Thanks Motorsport Reg :(...charged me for race I wasnt in..!!!. [Archive]

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Rabbit05

08-08-2011, 06:55 AM

Just to let you all know..I dont know if anyone else is having issues with the MotorsportReg deal..but i am certainly not happy.

I was charged the entry for the Watkins Glen race, two weeks after it happened....AND I WASNT EVEN IN THE RACE.

My car was s**t on the friday test day...SO i went friday night to the reg booth and canceled the weekend . The nice worker there said NP...scratched me off and I saw her write down "dont charge".

I am sure it some glitch or something like that between the scca and motorsportreg. I heard and saw that this is their first time using the system. but ugh...I have sent a letter in to the regristars already to see about getting my money back...

I am so fuming right now....:mad1:

I am definitely going back to paying at the gate.

Butch Kummer

08-08-2011, 08:55 AM

Like any computer program, MSR only does what you tell it to do. The error is on the part of the host region not "telling" MSR you had withdrawn from the event.

itmanta

08-08-2011, 05:44 PM

Butch is correct, one of the registrars at that event initiated the payment. Be nice they are volunteers...

downingracing

08-08-2011, 10:15 PM

StephenB

08-08-2011, 10:45 PM

That mistake will cost you nothing. It will cost the region at least the % fee for the charge. And if they refund the charge, it will cost them the % again. So the region will lose money for the mistake - not you. Things happen and I'm sure the region will make it right.

Once again motorsportreg makes money.... I cant believe SCCA couldnt figure it out on their own.

Stephen

Edit... i cant believe SCCA is paying motorsportreg for a site when they easily could have made one. I also meant nothing against the registration folks. I was at this event and they were a pleasure to deal with.

Rabbit05

08-09-2011, 06:44 AM

I just want to make things clear that I am in no way angry at the worker I spoke to ..When I meant nice worker...I truly meant she was very nice and helpful at the window. And I appreciate what ALL the workers do to make our weekends happen.

I guess I am more aggravated at the fact that this happened.. A SNAFU....yeah, it happens . It was just the "straw that broke the camel's back". Its been a rough month and to see $300 disappear when I wasn't expecting it to was..well...shocking.

Butch Kummer

08-09-2011, 10:09 AM

Once again motorsportreg makes money.... I cant believe SCCA couldnt figure it out on their own.

Stephen

Edit... i cant believe SCCA is paying motorsportreg for a site when they easily could have made one. I also meant nothing against the registration folks. I was at this event and they were a pleasure to deal with.

It is completely possible for the host region to set the event up in a manner where there is NO fee charged by MSR, but you would not be able to pay with a credit card or on-line checking info. Buccaneer & South Carolina Regions do this all the time to save on the MSR fees, and I have no idea if people are staying away from their events because they're required to bring checks or cash to the Registration window.

Here in Atlanta Region we feel the convenience (and processing fee) of being able to use a credit card brings in more racers than we'd lose by requiring checks or cash at the window, but of course we have no way of accurately measuring that. We've discussed the idea of offering a "cash discount" of something on the order of $25 but haven't implemented that option yet.

Bottom line, how things get set up in MSR (and what it costs) is up to the host region.

And no, I don't work for MSR but I very much like the flexibility their product gives us in setting up our events plus their quick response when we hit challenges - particularly compared to the other options out there.

Greg Amy

08-09-2011, 10:53 AM

Rabbit05

08-09-2011, 11:23 AM

It's already in the works...

Got a response from Barb L . this morning...they are working on a refund. :023:

pukka

08-09-2011, 01:21 PM

I had my own issues with MotorSportsReg for this WGI event (I got charged in advance, and I've yet to get a refund) but after spending some time with Barb Luther at the track and listening to their plight, I'm a bit more empathetic. The system is new to them, and they're very apologetic about the issues, but they are enthusiastic that long-term these bumps will get smoothed out and it won't happen again. Trust me, there's no intent there, it's all a matter of misunderstanding and the learning process.

Thanks Greg and Butch, for helping explain the situation. The NEDiv regions switched from an older system to MSR this season so for many of the volunteer teams, they're going through their first event or two and working through a lot of change. MSR is like a swiss army knife of tools for organizers and with flexibility comes the need for understanding: a lot of the blades look similar but they have specific uses! There will be a bump or two in the road, but we're working closely with them to minimize issues like this and I apologize for the hiccup and unexpected charges.

As to National building their own system - they considered it but it took several man-years of development to build what we have today and there is a significant on-going cost for customer service and operations. The regions would have to either pay National or pay us. I'm biased of course :), but I'd argue that National's core competency is not software and we're better positioned to create and maintain applications for organizers. This is the only thing we do, all day, every day. We are far from perfect but we try every day to get a little closer. Kind of like trying to hit every apex, every lap!

Brian, MSR Founder, SCCA Racer and Board Member

Greg Amy

08-09-2011, 05:28 PM

Another thought is that once you realize you were not going to run (I know, John, that you were there for the test day on Friday) that the best course of action would have been to to go MotorsportsReg and cancel your entry. I'm assuming you could have done that late in the game. Since they were running all cards after the event, had you done that you probably would not have been charged.

In my case of my card being charged in advance, apparently I had the poor timing of entering the event on the one day it was setup in Motorsports Reg to charge immediately...

Brian, I suggest that it may be in MSR's best interest to invest some time working closely with registrar on their first event. As a computer guy I recognize that a lot of failures are due to the seat-to-keyboard interface. But by the same token, as a business guy I recognize that MSR is the user interface that will be subjected to all the user complaints...case in point above. the investment may cost you a bit in the beginning, but the benefits will be eventually come forth.

GA

Rabbit05

08-10-2011, 06:55 AM

Greg,
Yeah, I should have looked into cancellation on the website..but that's 20/20 hindsight now.

Eh, now I know ...... the hard way as per usual.:(

pukka

08-10-2011, 02:02 PM

Brian, I suggest that it may be in MSR's best interest to invest some time working closely with registrar on their first event... the investment may cost you a bit in the beginning, but the benefits will be eventually come forth.

Greg - can't agree more. We send organizers a worksheet that they fill out and we actually set up their first event for them so they can take advantage of our knowledge in optimizing their event and getting it right. They go through video training and then we have a "buddy check" where we review any questions or changes they might have. Usually this goes smoothly but sometimes clubs aren't sure which direction they want to go (like deferred vs. real-time payments) and after making a decision, they forget to make the change. We're continuing to work on it.