How To Increase Program Enrollment While Helping Residents Fight Inflation

Oakbrook Terrace Park District Finds A Way To Better Serve The Public And Improve Its Own Status

By Caryn Andrews*

During last fall's program registration it was suggested that the park district offer some type of discount to those people who register for several programs at one time. This suggestion was made by a resident who consistently registered for many programs each session. The staff started giving this idea some thought, trying to come up with an original and very appealing method of offering discounts. In looking through other park district brochures to see if anyone else offered discounts, all we ran across was the occasional offer to families registering two people for the same program, with the second person receiving a price break. This idea is fine for those who can benefit from it, however it does not allow for any type of discount for people who do not happen to fall into this one particular situation. Our park district wanted to find a way to encourage individuals as well as families to register for as many programs as they wanted, and to give them a larger discount when they signed up for more classes.

After many hours of discussion (and many torn up sheets of paper) we came up with our "Inflation Fighter Discount" program. Although the title may not be very original, when it was used as the heading in large letters of the middle pages of our next brochure it certainly caught a lot of people's attention.

Our idea was to offer a 10% discount to those individuals and families registering for over a certain dollar amounts' worth of programs. For example, in the summer most of our classes run eight weeks and usually cost $11.00. Anyone registering for at least $30.00 worth of programs (at least three classes) would be eligible for the Inflation Fighters Discount.

Using the discount, an individual or family can now register for three programs, spending $33.00 and will have $3.30 subtracted from their total fee, bringing the price down to $29.70.

The bookkeeping end of this project took some time to set up, but after discussing several ideas we have been able to iron out all the details of writing receipts, giving refunds, and keeping all the necessary financial records of the classes.

Developing the Inflation Fighters idea was planned to get people to take advantage of more programs. We then used this idea in cooperation with our existing system to encourage early registration. We had been successfully getting people to register early for classes by listing in our brochure the basic class price, followed by the price with a $4.00 increase after a set date (usually one week prior to the class starting date). Example: Gymnastics fee: $11.00 ($15.00 after June 15). Also, to encourage early registration, people are only given the Inflation Fighter Discount if they register before the late registration date listed in the brochure.

Inflation Fighters Discounts The park district will now offer special rates to those people who take advantage of many of our programs. Any individual or family registering on one registration ticket which has programs totaling $30.00 or more will receive a 10% discount. This discount applies to regular programs only — trips and special events are not included, and out-of-district fees may not be used to add to program totals. This special discount only applies to those registering on or before June 12. EXAMPLE: Programs totaling $30.00 will receive a $3.00 discount; Programs totaling $55.00 will receive a $5.50 discount; Programs totaling $73.00 will receive a $7.30 discount. We are pleased to announce this new Inflation Fighter Registration Program and hope you will take advantage of it. By registering early for many programs, the savings can really add up! For example: the following program figures are based on LATE registration, and registered at different times on separate registration tickets: Listed below is the page from our brochure explaining the new program to our participants. Husband —     Tennis Lessons $20.00 Wife-     Slim Shop 16.00 Son —     Sports Camp 15.00 Daughter—      Cooking 20.00 TOTAL $71.00 These are the prices if the family had registered by June 12, and signed up at the same time on one registration ticket for THE SAME PROGRAMS: Husband—     Tennis Lessons $16.00 Wife—     Slim Shop 12.00 Son—     Sports Camp 11.00 Daughter—      Cooking 16.00 TOTAL $55.00 Minus 10% Discount -5.50 FINAL COST $49.50 This family of four can now save $21.50 with this new plan. Please feel free to call the park district at 627-6100 if you have any questions.

Illinois Parks and Recreation   28   May/June 1983

Developing the inflation fighters idea was planned to get people to take advantage of more programs. We then used this idea in cooperation with our existing system to encourage early registration."

Although it may appear that the park district could lose a lot of money on this discount program, it has definitely worked to our benefit at the Oakbrook Terrace Park District. With 10% being deducted from a total bill, when it is actually broken down by program there is not a great loss. A class costing $11.00 will cost $9.90 with the discount. We have found that these small losses have been absorbed by the increased number of participants in each class.

This past fall was the second season we offered this discount system. During these two seasons the average percentage of people taking advantage of the Inflation Fighters Discount program was 35%. We have also seen substantial increases in program participation as well as in the percentages of programs being held. Last fall 88% of the programs we offered were held. We attribute this success to the implementation of our Inflation Fighters Discount program. It has proven to be beneficial for both the park district and its participants.

*Caryn Andrews is Superintendent of Recreation Oakbrook Terrace Park District. Villa Park, Illinois.

**NOTE: If anyone is interested in more details about Inflation Fighter Discounts, contact Caryn Andrews at the Oakbrook Terrace Park District.

1. S. 325 Ardmore Ave., Villa Park, IL 60181 (Ph. 312/627-6100).

Illinois Parks and Recreation    29    May/June 1983