Convincing Your Treasurer: 6 Questions About a New Membership System

Don't let financial concerns stop you from modernising your organisation. This comprehensive guide provides you with clear, concise answers to your treasurer's six most important questions on online payments, automated invoicing, accounting, and vital member data security. Learn how to present a confident case, address concerns, and get the committee buy-in you need to transition to a new membership system and streamline your finances.

Remember when you were a kid and you really wanted to do a particular activity or get a certain toy? But you were a child, with no money or ability to get anywhere by yourself, so you had to come up with a whole pitch to your parents on why you should be allowed XYZ? I remember presenting an entire speech to my parents about all the ways that being allowed to go to horse riding lessons would improve me as a person, how it could count as birthday and Christmas presents and of course all the chores and jobs I’d do in return. I think I even volunteered to feed and clean up after the alpacas, chickens, and goats for months in return for those horse riding lessons.

Well, pitching a new membership system isn’t so different; you are approaching the people who hold your organisation’s purse strings and pitching to them how this new system will help your organisation improve and grow stronger and better. 

One member of your committee who will have many questions, in particular, is your treasurer. 

Your treasurer's job is fundamentally different from the average committee member's. They are wired to see risk and cost, not necessarily the shiny new features. Their role is to be sceptical and protect the organisation's finances, which is why their questions are often the hardest to answer. They're not being difficult; they're just doing their job.

The good news is that this article provides the key to a smooth and painless conversation. We've heard all the questions before, and we're giving you the answers you'll need to confidently address their concerns. So, let's go over the six questions your treasurer is going to ask you.

Question 1. How Do We Receive Money For Online Transactions?

It's a fundamental question: how do you get paid? It's natural to be a little bit worried about what happens to your money when people pay you through a new system; you want to know how it all works, what's involved, and how long it takes for the cash to land in your bank account.

It’s an important question and one you will definitely get asked, so let’s get to the answer.  

Answer 1

The Member Jungle system uses the Stripe payment gateway, which is one of the biggest and most reliable payment processors out there. This is great for a few reasons; it means it's super secure, and you have complete control over your money.

You'll need to have an existing Stripe account or set one up; it's a pretty straightforward process. Once your account is set up and connected to Member Jungle, all online payments, whether for membership fees, event tickets, or merchandise, will be processed through the Stripe gateway. The funds from these transactions are then held in your Stripe account before being paid out directly to your nominated bank account.

You can set the payout schedule to suit your needs.  Payout speeds can vary depending on the country, but your first payout usually takes 7-14 days after the first payment is received. After that, it's much faster.

In short, all transactions made through your Member Jungle site are securely processed by Stripe, and you get paid on a schedule you choose.

For more information on how to set up your payment gateway with Member Jungle, read Setting up and Managing Your Payment Gateway.

For the inside scoop on why we use the Stripe payment gateway in the first place, check out Why The Member Jungle System Uses Stripe's Payment Gateway.

Question 2. How Does Invoicing for Membership Dues Work? Are We Still Doing It Manually?

Chasing up membership dues can be a real pain, especially for your treasurer or bookkeeper. When you’re considering a new system, you need to be sure it will make this process as painless as possible.

Answer 2

With Member Jungle, you can wave goodbye to manual invoicing for annual fees. The system is designed to handle it all for you automatically.

As a member’s expiration date approaches, the system automatically sends them email reminders. Members can log in to their accounts, pay their fees online, and their membership is instantly renewed. Their account is automatically updated with the new expiration date, and their status is marked as a current member. You’ll also get an email notification once the renewal is complete. The money then goes into your bank account via the Stripe process we’ve already talked about.

This whole process happens without your treasurer having to lift a finger. They can even log in to their accounts at any time to view and access the invoices. This automation saves your team a massive amount of time, freeing them up to focus on the things that actually matter.

Question 3. How Do We Access Transaction Information For Accounting?

It's not the most thrilling subject, but accounting is vital for any club or association. Your treasurer will definitely want to know how the new system handles it, and we've got a few straightforward options to help them get the data they need for tax time and reporting.

Answer 3

In fact, there are three different ways you can export payment information out of the Member Jungle system for accounting purposes, so let’s cover them. 

Option 1: Export a CSV for your accounting software

You can easily export all your transaction data directly from your Site Payments report as a CSV file. This file can be imported directly into Xero, and it’s also compatible with other accounting software like MYOB and Quickbooks. You can enter your account codes to ensure your data is transferred into the correct chart of accounts. 

For more information on how this all works, read Payment Reports & Export to Accounting Software.

 

 

Option 2: Record Journal Transactions

With Member Jungle, you can automatically issue invoices for membership and store, courses, ticket purchases, etc. You may now find that having the same information in your accounting software is double-handling. With Member Jungle, members and administrators can log in anytime and access all invoices. The members can access their personal invoices, and the administrators can access all the organisation’s invoices. So there may be no need to have them in both places.

You can view detailed reports on product sales, memberships purchased, and tickets sold for each event. This often provides enough information to satisfy legal and tax requirements without cluttering your accounting software with every single transaction.

Option 3: Use Your Own Stripe Gateway

You can set up your Stripe account to have a direct feed into your accounting software, a perfect option if your accounting software offers a direct integration with Stripe, as Xero does. This method ensures that all your Member Jungle transactions are shared directly with your accounting software, complete with a detailed breakdown of each item. This makes reconciling your accounts a breeze, saving you valuable time and effort.

Question 4. Can We Still Process Physical Payments? 

Not all your members are going to want to pay for things online, and some situations may still call for cash payments. For that reason, your treasurer will want to know if and how you can take manual payment methods.

Answer 4

The Member Jungle system still allows you to take cash and direct deposit payments and track them easily through the system, like any other payment. An administrator can process a manual payment directly within the system. This is useful for payments taken in person. The system will then automatically generate and send an invoice to the member, and the transaction is recorded instantly against their account for easy tracking. You can also include your organisation's account details on the invoice to make direct transfers easier for your members.

You can also enable manual payment methods on your website, allowing members to select direct deposit or cash at checkout. This gives them the freedom to pay in a way that suits them. However, it's important to remember that since the system cannot automatically track these payments, you will need to manually reconcile them with your bank account.

While this manual option provides excellent flexibility for your members, it does add a bit of extra work for you. It's an important feature to have, but for the sake of your time, it's always best to encourage members to use the automated online options where possible.

 

 

Question 5. How Do Transaction Fees Work?

Transaction fees, also known as online gateway fees, are a part of all online payments. Your treasurer will want to know exactly how they work with Member Jungle, so let’s get into the details.

Answer 5

There are two components to the fees you'll see. First, there are the Stripe fees, which are their standard rates for processing the payment, which may vary based on the country you are in. Second, there are the Member Jungle platform fees, which vary depending on the package you sign up for; the more expensive the package, the lower the fees. We charge platform fees to cover the cost of maintaining direct integration with your Stripe account.

Both the Stripe and Member Jungle fees can be handled in one of two ways. You can either absorb the costs or you can choose to pass them on at the time of purchase. It's a common practice to pass fees on, which is similar to how many other online ticketing and membership platforms operate. You can also choose different options for different types of purchases, so you can absorb the fees for membership renewals, but pass them on for event tickets. 

Essentially, you have full control over whether your organisation or your members cover the cost of the online transaction fees.

If you want to learn more about how to organise how your fees work, check out Payment Settings.

Question 6. How Do We Know Our Members' Financial Data is Secure?

This is non-negotiable in the world of online payments; it's crucial to ensure that your members' payment details are secure. Stored in a way that is convenient for them but is, above all else, secure. So, let’s cover all you and your treasurer are going to need to know about it. 

Answer 6

At Member Jungle, we believe that the safest way to handle your members’ payment details is not to handle them at all. When a member enters their credit card information during a payment, that data is not stored on our servers. Instead, it is sent directly to Stripe’s secure servers. The Member Jungle system stores an ID token, which is used to retrieve the member’s stored payment details from Stripe for any future purchases.

This is a key point; we don’t touch any of the payment information. We use Stripe, a global leader in online payments, which is certified as a PCI DSS Level 1 Service Provider. This is the highest and most stringent level of certification available in the payments industry. It ensures that your members' payment information is as secure as possible whenever they pay online at your organisation.

What About The Other Committee Members? 

Your treasurer won’t be the only committee member with questions, but there’s no need to stress. We’ve got you covered there, too. 

To get more information on how to convince your entire committee to get on board with your plan, have a look at How To Convince Your Committee To Sign Up With Member Jungle. 

To find out how getting your committee involved in the free trial of Member Jungle will help you out in the long run, have a read of Why You Should Involve Your Committee Members In Your Member Jungle Trial.