Thinking of joining a Chamber of Commerce

[buddies]

Does anyone in the forum have experience of The Chamber of Commerce? I am torn between Renfrewshire or Glasgow. I'd love to know what others think.

 

[theprofitdetective]

I think an important question for you is 'What am I looking to get out of my membership to a Chamber'?

In my experience (I'm currently a member of Edinburgh and have been a member of others in the past) many small businesses join but few sustain a membership.

Are there particular ways in which you feel Chamber membership will assist you? Do they offer some value or service not available elsewhere?

They can be useful for some level of research and simple business help or training - although the expertise of SBF members is a great free asset for you. They can sometimes be useful for networking - although personally I think there are better dedicated networking organisations available.

Because Chambers of Commerce have to serve such a broad spectrum of business - from one man start ups to multi national plc's - they can often be 'Jack of all Trades and Master of none'.

Rob

 

[doogie]

I met with the president of Glasgow, but have not proceeded with membership, although I am in the process of joining two other networking organisations.

While my preconceptions of the CoC were that it was a stuffed shirt organisation, they did try and persuade me that it wasn't, however I felt that the significance of their ties with political influence was dramatically over emphasised. There was repeated reference to Steven Purcell (who I had to google once I got back to the office!!) and emphasis on how the chamber could help with petitioning for change in government procedure at local and national level.

Speaking as someone who has never voted in the 13 years I have been eligible to (I don't want to start that debate though, LOL!),and has no aspirations to change the world, just generate more business, and get assistance where appropriate, this seemed to be completely irrelevant to me.

A contact of mine who has recently started up in a completely different sector, which in my mind is more chamber friendly (he's older and is a part-time finance director) said of a recent networking event we were at "I have gone to two or three of the Chamber of Commerce ones but thought that this one was far better – more directors / owners as opposed to hoteliers / sales reps / recruitment agencies which tend to dominate the Chamber."

Just my opinion of course.

 

[buddies]

Thanks for the reply

@profitdetective

I think an important question for you is 'What am I looking to get out of my membership to a Chamber'?

So true. That's a good way to look at it.

Your right there are better dedicated networking opportunities available. They do offer some good legal services and it might be a good way of raising my profile with the local business community.

@doogie Yes perhaps there is something in what you say in that The CoC may be more suitable to a different business type.

I would just like to be able to go to a CoC event and see for myself the calibre and professionalism with which the members carry themselves. But there's no events open at the moment.

I also feel, and I think you both alluded to it, that the CoC is perhaps a little out of touch with todays modern networking techniques.

 

[theprofitdetective]

Doogie: Good point about the networking mix. My experiences in the past were also of an absence of qualified decision makers but a wealth of recruitment consultants.

Alistair: I have used the Edinburgh Chamber HR services in the past. If you ever have a need for a service like that it can quickly be worth the membership fee on it's own. But I wouldn't join just for that (hopefully remote) possibility.

Rob

 

[Scottish Business Owner]

I've been approached by a few of the chambers in connection with joining etc but I dont really feel it really fits with SBF. Chambers are set up on a regional level and so I think they tend to deal with regional issues with a kind of line in to the Scottish Chamber for maybe more national issues.

I'm sure I seen on the Edinburgh Chamber site some sort of attempt at online networking but i'm not sure how successful it has been.

I agree with the others that there are better networking organisations out there and if networking is the main aim then maybe the chamber isn't the starting point.

 

[profitxchange]

If you are looking to use the chamber as a networking opportunity, I think you will be disappointed. It tends to be the same faces that turn up so you really only have one networking group. Its the same with BFI.

As said by others, there are better ways of using your money and time. By all means go to chamber events but no need to join.

 

[promostamper]

i was a member of the glasgow chamber of commerce years ago and did not continue as i did not find it that useful for my business but i am a member of my local one which is ok. It depends on what you want out of it and how much you want to give to it like most things.

 

[Boydie]

I have the same problem, I'm between Glasgow and Lanarkshire, however I did join the Ayrshire one years ago and went to meet up, everyone knew each other and formed groups and talked about kids and football