NARPO will be issuing a new style membership card to all existing and future members in early January 2012.
The National Executive Committee has given some considerable thought to how we might improve and modernise the image of our organisation. Most recently the Executive Committee has considered the membership card itself and we felt that a more durable card with a modern design could help in improving that image for new and existing members alike.
We hope that members will find this card more convenient than the card it replaces. As you may know many of the advice lines and service providers, which we provide for members, require a membership number before they will complete any transaction. In the past this has led to many members calling us for that number. We hope that a more durable card, which is similar to a credit card in size, will be more convenient for them to retain in a handy place. The front of the card contains the member name and number. We believe this new card will help to reduce those calls and speed up access to advice and other services.
Most, if not all, of the services we offer are outlined on our website, which also contains significant advice on pensions and contact details for local branches amongst other things. The reverse of the card has all the National Office contact details and our website address, which we hope will make contacting us quicker and easier.
The production and circulation of cards for existing members is being handled for us by the company which has supplied the new card system. Their clients include many well known British institutions including the B.B.C, HMRC, DVLA and Greater Manchester Police.
We are hoping for a smooth transition to this new card system but recognise that in circulating cards to 82,000 existing members there may be the occasional problem but we are confident with your help we will be able to resolve these in relatively short time.
New members are being issued with the new cards as from 30 November 2011.