One week in

The issues with my registration system have gone from bad to worse. My complaining email was not met with an apology but a shift to a faceless support team, who fixed one problem but then created others. I managed to get a training call yesterday, which seemed promising - the trainer taught me to do some essential things, namely run reports, so now at least I can access the information. I was starting to feel like maybe I could make this system work at least to get me through this year before I can come up with something better...until I casually asked when I should set up a training for their check in system (what happens when 1300+ people flood in to my event Friday night at the hotel) and they said, “you didn’t say you needed a check in system. That’s not set up for you.” First of all, that was the main thing I talked about with the first person I dealt with. Once again, somehow this very important information was never passed on to anyone, and me, not knowing this, never thought I needed to bring it up. After a few panicked emails it was revealed that I will now have to personally go into each of 500 people’s registrations and set them up for some kind of check in system. 

That’s it. I’m officially out. 

It’s been a flurry of phone calls, texts, and google searches all week as I frantically tried to find another registration system I can switch to. I have some decent leads...one I’m doing a demo with tomorrow, another I should get a link to a demo tonight. Both have problems, however. One may not be workable at all for me because it’s too simple; the other is very expensive and requires people set up a membership on their system which I’m not a fan of. But I’m willing to check them out before I make a determination.

In other surprising news, I have pursued the option of buying last year’s system, and today the owner got back to me with a price that was very reasonable. The guy who helped me with my website and a techie friend of his are going to check out the system to see if it’s worthwhile for them to go in on it with me. It’s really a question of is the system good enough and will they get paid enough for the many hours of work maintaining it will bring. I certainly hope they go for it because it would mean a free registration system for my use from now on, one I like and know works, and even a possible side hustle if we choose to license it out to people. So I’m really pushing for this result. Few people will sign up in the next couple of months, so I would hope if we buy this system they can set me up for this year. But all of this is a long shot. 

It’s been insanely stressful. The utter frustration and sick feeling of disappointment that comes from knowing you put your trust into something - a company, a contractor, a lawyer, a doctor, whatever - and were let down and betrayed by that person or system, is truly horrible. Fortunately I caught it early, and this system does in fact work for the average user, so few people know I’m having issues. People are still signing up.

I have not, however, seen a dime of my money yet. I know last year the deposit took a few days, too, so I’m not worried...yet. But boy am I clamoring to pay some bills!!

I’m hoping the stress ball in my stomach releases soon and I stop having nightmares. 

Not much happened with the kitchen this week - but I do now have a working sink, garbage disposal and dishwasher. I’ve used the dishwasher twice, and it’s amazing. It’s a bit inconvenient to walk dishes back and forth between two rooms, but hopefully that won’t be the case for much longer. We’re just waiting on those goddam windows. Once those are in everything else can happen - trim, tiling, eating area, stove, refrigerator, wallpaper, finish electric. Two weeks, three weeks more? It’s hard to say. I sure hope this doesn’t stretch into March.