It is hard to believe that another year is ahead of us. Now is the time to take stock of the year that has passed and set goals for the year to come. As we ring in 2017, your Membership Department has a request to make. But first, a little background:

Travel with me, if you will, back to the days before Weavers Way was two stores, going on three, before there was a Next Door and an Across the Way, to the days when the Mt. Airy counters were not so shiny and the first register, opposite the dairy case, did not exist. Many of us remember rounding that corner, to rifle thumb a drawer in search of our ledger card. It was only six years ago that we still had hand-written member cards — stacks and stacks of hand-written member cards that shoppers pulled before they made their way to a cashier, and that a cooperator refiled at the end of each day.

Opening a second store meant that our system of paper cards had to change. Enter the shiny new plastic member cards that we distributed before Chestnut Hill opened. What a great idea! A set of cards that members could carry with them, one for their wallet and a fob for their key ring, making it a breeze for cashiers to scan and identify a member’s number — no more hours spent writing hundreds of numbers in red marker for me and no more fumbling through drawers for you. I spent a few days in the store swapping out ledger cards for swanky new plastic ones. We all laughed at ourselves, catching up to a trend that had already long been in use. Sometimes, that’s how we roll!

Here is what I have learned, however: Co-op members would rather not fuss with a plastic card. (Ironically, it seems we didn’t mind slowing down checkout to flip through the drawers, but pulling out a key card is too much trouble.) Instead, most opt to just tell the cashier their member number.

This casual approach is not without its down sides. First, there is the possibility of human error; a cashier can hear or enter the wrong number and members sometimes mangle their numbers themselves. As a result, you may not receive your discounts or get patronage credit for your purchase. And worse still, your equity may be credited to the wrong household. When errors are discovered, we correct them, of course, but it takes precious time. Meanwhile, other errors may go uncorrected.

Then there is a larger concern related to protecting members’ identities as well as their EasyPay house accounts. Verbally conveying a member number necessitates that the cashier confirm the member’s identity, usually by stating the Primary Cooperator’s name. This is the best way to ensure that we are using the correct member number. Some members have told me they are uneasy about having both their member number and name spoken out loud at the checkout, especially if they have EasyPay funds.

Management has gone back and forth about how to handle these issues while keeping the checkout process efficient, friendly, equitable and trustworthy. There are few solutions that tick every box.

So here is where you can make a difference, dear member: Make a New Year’s resolution to bring your member card or fob when you shop, and present it at the register. We will scan it, ensuring accurate identification with no need to call out your number or your name. Your identity, and your funds, are secure.

I resolve to put my Weavers Way member card to good use in 2017. How about you?

Can’t find your member card? Need a new one? Contact me for a replacement: Email member@weaversway.coop or call 215-843-2350, ext. 119.