# How were we supposed to find out about this (now-expired) policy?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-were-we-supposed-to-find-out-about-this-now-expired-policy/688967>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [May 21, 2014, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-were-we-supposed-to-find-out-about-this-now-expired-policy/688967 "2014-05-21T22:17:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 36

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**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\
**Post date:** [May 26, 2014, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-were-we-supposed-to-find-out-about-this-now-expired-policy/688967/36 "2014-05-26T13:59:01Z")

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Back in April I started [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=719916) noting that I’d received less than 48 hours notification of my membership expiration. Yeah, I know it’s only Member, not Charter, and renewal even after expiration resolves it completely. But it still seems like a poor business model for retaining members, especially when guest status and adblock are so easy.

In my field (charitable organizations), retaining members is critically important, and retaining long term members is most important of all. We go out of our way to make it easy, not complicated, obscure, and unforgiving.

And I’ll further note that the only staff member who replied at all said:

> [@A word about timeliness](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-word-about-timeliness/685185/2):
>
> I’m not in the inner circle, so take what I say as my opinion only. Hopefully, an Admin will be along to comment more authoritatively.
> 
> The renewal system has never been a great one. In the past, I can remember notices going out even later. :eek:
> 
> This is one of the worst features of the Board. I don’t know if it will ever be remedied.
> 
> Just be thankful you weren’t impacted.
> 
> On the plus side, **tubadiva** has quite often been able to overide the system and make sure people aren’t penalized when these things happen, even after their subscription expired.

Apparently even this rather low level of “customer support” has now been withdrawn. Foolishly, IMHO.

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