Let's say you own a surveying company and you join your local Chamber of Commerce. You know, to try to drum up some business by networking with fellow members. Now let's say there's another surveying company that's also a member and it's owner just happens to be the one who runs the weekly networking meetings for the Chamber. Even though he runs the networking meetings, we're both still equal members, right? Now let's say that other surveying company strikes a deal with the Chamber to give ALL Chamber members a free property corner inspection (with the option to upgrade to a full survey). Everyone receives an email notification telling them how to claim their free property corner inspection, with clear information on how to purchase a full survey.
Is this favoritism or just good business?
The way I see it, both parties are thee for the wrong reasons.
It's good-old-boy favoritism at its finest. It's rampant around here. But, what can you do?
Send emails out to everyone offering free re-surveys if the other guy's surveys don't work out too well.
sleezy, but probably not breaking the Chamber rules.
I'm involved w/ a networking group that allows 1 member per classification. check if a chapter is in your area. If you find one visit and see if it would work for you. It has for me.
Outlandish! Our local Chamber has about 400 members. What would happen is 50% accepted the offer of a "free" corner inspection? How could you afford to do it? How many would have to order a full survey to make a profit? Is like a "buy one get one free" offer. Makes no sense when you are talking about a professional service. Just a bare bones look at the numbers makes me think the guy is on his way to a potential financial disaster. And that says nothing about sinking to the level of used car salesmen.
Good business. A unique marketing strategy(?), but good busisness. The more you promote your company via networking the greater your chances are for new business. Where I am in business you either get used to the "good 'old boy" syndrome and go with the flow or get out. It may be different in other parts of the country, but not in FL.
Have a great Sunday! B-)
I second
The BNI group.
Unethical In Many States
A surveying professional can work for free only for an eleeomosynary organization.
What the second surveyor can do is during his around the table minute explain the unethics of doing "free" survey work and remind the members that they should strive to always deal with ethical business. That is good for your walking out the door strategy.
A better option is that there is always a higher up in the organization. Arrange a one on one with him and explain the state ethical requirements and that you are uncomfortable with this gentleman.
The should be no limit on the number of businessmen in an open business group. The B to B subgroups are a way to get around general policy.
Paul in PA
Unethical In Many States
> A surveying professional can work for free only for an eleemosynary organization.
> ....
>
> Paul in PA
Paul,
If you will please, can you cite the specific rule(s) that support your contention that we are only allowed to do free work for eleemosynary organizations?
Larry P
Unethical In Many States
Usually, the role of a chamber of commerce is to provide services and support to all members.
Since there is more than one provider of surveying services in its membership, the chamber made a mistake by sole-sourcing this promotion to its members.
Let me preface my remarks by saying that I spent 15 years on the board of the local Chamber. Was President and served on nearly every committee we had. (Don't be too impressed in a place this small they will give the job to most anyone willing to do the work.)
The bottom line is this. Any member who wants to offer a free perk to other members is free to do so. The Chamber leadership and board have an obligation to all the members. They can not and should not vet any offer because a competing business might not like the offer. The fact the offering business has taken a leadership roll in the past is not only not surprising it should be expected.
Those who see the value of Chambers of Commerce also understand that to get the most out of that value means doing more than writing a check once a year. Those who volunteer soon see the benefits and often make offers to members as a way to benefit even more.
As to the original question permit me to ask one of my own. If you were the Chamber Exec and a member (any member leadership position or not) wants to make a fair and reasonable offer to other members would you hesitate to accept the offer? So long as the offer does not in any way prevent similar offers from other members, there is nothing whatever wrong with the situation described.
Whether or not the offer makes business sense from the point of view of the offerer is not and should not be the concern of the Chamber.
Larry P
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> Usually, the role of a chamber of commerce is to provide services and support to all members.
>
> Since there is more than one provider of surveying services in its membership, the chamber made a mistake by sole-sourcing this promotion to its members.
Who said other members providing similar services were barred from making similar offers? You can't bar one member from making an offer just because another member might not like it.
Larry P
Larry,
Thank you for posting your opinion from you experience.
I guess one would have to examine the offering of a "gift" (free service) to fellow members and hope that it is not present a potential conflict of interest in the future. Business and marketing is a "scratch my back and I will scratch yours" scenario and one has to carefully delineate the grey area that guides 'professionals".
Maybe in a small network it may seem harmless but in a larger market, the good ole boy way of doing things can be problematic.
Unethical In Many States
> Who said other members providing similar services were barred from making similar offers? You can't bar one member from making an offer just because another member might not like it.
Who was the driver? Was the offer made by the chamber as part of one of its benefits of being a member? Is this in the benefits package of future members? If so, in my opinion then the chamber should have contacted the other surveying parties too.
You make a good point.
I should qualify that I changed the type of companies from what they actually are in the original scenario to be surveying-specific. However, the premise remains the same.
Generally, I agree with the sentiment that it could be a good business idea for the company that spawned it. My main question was more in regards to the Chamber allowing it.
Unethical In Many States
As I stated above, the scenario I described was altered to be about two surveying companies instead of the real scenario, to make it more appropriate for this forum. But I didn't consider the fact that surveying is a profession with licensed individuals, so I can see how that might alter the opinions. Generally though, I think the overall scenario is still an appropriate discussion. It's less about the free work and more about the premise of the Chamber allowing one member to cast a net over the entire membership.
Through all the madness on this forum, this thread is a perfect reason why I still have a soft spot in my heart for it. Thank you, Larry, for your detailed responses. 🙂
Got it. Call him up for a free property-corner inspection for every survey you do.
Either have/him come out ahead of your crews and recover the existing corners for you, or maybe come out behind you and sign a certification that all your corners are the correct property corners.
Nice free service! 😀
