Background:
I am one of 3 people who run a sci fi/fantasy literary convention in my town. It's not big, but it's well regarded and well attended by some of the BIG names in sci fi/fantasy literature. (Think that big HBO show everyone is all happy about, yeah that author lives here so this is his local convention). We're not like comc con with big media guests, or ridiculous amounts of people , or even much cosplay (dress up as specific characters) but our convention is pretty awesome which is why I help out. We're 100% volunteer run, no one gets anything for pouring their time and effort into this which is essentially a year long process.
On to the story:
Today the convention got an email
"I was just going purchase a Dealers booth online, but I cannot for the life of me find a shopping cart, paypal button or anything? You do realize this is Two Thousand and Thirteen. You can get a Big Cartel shopping cart for free.... with up to 3 items. A paypal button is insanely easy to set up. You have no excuses. Please get your shine-ola together. This reflects badly on your convention. You can run the whole show from a smartphone now. "
I immediately got pissed. While we were a bit behind the times for a number of years, I've made great strides in getting the co-presidents on board with HUGE changes in the last 5 years. For example, they've been so against it for the last 40 years that last year, 2012, was the first year we accepted credit cards for passes during the convention itself. I know right? Anyhow, I digress. We have a specific reason for doing what we do in regards to the dealer's room. And so I replied to him, carefully and professionally.
"I'm sorry that you do not find our way of doing things to your liking. Currently the Dealer's room for (our convention) requires a mailed in and signed contract and payment before confirmation can be obtained. This paper format is due to legal and liability restrictions in the contract, a limit to the amount of book dealers in the Dealer's room itself and our more hands on approach based on what the Dealer's we've worked with in the past have requested.
While we are aware of the year we are in, and the ease that some things are set up and available to us, unfortunately in this particular regard we are not in agreement with you regarding the automation of the Dealer's room process."
Figuring that would put an end to it, I was quite surprised to find this response 5 minutes later...
"Anyone at this very moment can purchase plane tickets and fly to another country with just their cellphone. You have no excuses. If I can access all the money in my account electronically.... your convention has no excuses. Fire your web designer, and evolve. You have had 40+ years to embrace technology. It's embarrassing. "
It just made me so ANGRY. First and foremost, who is he to get all bent out of shape about the way we run our convention? Secondly, if he has such strong opinions on how it should be run, why isn't he volunteering his time? Thirdly, embarrassing to him? How so? He has never participated in , nor purchased a dealer's space in the past, how can he possibly be embarrased by how we have things set up?
At this point I chose not to reply and sent it on to the co-presidents advising that if he still choses to send in a contract and payment they'd be returned as my choice to exercise our right to refuse service to anyone.
I'm all about constructive feedback, he could have very easily worded this more appropriately to be heard and considered in the best light. Heck we might have even asked him to help us out if he felt so strongly about it. But condecension and outright insults aren't going to endear me to anyone.
Of course I'm at my regular job while this is happening and it's just making me angry, thankfully the first person to call me after this exchange of emails doesn't really care how I answer my phone because he just laughed at me and asked, "Ok who did what?"
April 2013 March Siggy - Bridesmaid Dress
