Joining trade bodies what is in it for you?
The Monster Raving Loony Party, The Telegraph Pole Appreciation Society, The Association for Dressings & Sauces, The Freshwater Biological Association… The names of all of these organisations will put a smile on our face, yet they all boast healthy memberships. However, if you’re in the automation business, chances are you will be looking to join a different kind of professional body.
REO recently joined two high profile trade organisations. GAMBICA is the trade association for Instrumentation, Control, Automation, and Laboratory Technology in the UK and Power Electronics UK – the UK industry think tank.
These trade bodies represent a co-ordinated voice in industry and their input is beneficial to both members and the economy overall. They have a crucial role to play in promoting best practice, helping companies become more competitive and formulating effective public policy and delivery.
Joining trade bodies also has financial benefits. Sitting at the heart of industry, they provide members with specialist advice, particularly on technical, legal and commercial issues. Members also gain access to special rates through affinity services and regulatory cost avoidance.
In addition, joining trade bodies creates networking opportunities, enabling companies to promote themselves at conferences, exhibitions and other industry events.
There is a lot of kudos for businesses displaying their affiliation to a trade association. It increases consumer confidence and also positively impacts relationships with suppliers and partners. After all, exhibiting the membership badge or logo on any marketing material serves as a third party endorsement of your company’s standards and values.
However, here at REO we believe that the relationship between trade organisations and members should be mutually beneficial. For instance, one of the drivers behind our decision to join Power Electronics UK was to help with the trade body’s stated aim of creating sustainable growth strategies for the industries it serves.
There is a lot of kudos for businesses displaying their affiliation to a trade association. It increases consumer confidence and also positively impacts relationships with suppliers and partners. After all, exhibiting the membership badge or logo on any marketing material serves as a third party endorsement of your company’s standards and values.However, here at REO we believe that the relationship between trade organisations and members should be mutually beneficial. For instance, one of the drivers behind our decision to join Power Electronics UK was to help with the trade body’s stated aim of creating sustainable growth strategies for the industries it serves.
But the bottom line is always customer service and delivery of the right product for the right application. We think joining these two bodies will help us deliver both.
Sharing information and expertise with other trade body members enables product development, innovation and influences regulatory compliance. It was an obvious choice for REO UK, as an original manufacturer of electronic controllers, components and electrical regulators, to join GAMBICA and Power Electronics UK – much to the detriment of more ‘colourful’ organisations out there.
