Guide/Vouchers
From Convention Master Documentation
Voucher System
Released in version 10.1.0 the voucher system is designed to be a system which will allow events to provide gift-card like functionality to CM.
What Are Vouchers
Vouchers are coupon-like codes that can be generated by the event and used by attendees to pay for their memberships or items in their cart. These vouchers can be either assigned to a specific customer, or unlocked and open for anyone who knows the voucher code to use. These vouchers are similar to gift cards in that they retain their balance and can be used until the balance is run dry, or until the voucher expires. Whichever comes first. Vouchers become a type of payment, and can be used to pay for anything the customer needs to pay, no restrictions on what a voucher can be used to pay for is available.
Vouchers are:
- Assignable [Optional] - Vouchers can be either assigned and usable only by once individual, or can be un-assigned and used by anyone who knows the voucher code.
- Lockable to event [Optional] - Vouchers can either be locked so they can only be used at one event, or can be unlocked and used at any (or many) events.
- Balance Driven - Vouchers retain their Un-Used balance. If the voucher was issued for 15.00, and 10.00 was spent, the voucher remains spendable for a additional 5.00.
- Able to Expire [Optional] - Vouchers can be set to expire at a specific date.
- NOT Coupon Codes - Vouchers are not like coupon codes, they can not do things like "Two for one" or "free membership" or "free t-shirt". Since vouchers cannot be linked to particular products or membership. Vouchers can be issued in the amount of a t-shirt or in the amount of a membership, but there is no mechanism that will force the voucher money to be spent on those particular products.
Example Use Cases
- Competition Prizes - A voucher can be made for a dance comp winner with a value. This voucher could be set to the following year, and would be set to not be locked to any specific individual. Then this voucher code could be used to pay for one (or more than one) membership at the following year. The voucher could be provided to the dance comp winner and they if they so choose could give their voucher to a friend.
- Staff Comps - If a convention uses the volunteer hour tracking, they could make a filter that grabs all the people who are eligable for a free membership in the following year. They can then use the mass-mailing tool to not only contact all those staff, but generate unique voucher codes for each staff member. These voucher codes could be set to the value of the lowest level membership. Each staffer then gets the email notifying them that they have a voucher. They can go through the registration kiosk, and select any level of membership. They would then be given the ability to redeem their voucher, and then use normal payment methods to pay off the remaining balance if they owed any additional money.
- Promotional Discount Cards - A series of 5$ vouchers could be generated and printed. Then, you could go around other events and give away these cards, anyone using them could get $5 their registration costs.
- Rollover - A convention could refund a membership for one year, and issue a voucher to use for the future years.
- Membership Transfer - A convention could refund the first persons membership, and then issue a non-assigned voucher to the customer that they could then give to any other customer. Or if the customer requesting the transfer knows who the money will be transfered to, the voucher could be issued to the new customer (if they attended previous years)