[bob]

Hi All

It will be time soon to Renew our NCCA membership. Just thinking will I or not.
At £200 +vat or there abouts.
What do the rest of you think.
Do we get value for money.
Do many of use get any referrals from them.
Do any of our customers know who the NCCA is unless we tell them.

I am open still as to if I do or not.

Your views would be of intrest.

Bob Jennings

[Ken Wainwright]

Hi Bob

I think you already know what I'm going to say

I get a return from referals well in excess of my membership fee, so for me, yes it is cost effective.

I've come across quite a few members who have needed to use the free leagl advice benefit, and they were truly grateful for their membership.

Is there a public awareness of the association? generally speaking I'd have to say no. But the same applies to plumbers, carpenters, drain cleaners, brick layers, plasterers, window cleaners ........................  IMO membership is something that has to be "sold" to the prospect, it helps to instil their confidence in you and could be the deciding factor for them to choose between two equally impressive CCers.

All trades need a voice to be heard at whatever level, and for our industry it's the NCCA. There's no other organisation that can speak solely for us carpet and upholstery cleaners.

By attending the AGM, a member can have their input into the direction of the association.

The reasons for membership go on and on. yes their are negatives which are different for different people. It's not, and never will be, a perfect world. The biggest gripe seems to be that some want the NCCA to be more of a marketing company than a trade association. Perhaps if they were to join and lobbied to have this happen, then they may achieve their goal. The problem then would be that many, like myself, would leave because they want to belong to a trade association and not a marketing organisiation.  Different strokes for different folks

Safe and happy cleaning
Ken

[Roy Edwards]

I understand what you saying Ken,but you must admit they could help a bit more.
If we are all trying to promote each other why is it that we have to pay to have are website url added to there webpage.

[Joe H]

Just coming to the end of my first year and yes I am going to join again for the simple reason I have had jobs direct from their website and I have got jobs because I promoted NCCA either in person or on telephone quoting.

True, its not perfect (what is) but it wont change unless something chages it.
They did the questionnaire recently and got a response which I believe was going to discussed at the (now postponed) AGM.
Some have suggested that more "policing" is needed because some claim to be members but are not, others are members but employ others who are not but sell their business on the basis it is a memebr of the NCCA - its actually the individual and not the business thats a member (as I understand).
But how do you police a national organisation?  Would cost a fotune - so it is up to members to report such ones, I wonder how many do?

Not a difficult decision for me to make - I  put my money in again.

[Ken Wainwright]

The NCCA outsource the website construction, maintenance etc. etc. to a specialist service provider (as do most companies and organisations).  They make a charge for adding the members link, so the association passes on this charge to the member concerned after adding a small amount to cover their own administration etc.  Remember that this charge is a one off so you wont have to renew it next year, or the year after, or the year after that........

Safe and happy cleaning
Ken

[John Gregory]

This will be my 3rd year as a member In that time I have had about 4 referalls, all good quality customers that use you twice a year, then add the referalls from the customers them selves , I reckon it pays for its self

John

[derek west]

john
over 3 years at £200 per year, thats equates to the cost of 60,000 leaflets which i'm sure you would of got more than 4 jobs out of which would of led to repeats and referals, a lot of hard work getting them out mind. but  no pain no gain as they say.
just a thought,
derek

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

As a bit of an aside but those of you in the NCCA know might be able to answer this.

When 'Which' came out with their washing up liquid is a brilliant spotter piece a couple of weeks ago did the NCCA attempt to point out what ridiculous advice this was in terms of resoiling.

As Which puts itself forward as a consumer organisation, shouldn't a carpet cleaning trade association have an input into this type of report.

Cheers

Doug

[mark shannon]

Doug as a member I was a surprised Which made no mention of the NCCA.

Would have thought they had should have contact and influence on any consumer association reports.

mark

[daysdeepclean]

I'm looking at joining but I have been told not to bother by several people   I've never been asked by a customer if I'm a member or not, but when I do join I will point this out whilst doing quotes. I believe that when out on a quote and mentioning that you are a NCCA member and what it means, it should give the customer peace of mind.

Right, when's the next course?

[Joe H]

Go to the website for training dates - April sometime.

Unless NCCA spent thousands on high profile advertising the public are not going to know - as you correctly say SELL YOURSELF including the fact you are a member of a national organisation.
It logic.

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

I did the course last year with a view to joining and I am still in 2 minds about joining.

My 2 main bug bears are this:

1. There were people on my course with no equipment and no knowledge of the trade - providing they passed the multiple choice exam they would be invited to join.

2. A couple of people there were simply putting powerburst in their rinse tanks and scrubbing away - no pre vac, no pre sparay, no agitation or dwell time and happily told me they got excellent results, they too would be invited to join if they passed the exam.

Now I appreciate that being a member is what you make of it, but it seems that not all members can be considered equal in terms of experience, knowledge, ability etc.

Having said all that perhaps I should mind my own business and stick to concentrating on what I do.

Steve

[derek west]

a lot of people join thinking its a good way to fill your books, maybe thats right but for me, the money will be spent on effective advertising to try and fill my books.
then once my books are bulging i will join the NCCA to help up my prices, i will also join the FSB and the iicrc once my work is coming in to again up my prices.
not sure you guys will see it as the right way round but thats what the plan is here.
derek

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Carrying on from Steve

If you don't pass they send you out the questions you got wrong and let you have a 2nd bite! why not say "you've done the course without falling asleep so you've passed now cheques made payable to NCCA"

Shaun

[markpowell]

I have never been a member so cant comment on the NCCA, however what i can honestly say is that i have never ever been asked by a customer if i am a member or not.
I agree with Derek spend the money on leaflets instead.
Mark

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Depends on your focus, if you sell the benefits of being a Truck mounter Association member then you will get rewards the same as knowone has heard of them niether.

Shaun

[Mike Halliday]

Imagine being a member of the NCCA and selling yourself to a potential customer as such.

but then Steve goes in and says what he has typed above, you won't look so good then will you

and this is the problem, if any customer said the last carpet cleaner who quoted to clean their suite & carpet was an NCCA member I would just shake my head and tut,  then tell them why they should chose me even though I've not parted with my money to be a NCCA member.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I always thought you were a mamber of the NCCA?

Shaun

PS where are you going on your hols?

[Mike Halliday]

I was but never got a single job from it

Hols on Thursday sunny Botswana

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Safari?

Shaun