Suggestion:
Fund the annual membership to join a local business networking group - Chambers of Commerce or equivalent - for Branches that wish to. This should not be automatic each year and should be justified based on previous year's engagement/benefit.
Category on Map Diagram:
LOCAL HUBS
Instructions:
Please complete Add New Comment section fields as requested below:
| FIELD | REQUESTED INPUT |
| Your name: WILL BE PUBLISHED |
With your name ! |
| Email: WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED |
With your email – this will not be made public |
| Homepage WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED |
LEAVE BLANK |
| Subject WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED |
LEAVE BLANK |
| Comment WILL BE PUBLISHED |
Please type JUST ONE these three response options on the first line.AGREE DISAGREE REFER REFER is to be used to either get more information, or if you like the principal, but have concerns about the implementation. Then from the second line onwards please add any personal comments if you would like to. |
Comments
AGREE
Submitted by John Rendall on
AGREE
Coventry MG have been trying to establish links with the local Chamber of Commerce - (one committee members was a member for a while whioch save Branch money), however we are yet to establish permanent traction
REFER
Submitted by Carol Long on
REFER
More information needed about cost/benefit and purpose
Chambers and other local professional networks perhaps. Is there mileage in BCS becoming an organisational member of related professional bodies (say IOD of CMI)?
Thanks Carol.
Submitted by Charlie Houston... on
Thanks Carol.
Completely agree it needs to be justified hence "This should not be automatic each year and should be justified based on previous year's engagement/benefit."
"Chambers of Commerce or equivalent" - so why not IOD, but the focus of the recommendation was to encourage the 'local' relationships.
We need to start somewhere and of course relationships take time to build so a year's trial may not be enough - but that would be up to a Branch to justify.
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Business networking groups
Submitted by S Keddie on
this is from my local Chamber: Here are just some of the advantages of being a member of the Chamber:
Advertising and PR packages available to more than 40m annual views across London and the region in press, media and all digital platforms
From £4,500 of free advertising to more than 10,000 businesses in Richmond upon Thames region
Introductory free mentoring services for startups
CSR for corporates
Access to subsidised business networking events
Lobbying UK and local Government on business policy and legislation
Join us, enter Awards and attend Richmond Awards Ball and other high profile events, seminars, training and interesting relaxed networking events ranging from breakfasts and lunches to early evening social gatherings.The Chamber’s members span from professionals, start-ups, SMEs to international companies and public organisations establishing local links as part of their corporate social responsibility; such as Barclays Bank, NPL, London Square, St George’s and PayPal.
So is our purpose the corporate social responsibility? otherwise in my experience business networking groups exist to get business from each other or their contacts and are very protective of this. Would this be in order to attract more members, host an event? How would the interaction work?
Caution needed. Membership of
Submitted by Julian Schwarzenbach on
Caution needed. Membership of such networking groups needs to be carefully assessed before committing to them - some are focused on specific areas or SMEs only, so may not reach intended audiences
AGREE. It should be part of
Submitted by Christopher Jam... on
AGREE. It should be part of the role of a branch to represent the BCS within its area. This does not just apply to Chambers of Commerce but to Business Guilds and similar bodies.
REFER
Submitted by Mike Hurst on
REFER
Ambiguous wording: "Fund the annual membership ..." does that mean funding individual members?? Or a local Branch? Is it the Branch that gets the benefit - e.g. contacts and networking - or all individual members of the Branch. If the latter, how to police "freeriders" from other Branches?
REFER
Submitted by Iain Thompson on
REFER
I think this needs to be considered on a case by case basis, once benefit to the BCS community is demonstrated.
Add new comment