Re: A gentle reminder....
My not-so-humble opinion is that you don't fix it if it ain't broke, and I recommend that we stick with our justified and sensible caution.
Remember, this policy is designed to PREVENT abuse or raiding the provisions, and it has done so. We have not had problems. While you are doing your market research, find out how many of the other fleets can say the same thing. We have recently had a raid on our fleet bank by two people who joined, took as much stuff as they could, quit, and then joined new fleets the same day. Propping open the door of the vault at the store that is next-door to the bank that was just burgled seems insanely foolish.
As for the recruitment issue, our numbers are consistently around 500 members and we are continually kicking out inactive members to make room for new ones. Our numbers aren't dwindling. We aren't having problems funding our projects or getting people to our events. So exactly why does it matter what other fleet recruiters say? We don't have a recruitment problem.
As for the point that other fleets "allow anyone in the fleet to buy directly from the stores", I would point out that we also do that. In fact, every fleet does that because buying directly from the store is the only way to buy from the store. We just monitor and control it. But every time I have wanted something from the fleet provisions, I have had no trouble "buying directly from the store". So, if you are talking to a potential member, feel free to truthfully say that we do indeed "allow any member to buy directly from the store". Because we do. We just have to do it in the proper way. No big deal.
"Everyone else is doing it" is almost never a good reason to do something. I urge we stay the course.
Remember, this policy is designed to PREVENT abuse or raiding the provisions, and it has done so. We have not had problems. While you are doing your market research, find out how many of the other fleets can say the same thing. We have recently had a raid on our fleet bank by two people who joined, took as much stuff as they could, quit, and then joined new fleets the same day. Propping open the door of the vault at the store that is next-door to the bank that was just burgled seems insanely foolish.
As for the recruitment issue, our numbers are consistently around 500 members and we are continually kicking out inactive members to make room for new ones. Our numbers aren't dwindling. We aren't having problems funding our projects or getting people to our events. So exactly why does it matter what other fleet recruiters say? We don't have a recruitment problem.
As for the point that other fleets "allow anyone in the fleet to buy directly from the stores", I would point out that we also do that. In fact, every fleet does that because buying directly from the store is the only way to buy from the store. We just monitor and control it. But every time I have wanted something from the fleet provisions, I have had no trouble "buying directly from the store". So, if you are talking to a potential member, feel free to truthfully say that we do indeed "allow any member to buy directly from the store". Because we do. We just have to do it in the proper way. No big deal.
"Everyone else is doing it" is almost never a good reason to do something. I urge we stay the course.
