We would like to inform you of some exciting and beneficial changes we are introducing at IFST to help you maintain and update your membership records. The Board of Trustees have decided to invest in a new system as the existing one was suboptimal for members and caused additional work for the IFST team. IFST has been developing this with our IT partner, behind the scenes for around a year and we are excited to tell you that the system will go live in July. We would like to assure you that your data is secure during this time and will be handled in accordance with the IFST data privacy policy and GDPR regulations.
We are also pleased to inform you that IFST has recruited a new membership team Sophie Dumville, Registration and Accreditation Manager and Crystal Kerr, Membership Engagement Officer who will be available to handle your queries from the beginning of July. In addition to the new membership system, we will be upgrading our telephone system during June to ensure that enquiries are directed to the correct IFST team members.
In the interim period between now and mid-July; if you have enquiries or wish to make payments, please contact us via email at membership@ifst.org . We aim to respond to your enquiries within five working days. You can write to the IFST office by post. However, there will be a turnaround time of around five working days for postal enquiries, due to staff availability in the office during this time.
The IFST membership system will be unavailable to members from 20-25 July 2023. In addition, during that period, it will not be possible to amend or update your record or book any events. We have chosen this time as one of our quieter times of the year for membership renewals and enquiries, but we are nevertheless looking for your help to make the system the best it can be before we ‘go live’.
What we want you to do now:
Please log in to your existing IFST account using the primary email address you used to create the account. This may be your home or personal email account or an old work address. If you have moved your job or company, this email may no longer be in use. If you are unable to log in, please do not create another member account. Instead, email membership@ifst.org providing your name and the email address you would like to use in future. Alternatively, you can write to us by post at the IFST office but bear in mind the delays you may experience.
In the next few weeks, we will be providing more information about the new system via our regular email newsletters and on our website www.ifst.org/msupgrade and in IFST Community. We want this to be a positive experience and upgrade for you, our members. Please help us where you can do ensure this is a smooth and seamless transition to your new membership account.