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Fast Lane Learning - Season 4 Episode 7 · #HomeForAll Podcast

• 0:09
  SPEAKER_01: Well, hey there out there, and welcome back to this episode of Fast Lane Learning.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_01: I am your host, Kelly Moss, also ACAR's Communications Director.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_01: Today we're going to discuss deadlines, payment plans, and those dreaded late fees.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_01: So fasten your seatbelts for another great episode with bite-sized nuggets of information for those of you who don't always have time for our full-on 30-minute podcast.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_01: And for those of you who are looking for some really fast, really significant information.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_01: This episode of Fast Lane Learning is going to be fast and wild, so buckle up and let's get going.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to Fast Lane Learning.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_01: Good morning out there in Podcast Land.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for tuning into this episode.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_01: As always, I'm joined by ACARS Membership Services and Operations Manager, Ashley Varner.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for being here again today, Ashley.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_01: Hi, Kelly.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks for having me.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_01: I'm glad you're back.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_01: Me too.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_01: So before we start, let's quickly review the word exchange that we discussed in the last episode.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_01: Can you tell us the difference between dues and renewals, just so everybody's up to up to speed, shall we say?
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_00: If you missed us on the last episode of Fast Lane Learning, we talked briefly about the words dues and renewals.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_00: We're actually going to be using both of those words interchangeably.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: They mean the same thing.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: We like to talk about renewing your membership year over year because it's important to understand the value of membership and being here with us at ACAR.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_00: You might be referring to those yourself, though, as dues because it's what you're used to seeing.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: We'll have both words available and displayed in our communications and on our website, but just know that dues and renewals are exactly the same thing.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: Cool.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_01: So now that we know all of that, let's talk about the dates.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_01: Are there and there are a good number of them.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_01: That's true.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_01: So what can you tell our listeners to make the dates and everything seem a little less daunting and nutty?
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: So before we dive into the due dates for the renewals at ACAR, the one thing that I think is really important to note that we've mentioned before is that at the local level, we are responsible for sending upwards the renewal funds that we collect to the state level and to the national level too.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: And they actually set due dates with us for when we have to remit those funds by.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: So that also kind of helps to influence the dates that we set for our members on the back end of things, too.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: So important to note our cycle for membership renewals is beginning in October.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: This year we anticipate having um invoices available on membership accounts by Monday, October 5th.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_00: The due date will always be the first Thursday in December per our rules and regulations.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: So this year that's going to land on December 3rd, 2026.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: Any payments that are received after 4 p.m.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_00: on that date are considered late, and a late fee does apply to them at that point.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: We'll discuss what our payment plan option is a little later on in this episode, but important to note that the option to elect a payment plan does close on January 5th of 2027.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're thinking to yourself, Ashley, you just told me the due date was December 3rd, 26th, but you're telling me the split payment plan is open until January 5th of 27.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: You're correct.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_00: Um you might be late, you might have a late fee applied to your account, but we still want to give you that opportunity to opt in uh for a couple of extra weeks if you choose to do so, if that makes the most sense when you're making your renewal for 2027.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_00: If you did choose that payment plan, um you'll be receiving the second invoice of the two invoices involved towards the end of March.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_00: We usually aim for that last week of March to go ahead and get those invoices available on membership accounts for payment.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: We'll send out communications around that time.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_00: And the due date for the split payments for the folks that opted in is going to fall on the first Thursday of May this year.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: I believe we're looking at May 6th this year for 2027.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: Um so again, after that date, a late fee does apply for those members who've opted into the split payment plan.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: That's a whole lot, Kelly.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_01: It is a whole lot.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_01: Oh my God.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_01: And honestly, you know, you're looking, I'm I'm looking at the dates here on the screen and and I'm looking at them and I'm like, you know what?
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_01: If it was me, I think I would probably be going in and like writing them in my calendar just so that I knew that they were coming ahead of time so that I could plan for that.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_01: Um so that it's it's not what we call a surprise, right?
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: Well we try not to surprise you, but putting it in your phone so you don't forget's a good idea because the due date's always the first Thursday in December.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_00: You can count on it every year.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_01: Well, and for those of you who, you know, do want to keep track um digitally, as we say, uh, those deadlines will be on the website.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_01: So that's um gonna be there for anybody that's wondering, you know, what's due when.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_01: Um so what ways does ACAR communicate those dates to our members?
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_01: Communication is key and as the person, you know, at communication, central, shall we say, um, communications is always key.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_01: So can can we take a moment to say, you know, read your email for the you know, from the association, right?
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: That certainly would make things easier.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: Um when we do send out communications around the renewal cycle, though, um, it's important to note this shouldn't come as a surprise, right?
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_00: If you're opening your email on a regular basis, we'll be sending out notification that the renewal cycle is approaching through our newsletters and through direct email communication as well.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_00: It'll be available on through our social media channels and it'll be available on our website too.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_00: Um one of the things though that we have set up to help make sure you do not forget us is an automated reminder that's going to come from our database system.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and it's going to remind you once a week that you still have an outstanding renewal to make with us.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_00: And the only way to make these automated email stop is simply to make your payment.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: Um so on our end of things, that's kind of our safety net to make sure that you're seeing and understanding when these due dates and things are are going to become applicable.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: Um and on your end of things, it's a nice reminder to make sure that you don't forget to be a new a renewing member for 2027.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_01: So um I want to talk about keeping the association in the loop.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_01: So just pretend magically I'm a realtor now and I've changed brokerages and my email.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_01: So so I've done that.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_01: So what's gonna happen now if I forget to tell you?
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_00: Well, if you forget to tell me, um there's a chance that your brokerage might tell me that you have left their brokerage.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_00: They won't necessarily know where it is that you've decided to affiliate your license next.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_00: And I've got some tools in the background that I'll use to try and figure out the mystery.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_00: And I do love a good mystery, but at that time of year, we are absolutely inundated with member communication because we're hearing from all of you.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: Um, it's important to note that we have a staff of 10 serving nearly 6,000 members.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are calling me in December, right before you're going to renew your membership to let me know that you have changed brokerages, there's a chance you're going to be leaving me a voicemail because I'm probably already on the phone with another member.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_00: So we actually just really prefer that you send us a send us a quick email.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you can send those to either membership at AkronCleveland Realtors.com or to info at AkronCleveland Realtors.com.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_00: Either inbox is going to be received by our membership department, but we want your updated contact information.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_00: We would love for you to let us know which brokerage you are practicing out of now, uh, what your email address that you prefer to receive communications at looks like, and if there's been any changes to other pertinent information too, like your phone number, your home address, um, if you have happened to change last names.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: We want to know that so we can stay in touch with you throughout the year.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_00: Because the thing is, we're talking about the communications right now around our renewal cycle, but we're sharing other pertinent, timely, important things with you too, like safety alerts and changes to the local industry too.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_00: You want to stay on top of those kinds of things so you can serve your consumer clients well.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_00: And so we want you to stay we want you to stay safe too.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so it's important that we stay in touch and you share your contact information with us.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_01: Some great and excellent information today.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_01: I think the takeaway here is plan now, right?
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_01: For those listeners who have more questions.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, as Ashley mentioned, uh, you can contact the membership department at membership at AkronCleveland Realtors.com.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_01: We will link that in the show notes below.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, members can also check out the members section of the website at AkronCleveland Realtors.com.
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_01: So, with that, we've reached our destination again for today.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_01: I want to thank Ashley for being here again for her insight and her input in today's episode.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_01: Please be sure to join us next week for the next Fast Lane Learning installment.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_01: And until then, drive safely and keep your learning in the Fast Lane.