Best Practices for Terms and Conditions

Introduction

When creating Terms and Conditions documents for your organization, it's important to follow best practices to ensure that the documents are clear, enforceable, and effective in communicating your organization’s policies. Below are some recommendations and examples to help you get the most out of the Terms and Conditions feature in Pool Queue.

1. Cover All Necessary Topics

Make sure your Terms and Conditions documents comprehensively address all relevant topics. Common examples include:

• Code of Conduct: Outline the behavioral expectations for participants, including rules for sportsmanship, communication, and interactions with staff and other members.
• Media Consent: Obtain consent for the use of photos, videos, or other media that may feature participants, whether for promotional materials or social media.
• Communication Policy: Set guidelines for how and when communication will occur between the organization and participants, including the use of email, phone calls, and messaging apps.
• Discipline Policy: Clearly define the consequences for violating the organization’s rules, including procedures for warnings, suspensions, or expulsions.

Each document should be specific to the needs of your organization and tailored to the rosters it applies to.

2. Use Clear and Simple Language

Write your documents in clear, straightforward language. Avoid legal jargon or overly complex sentences, as these can be confusing for registrants. Instead, focus on making the terms as understandable as possible.

• Example: Instead of saying "Participants are required to comply with all regulations as stipulated in the organizational code," try "Participants must follow all the rules in our Code of Conduct."

3. Keep Documents Up to Date

Regularly review and update your Terms and Conditions documents to reflect any changes in your organization’s policies or external regulations. This ensures that your documents remain relevant and legally compliant.

• Tip: Use the revision history feature in Pool Queue to track changes and keep a record of all previous versions of your documents.

4. Make Use of the Required Phrase Feature

For critical documents, consider using the Required Phrase feature to ensure that registrants have read and understood the content. This is particularly useful for documents that involve legal agreements or critical policies.

• Example: For a Media Consent document, you might require the phrase "I consent to media use."

5. Consider the Opt-Out Option Carefully

While enabling the Opt-Out option can provide flexibility, it’s important to consider the implications of allowing registrants to opt out of certain agreements. If opting out of a document would significantly impact participation, make sure this is clearly communicated to registrants.

• Tip: Use the Registration Terms report to monitor who has opted out and follow up with those individuals if necessary.

6. Use Non-Registration Documents for Additional Policies

Take advantage of the ability to create T&C documents that are not used for registration. These documents can be used to display important policies, such as return policies, directly on your website or within specific modules like the Pro Shop.

• Example: If you have a return policy for your Pro Shop, create a non-registration T&C document and link it within the Pro Shop module. This ensures that customers see the most up-to-date version of the policy whenever they make a purchase.

7. Provide Additional Resources

If a document is complex or lengthy, consider providing additional resources or a summary to help registrants understand the key points. You can also include links to more detailed explanations or FAQs.

• Example: For a Discipline Policy, include a link to a page that explains the steps involved in the disciplinary process in more detail.