Proposed RCM Resolutions For 2013

Apologies in advance for the lengthy post.

I visited the RCM web site yesterday and noticed its Press Release that "looked back" at its many accomplishments in 2012. If I didn't know any better, the release would have convinced me that the RCM had an amazing, problem-free year. In short, a year that any mint in the world would be hard pressed to improve upon!

Fortunately (or unfortunately!), I know better and could only shake my head at how the release completely ignored the many issues, delays and quality-control problems that disappointed/frustrated/angered collectors across Canada and the US and around the world.

So, I thought I'd put together a few New Year's resolutions for the senior management at the RCM to remind them that they didn't have such a stellar year and that they are a long way from their stated goal of being "the best mint in the world." Maybe if they can live up to the following resolutions in 2013, we'll all view their efforts with the same "rose-colored glasses" that they are currently using.

Here goes:

To better serve our customers, we resolve to:

• Perfect all new minting technologies before announcing new coins that employ them.


• Never allow a coin to be marketed and placed on sale before we are 100% sure that the coin can be produced (in volume) without any technical issues. We will not repeat such 2012 technical issue scenarios as those that impacted, for example, the Glow-in-the-Dark Dinosaur coin or the Two Loons Artistic Fine Silver Dollar.


• Adhere to all published delivery dates and not change them once they are published.


• Deliver all consumer orders placed with the RCM within 30 days.


• Deliver consumer coin orders on a first ordered-first shipped basis.


• Find better/more reliable suppliers of the special packaging we use to entice collectors to purchase expensive sets to prevent the unacceptable delays that occurred in 2012 for sets such as the "Group of 7" coins and "Farewell to the Penny" sets.


• Stop the secrecy that surrounds each release of new coins. We will announce the schedule of new releases at least quarterly so that collectors can plan their purchases from the RCM.


• Fix the RCM website â€" and any links it requires to back-end inventory and customer order databases â€" so that it becomes a useful tool to RCM customers vs. a source of mis-information and frustration.


• Update the Masters Club to put its focus back on individual collectors. We will re-shape the MC as follows:

- New releases will to continue to be made available to Masters Club members one week ahead of general release.
- For coins with mintages of 5,000 or less, sales will be limited to one coin per MC member during the preview. For coins with mintages between 5,001 and 10,000, sales will be limited to two (2) coins per member. A limit of three (3) coins per member will be placed on all other coins during the preview period.
- The total number of coins available to Canada Post, the RCM Dealer Network and MC members will be limited (perhaps to 80% of the total available mintage) to ensure that all new coins (with appropriate ordering limits) are available to non-MC members/collectors on the first day of general release.
- Entry criteria for MC membership will be re-evaluated to assess whether the minimum annual purchase threshold should be raised.

Those are just some of my thoughts/opinions for ways to improve the RCM's customer focus and enhance its customer satisfaction position. I have more - as I'm sure other CCF'ers do â€" but I'll hold them for future discussions.