirm will be there - and if they cannot make it, there will be apologies emailed, phoned or by text the previous evening at the latest. That's fair enough. In the cases of no-shows, these are few and far between - and normally a very good reason, i.e. accident/illness/other emergency. We have experienced one persistent 'offender' over the last few months, but they have not booked-on for sometime now (their loss).

I too have had to cancel the night before - I don't like doing this and I have missed one meeting (no-show) at Doncaster. This was due to being stuck on the A1 and then subsequently stuck in Doncaster.

I think you can gather from this I am against penalties.

I would be out like a shot if this were to happen.

I would love to be able to use my passport, but I don't drive and rely on lifts. I got 10 minutes away from 4N Leeds this week because my husband gave me a lift but we'd been stuck in traffic and it would have been 9am before we were able to get in. I would NOT be happy at being fined for this.

As group leader for Diss, and previously OA for Ipswich I am not convinced that this is such a major issue.

The venue's are only paid for those who turn up, so there is no financial penalty to the group for no-shows - I agree it shows an amazing lack of courtesy not to advise a member of the team if you can't make it at the last minute - but the vast majority of members show up as booked - or let us know they can't come along.

As for the tiny minority who don't show up and don't tell anyone they will get the reputation they deserve, which is one of poor reliability, and will not get the benefits of attending the meeting.

So overall I don't think charging no-shows is really desirable.

WHS!!!!

I think it's pretty much as Leslie has said. I don't really think that charging for no shows would be a good move – I just think it reflects poorly on the individual to those that know they were supposed to be attending. You should receive a confirmation email ahead of the event, so there's no reason to have forgotten that you've booked on. I doubt there are many genuine reasons why you can't respond to that email to say you won't be there. If, after you've confirmed your attendance, something changes meaning you can't make it it's just common courtesy to email/phone your apologies (even after the event). People will forget or be unable to do so once in a while, but there do seem to be some that are repeat 'offenders'. The thing is, that just gives the impression that they are unreliable – not a great reputation to have if you're looking to generate business leads.