Youth sports organizations are crucial in shaping young athletes' lives and fostering their passion for sports. However, disputes over charges can occasionally arise, leaving parents, players, and organization leaders in a difficult situation. Effectively handling these disputes is essential to maintaining trust and transparency within your community.
The first step in resolving any dispute is effective communication. Create an open line of communication with the party concerned, whether it's a parent, player, or guardian. Here are some tips on how to go about it:
Communication is Key
Contact the Account: Reach out promptly to the person disputing the charge. A phone call or email works, depending on your organization's preferred method of communication; however, to document your interactions, email is recommended.
Listen Actively: When speaking with individuals, listen carefully to their concerns. Encourage them to express their grievances and be empathetic to their situation.
Explain Your Policies: Clearly articulate your organization's charges, payments, and refund policies. Ensure they understand the terms they agreed to during registration.
Offer a Resolution: If appropriate and feasible, offer a solution addressing their concerns. This solution could include a partial refund, credit towards future programs, or fee adjustment.
Require a Financial Agreement During Registration
Always have a Financial Waiver/Agreement within your Registration Process: This Agreement/Waiver should include items like when/how/to whom refunds will or will not be issued, notification rules/requirements for desired drop-out dates, injury/illness refunding policies, seasonal cancellations, etc.
Keep agreements current: Update this agreement for each calendar year or season to have the most up-to-date electronic signatures possible. Having a Financial Requirements Waiver/Agreement signed for each season will help you have substantial evidence to submit in case of a dispute.
Stay Organized:
Document everything: Keep a detailed record of all communication, including emails, phone calls, and in-person meetings related to the dispute. A paper trail can be invaluable if the situation escalates or if you need to reference previous conversations.
Combine your Evidence: By combining your evidence into a single document, you can include more information within one document for the bank to review. Formatting your evidence in a document can help highlight important information for the banks to review. Consider using bullet points, screenshots, circles/arrows or callout boxes along with clear product descriptions.
- Remember, banks evaluating the dispute won’t review any external content, so don’t include
- Audio/video files
- Requests to call or email for more information
- Links to click for further information (for example, file downloads or link to tracking information)
Handling a disputed charge in your youth sports organization can be challenging, but it's essential to maintaining trust and transparency within your community. By prioritizing open communication, reviewing and updating policies, and documenting interactions, you can resolve disputes effectively and ensure a positive experience for all participants. Remember that a well-handled dispute can strengthen your organization's reputation and relationships in the long run.
About Kristin Weingarden
Kristin was a competitive gymnast for 15 years and an NCGA Qualifier from 2002-2005 while at Hamline University in Minnesota. She has coached at Mahtomedi High School since 2005—winning Assistant Coach of the Year honors in 2012, 2014, and 2019—and also coached at Hamline University from 2012-2014. Kristin is a current USAG judge. Kristin now lends her experience as an Account Manager for SportEngine Motion.
Connect with Kristin Weingarden