Don,
There is no doubt that COMMON has been listening to you in regard to your
complaint. This topic has been discussed beyond its grave on this and
several other forums, and I am sure if there was a means to remove the fee,
it would have happened. Just because it still exists, does not mean COMMON
is not listening.
As CaN leader, I will work with my team to improve the experience you have
at the conference, and maybe you will spend the extra for the added value
you are already receiving and will continue to receive.
Personally, I do not believe your COMMON ~experience~ is going to be any
better by the removal of this fee. In fact, my other suggestion is to
support your user group, and stay in one of the conference hotels - where
you will not be charged an additional fee you don't wish to pay (and no, I
am not talking about room rates). You will help COMMON reach its hotel
requirements for the conference and keep the registration fee at its current
level.
Here are some numbers if I compare the IBM tech conference with COMMON:
~~~~
IBM fall 2007 tech conference is $2095 for roughly 225 sessions and 4
education times a day for 4 days, 2 on Friday. That is $116.39 per each
session you attend - if you go to every one of those 4 sessions every day.
~~~~
COMMON 2007 Annual conference is $1595 for roughly 500 sessions and 8
education session times a day for 4 days. That is $49.82 per each session
you attend - if you go to every one of those 8 sessions every day. Add your
HUGE $100 tax, and that is now $52.97 per each session you attend - if you
go to every one of those 8 sessions every day.
~~~~
Factor in that COMMON has a $200 discount for early bird registration - tech
conference does not. Factor in hotel costs being higher at COMMON (so you
claim). Factor in meals at the tech conference that you do not get at
COMMON. Factor in all your expenses, and COMMON is still going to be half
the cost per session of tech conference. You have over twice the number of
sessions to choose from, and nearly twice the number of sessions you can
attend. From this, COMMON can double its registration and you would still be
getting some fantastic value.
The other choice is to continue to complain about the housing fee, and when
COMMON raises its registration as a result and impacts everyone who is
supporting the organization, complain about that instead. :-)
Trevor
On 9/21/07 9:44 PM, "Don" <dr2@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
Trevor,
How about we see just how fast you can get rid of that annoying fee for not
staying at conference housing, without impacting anything else.
Thanks...
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FWIW, we would love your input and feedback to help us make this a better
place. COMMON has been listening - has your IBM tech conference? :-)
Trevor
midrange.com
