"It makes it very easy for the people paying"

Interview with Ivan Rettig. Photos by Blasorchester Feldmusik Neuenkirch

 

 

What’s your organization’s mission?

We’re a first-level music association specializing in music for wind instruments. There’s the top level, and then there are first to third levels. For us it’s a hobby; we're not professional musicians. Apart from our conductor, of course. But we strive to really be at the top of the first level. There are two music groups in our village. The other one is more of a brass band, so no woodwind instruments. We, on the other hand, also have woodwind, such as flute and clarinet, so we can play very different kinds of wind arrangements.

 

What challenges led you to RaiseNow?

We’d been talking about TWINT payments for quite some time. It started at smaller, internal events. When our members had to pay something, I used TWINT on my private phone for every payment. But then I had to transfer it somehow. And then came the pandemic, and we wondered what would be the easiest way to process payments at concerts or similar events. So I called TWINT support. I found out that there’s a limit to how much you can use your private phone for something like that, but that RaiseNow was offering TWINT payments using QR codes.

And yes, QR code payments are a very easy option. Of course it’s not completely free, but it makes it very secure for the payer. I then read up on how to open an account, and tried it out.

 

How did the first steps using RaiseNow TWINT feel for you?

I had a very good impression right from the start. The RaiseNow cockpit is very clear and modern, so I could get straight into it. The two-factor authentication by text message makes you feel secure, and I know that our data is in good hands. Usability is very good, too. It’s very easy to create QR codes, and in the cockpit you always have a good overview.

 

Which of the various solutions do you use?

I started with a single QR code, where you could enter first name, last name, address and email address, for example for donations. Later, I created different QR codes so that we always know where the payment has come from. So one for the website, one for refreshments, and so on. By doing it that way, I can see relatively quickly in the evaluation which QR code was scanned, and therefore where the payments came in.

For refreshments at concerts I set up the QR code so that you only need to enter the amount and it gets paid. And for the concert ticket desk, I have an additional QR code where you can transfer 20 francs directly.

We also had a tombola that I created a separate QR code for. I’d also created one for the bar, but unfortunately we couldn’t set it up due to the pandemic.

 

How did people react to being able to pay for their admission with TWINT?

It wasn’t used all that much, because lots of people had already purchased their tickets online in advance. But we had lots of funds coming in via the QR code for the refreshments. Lots of people used that.

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Do you also take a peek at the RaiseNow cockpit during such events?

Not during the event itself, but with the two concerts where we used QR codes, I looked at the result the same evening or the next morning and downloaded the Excel sheet. Then I could see at a glance which amounts had come from refreshments, the tombola, etc, and I could evaluate the payments pretty quickly. That was really great.

 

Do you also use RaiseNow TWINT for membership fees?

Not so far. Until now, I’ve been using online banking for that. Also for financial reasons, because it does cost a bit.

 

Which challenges did you face?

Creating the QR codes wasn’t a problem. That’s really easy. The challenge was deciding how best to print them. What size. Or whether I should laminate them. Things like that.

I printed out and laminated cards for the staff serving refreshments, so they could have them in their wallet or on the tray. And for the ticket desk I simply printed out the QR codes.

 

How did your members react to the use of QR codes?

The QR codes went down pretty well; actually, all of the feedback has been positive. Lots of our older members, too, know how to pay by TWINT QR, and they make use of the option. So it’s not just young people. It’s not that we’re already receiving 90% of our payments via TWINT, but about 20% I would say.

 

Are the fees for RaiseNow TWINT worth it?

Yes, I think so. Particularly these days it’s good if we can offer it. And it’s also a bit more modern, somehow. It costs something, of course, but if it means that you can encourage people to donate more quickly, then it’s already a win, isn’t it?

 

When are you going to use RaiseNow TWINT next?

Definitely at our concerts, that’s actually the main thing. The next one is a children’s concert in March. Then we always have a spring concert, although this year that’s going to be a music competition in Emmen. And then our next main concert in December.

Those are our primary events, where we definitely want to work with RaiseNow TWINT. Or, for example, when we’re looking for concert supporters or for donations. And we’ll continue to use it on our website.

 

 

 

Ivan, we thank you very much for your success story and wish you and your club continued success!