HelloClub!!

The future of bridge has arrived. Cambridge becomes the first bridge club in the country to dispense with table money. It's such a cool system that we expect many others will follow once they hear of it.

Just as at the library or on an automated toll road members need pay no money when they come to play. Our clever scoring program knows who's been playing and will pass the charges on to HelloClub. Not only that but prize winners and directors will have their accounts credited with a free game.

So .. what is HelloClub? It's a website on which all our members have a personal account. This account is accessible by logging in to a very simple interface. You cannot view anyone else's account just as they cannot view yours. Only administrators can see all accounts. Once logged in to our dedicated site (recommend you bookmark it in your browser) you'll be able to do only three things:

• Edit your profile
• Check your balance and/or transactions
• Top up your account

Think of this account as your wallet. Just as everyone is expected to dip into their purse/wallet for some table money at present, or have a pre-paid voucher, with HelloClub you are expected to keep some funds in your wallet. You authorise the Cambridge Bridge Club to take only your table money from your wallet. From time to time you may see the club bill you for something - typically the annual sub or a new name badge or if you've bought a bidding pad for example. It is at your discretion when to pay these charges.

How to add funds to your wallet. You can pay our hard-working treasurer with cash or direct credit just as you do at present to buy vouchers. OR .. to save him lots and lots of work you can do it yourself from within HelloClub. This is by far the most desirable method. There is no time delay as there would be if you pay by cash or internet banking. Those methods involve Kevin identifying your payment on our bank account, making entries in his accounting software, and finding your HelloClub wallet so he can credit your funds to it. It could take a few days before your funds appear in your wallet if you choose to do it this way. HelloClub uses industry-standard interfaces so you can pay by POLi or credit card. No money goes through HelloClub's bank account. This is account-to-account stuff .. your money goes out of your bank account and appears in your HelloClub wallet instantaneously. If you use POLi the club picks up the fees. If you use credit card the bank will charge you fees in the order of 3-4%.

Let's have some pictures

Click on the blue Account tab on your home page. Alternatively, click on the three horizontal bars at top left of any page and then on Account. You will see

.....

All three tabs Transactions, Payments, Account Credit have the green CREDIT ACCOUNT box showing. Click that. Select an Amount. (Tip - you could get away with doing this only once or twice a year if you put a decent amount on at such times.) Next you choose either POLi or Credit Card .. and then, just follow your nose. The instructions are very good.

And that's about it. SO much pain sidestepped. Nobody really knows the hours and hours Kevin has lavished on the voucher scheme. Counting coins is irksome, cheques are so passe, banking and  reconciling table money for his ledger takes heaps of his precious time. HelloClub will slash those hours dramatically if everyone helps out by using POLi. The only identifiable downside is that some people will no longer have the means to launder winnings from 20c poker machines.

For added convenience check out how to add HelloClub to your phone.