LIAISON WITH MEMBERS

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• LIAISON WITH MEMBERS
• Tips for more efficient
• External communication and
• Handling of the members requests
• Study Visit Prague, 10-12 August 2011

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your members needs?

• Sources of information on members needs
• Personally formal meetings, discussions,
  informal meetings (breakfast, brunch, dinners,
  receptions), chamber events and other events,
  business missions, etc.
• Phone calls incoming (initiative of the member),
  outgoing (initiative of the chamber researches,
  surveys)
• In writing letters, e-mails, faxes,
  questionnaires
• IT tools on-line questionnaires, member
  websites, CRM (member updates)
• All information must be recorded and worked with!

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your members needs?

• Ways of recording and futher elaborating
• Simple MS Excell files (advantage cheap)
• Each member may have a separate file with
  different sheets according to what the chamber
  wants to monitor (contact, profile, needs,
  participation in chamber events, etc.)
• Sophisticated CRM (advantage more options)
• Different facts on each member can be collected
  and directly used for search, mailing,
  questionnaires, etc.
• Enables also statistical details on members
  activities

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your members needs?

• Involving members into chamber activities
• Indirectly comments on specific issues (each
  member is considered an expert in a particular
  field)
• Directly through offering your member a
  membership in chamber bodies (export board,
  various working groups, sector-focused
  committees, chair of bilateral chambers)
• Depends on the willingness of each member and the
  ability of the chamber to motivate each member
  for such activities (benefits for both sides)

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needs into chamber services?

• Internal evaluation of members inputs
• Different levels network, departments,
  directors, top management
• Different forms brainstorming, internal experts
  initiatives, regular meetings, etc.
• Wider evaluation of members inputs
• Involving existing chamber structure into
  discussion on the design of new services
  working groups, sector experts, JBCs, bilateral
  chambers, etc.

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needs into chamber services?

• Wider evaluation of members inputs possible
  innovations in planning
• Involving external entities municipalities,
  universities, banks, other financial
  institutions, foundations, etc.
• Forms Informal meetings, brainstormings chaired
  by chamber representatives, wider think-tanks,
  thematic conferences, etc.
• Involving foreign partners as advisors various
  forms of inspiration, different fields (ad hoc
  basis, internships, twinning, discussions,
  support projects)

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want to go international

• What is internationalization?
• Expanding business to foreign countries
• Activities on international market
• Respecting international standards
• International experience
• Adjustment of companys policy to international
  dimension (processes, staff, product, etc.)
• Attention to quality management/control
• Respecting CSR principles in own activites
• Observing trends, tendencies, innovations

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How can SMEs go international?

• International companys strategy
• Comprehensive analysis of strengths weaknesses
• 4Ps product, placement, price, promotion
• Processes resources, quality control
• Research innovation approaches
• Staff skills competences ? training
• Financial analysis budgeting and planning
• Information sources (territorial analysis,
  databases, legal conditions, best practices,
  etc.)
• Business contacts (DO, business missions, trade
  fairs exhibitions, company contact events

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Going international in detail

• 4 Ps product, placement, price, promotion
• Product characteristics, utility value,
  technical standards, production process, quality
  control, recognized brand, possible innovations,
  post-sale assistance, network of sub-contractors,
  client satisfaction, etc.
• Placement territory/ies (chances threats),
  competition existing in target market, consumer
  behaviour, cultural differences, double-taxation
  treaty, terms of delivery payment, co-operation
  with local producers, etc.
• Price pricing policy, utility value / price
  ratio, competitive advantage, exchange rate
  influence, etc.
• Promotion PR strategy (media, advertisements,
  press releases, sector magazines), own
  presentation materials, business cards,
  sponsoring, etc.

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Going international in detail

• Staff skills competences
• Qualified staff key requirement
• Educated staff with foreign experience
• Production (engineers, working staff), financial
  issues (accountants, invoicing, payments), public
  relations (outsourcing), trading (skilled
  business people), legal issues (lawyers), etc.
• Improving language competences (language courses,
  study tours, internships, etc.)
• Various trainings (PC communication skills,
  intercultural aspects of trade, taxes customs,
  international standards, etc.
• National international networking
  (associations, regional bodies, municipalities,
  government, international organisations, etc.)
• Motivation (bonuses, success fees, holidays,
  kindergarten, etc.)

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Through adjustment of chambers policy!
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Adjustment of chambers policy

• Incorporating the international aspect in all
  chamber activities ? thinking international
• Comprehensive research on current needs of
  members in foreign trade activities ? qualified
  evaluation
• Changes in chamber structure
• Introducing new departments and/or project teams
• Introducing new chamber bodies (platform for
  enterprises discussing foreign trade priorities,
  Joint Business Councils, joint Chambers of
  Commerce, etc.)
• Activating own network (regional professional),
  chains clusters of regional/local chambers
• Growing role of project management structure
  (horizontal, personal involvement of staff,
  efficiency)

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Adjustment of chambers policy

• Partnership with key players
• Municipalities, ministries and other public
  administration bodies
• Academic field universities, laboratories,
  research institutes, technical colleges, foreign
  schools
• Banks, leasing companies, insurance companies and
  other financial institutions
• Foundations, other non-governmental
  organisations, civil society, think tanks, etc.
• Foreing chambers of commerce, confederations of
  industry, trade development boards, institutes,
  etc.
• International organisations (chamber
  associations, EU, OECD, United Nations, etc.)

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Adjustment of chambers policy

• Revised Action Plan
• Making internationalization a chamber priority
• Introducing new activities for support of
  internationalization prestigeous events
  contests (Export Forum, Exporter of the Year),
  participation in foreign trade fairs exhibitons
  with a subsidy, creating a status of an
  accredited chamber member, etc.
• Giving the Action Plan a publicity taking over
  the initiative
• Training of own staff (study tours, internships,
  language courses, PC communication skills,
  intercultural aspects of foreign trade, etc.

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Instruments on Regional Level

• Organization of thematic events for members
• Formal seminars, forums, trainings with foreign
  experts, priority sector focus (topics Exporting
  bio products, Foreign Trade Legislation in
  Practice, International Standards in Production,
  etc.)
• Informal breakfast for selected enterprises
  (farmers, chemical companies, travel agents,
  etc.), brunch with regional representatives of
  commercial banks
• Regular briefings on latest developments in
  international trade practice, presentation of
  members best practices
• On-site assistance personal visits, evaluation
  of individual needs of members, mediation of
  expert visits (banks, research institutes,
  language teachers, etc.)

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Instruments on National Level

• Organization of thematic events for members
  formal/informal, with participation of government
  officials, representatives of bilateral chambers
  and Joint Business Councils, banks, universities,
  specialized seminars forums with national
  impact, etc.
• Initiation of various advisory bodies and
  chairing their sessions National Foreign
  Investment Board, Export Development Board,
  Standardization Board, etc.
• Organizing outgoing/incoming business missions
  (priority territories)
• Access to various databases, DO, active search
  of contacts from available sources

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Instruments on International Level

• Participation in various EU support programmes
  (EuropeAid, country-focused calls)
• Focused on company contact events (Asia Invest,
  Invest in Med, East Invest, etc.)
• Focused on education and similar activities
• International projects (U.N., OECD, World Bank,
  foundations, research institutes, universities,
  etc.)
• Trade fairs company contact events with
  financial support (state budget, foreign
  governments)

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Useful tips
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PLANNING

• Initiation collection of various requests
  (based on suggestions and interests of involved
  parties members, network, Parliament,
  Ministries, municipalities, foreign chambers,
  joint chambers, etc.)
• Decision about further actions that may result in
  including the event into the chambers event list
• Nomination of a Project Manager, selection of the
  team members with various responsibilities
• Proposal of the event type and draft outline of
  the budget (internal external sources)
• Discussion with Financial Department

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PLANNING cont.

• Approval of the type and budget of the event
  (chamber management)
• Elaboration of event proposal sent to the foreign
  partner(s)
• Comments/suggestions/recommendations made by the
  foreign partner ? discussions, negotiations
• Event confirmation ? including it into the
  chambers event list

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PREPARATION

• Precision of organisational details and
  particular budget items, application draft (
  supporting documentation)
• Selection of suppliers of services (outsourcing)
  according to previously specified needs ? tender
  announcement
• Travel arrangement (travel agents, airlines,
  hotels, ground transport agencies, etc.)
• Other suppliers (catalogues, PR agencies, etc.)
• Budget verification and check by Project Manager
• Preparation of event-related documents for
  recruitment of participants, website adjustments
  (on-line applications, payments, etc.)

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PREPARATION cont.

• Promotional campaign
• Presentation within the chamber network
• Press releases, press conferences, TV interviews,
  etc.
• Presentation at trade fairs/exhibitions and
  similar events
• Presentation during meetings with government
  officials, local authorities, national
  committees, etc.
• Direct mailing to members / non-members
  (qualified search in various databases)
• Supporting events trainings on business
  negotiations, business etiquette, language
  courses, etc.
• Briefings with own and foreign Embassies (Czech
  Embassy in Lima)

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PREPARATION cont.

• Recruitment of participants
• Collection administration of applications
  company profiles, sending them to the foreign
  partner
• Phone follow-up (based on mailing/e-mailing)
• Collection administration of participation fee
  payments, invoicing, payment for outsourced
  services
• Further assistance to applicants (help with
  formulation of company profiles in English,
  specification of co-operation proposals, etc.)
• Organizational details
• Co-ordination with the foreign partner (Czech
  Chamber of Commerce) and all other involved
  parties (MFA, Embassy, etc.) concerning programme
  items
• Travel arrangement, accommodation, visa
  assistance, etc.

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REALIZATION OF THE BUSINESS MISSION

• Trip to the Czech Republic (jointly/separately)
• Co-ordination meeting with the participants on
  the first evening upon accommodation
  (participation of the Czech Project Manager)
• Welcome dinner (first networking opportunity)
• Meeting day information part followed by
  individual contact meetings between Serbian and
  Czech companies ? joint assistance on-site
• Separate meetings of chamber representatives (all
  available levels)
• Settlement of financial matters

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BUSINESS MISSION FOLLOW-UP

• Evaluation questionnaires for participants
• Evaluation of the preparation phase
• Evaluation of the business mission as such
  (travel arrangements, overall organisation,
  programme, etc.)
• Efficiency of the information part and individual
  contact meetings (goals achieved?)
• Further needs for assistance (follow-up of
  meetings)
• Preferences about future (Which
  territories/countries? Which concept? Which
  sectors? )
• Suggestions / recommendations / ideas
• Dont be afraid of negative reactions! They serve
  as an impulse for improvement! There is always
  something to be improved!
• Try to involve participants in chamber activities!

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BUSINESS MISSION FOLLOW-UP cont.

• Internal evaluation
• Evaluation of processes (all phases)
• Financial evaluation (Were the parameters
  formulated correctly?)
• Impact of the business mission on further
  co-operation with the foreign partner (Czech
  Chamber of Commerce) as well as with other
  involved actors
• Update of databases
• Did it work this way? ? possible corrections
• Suggestions / recommendations / ideas
• Try to be sincere to yourself! Try to involve all
  staff into the evaluation! Try to listen to all
  initiatives!

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and verify their needs?

• Activating chamber bodies and introducing new
  ones
• Chairing working groups and committees of
  entrepreneurs ? generating new ideas and
  discussion on currently developed issues
• Thematic Foreign Section, Training Section,
  Network Section, Standardization, etc.
• Sector-focused Agriculture, Tourism, Chemicals,
  Energy, etc.
• Establishment of Joint Business Councils
• Focused on foreign countries/territories
• Chaired by most successful entrepreneurs,
  administred by the chamber

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and verify their needs?

• Activating chamber bodies and introducing new
  ones
• Establishment of bilateral chambers of commerce
• Further institutionalization of relations
  established in JBC
• Support on national level, involvement of regions
• Supervision over activities of the bilateral
  chambers and co-operation on activities carried
  out
• Essential to have prominent personalities as
  leaders
• publicity given to the activities
• no formal gibberish!

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and verify their needs?

• Informal networking with members
• Working breakfasts, working dinners organized for
  members (thematicly focused and efficiently
  chaired)
• On-site visits in member factories and offices
• Participation in events organized by other
  institutions municipality, foreign Embassies,
  etc.
• Important to record any outcomes and interesting
  findings that may be used for chamber purposes

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and verify their needs?

• Sustainable verification of members needs
• Variety of channels personal, impersonal
  (e-mail, phone, questionnaires, on-line surveys,
  etc.)
• Processing of acquired information updates of
  databases, extensive use of CRM
• Making conclusions of processed information and
  transforming them into chamber activities
  changes in current services and/or launching new
  services
• Wide publicity of outcomes!

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and verify their needs?

• Sustainable verification of members needs
• Interactivity of contact with members through IT
  tools (on-line surveys, on-line questionnaires)
• Make it easy for your members to interact with
  you!
• Reward those who interact with you well
• Contact your members regularly, but not too
  often!
• Formalize the processing of information given by
  members!
• Elaborate a manual for chamber staff concerning
  the contact with members!

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Our interesting services
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CONSULTING POINT - NEW LEGISLATION

• CCC is an obligatory point for inter-institutional
  consulting
• In co-operation with EUROCHAMBRES, UEAPME and
  other EU-wide operating institution the CCC
  consults also new EU legislation (in close
  interaction with Czech Business Representation in
  Brussels)
• Main objective improvement of business
  environment in the Czech Republic and reduction
  of administrative burden for entrepreneurs
• Process governmental suggestion consulting
  (CCC interacts with members, network and experts)
  the author incorporates comments into the
  suggestion approval by Government pass of new
  legislation in Parliament

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CONSULTING POINT - NEW LEGISLATION

• Examples of current proposals in national law
• Trade Licencing Act Review
• Labour Code
• Air Protection Act
• Consumer Tax Act
• Income Tax Act
• Employment Act
• Railways Act
• Examples of current proposals in EU law
• Services Directive, Late Payment Directive,
  Consumer Rigst Directive
• EU 2020 Strategy consultation
• Review of the Competition Rules

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TRADE FAIRS EXHIBITIONS ABROAD

• Co-financed by the state budget and structural
  funds of the European Union (Operational
  Programme Enterprise and Innovations)
• Czech Chamber of Commerce has won a tender on
  organisation and administration of the project
  for the years 2010-2012
• Objective strengthening of Czech companies
  competitivenesss on international market through
  participation in renowned international trade
  fairs and exhibitions
• List of more than 100 supported events per year
  worldwide
• Both for SMEs and larger companies
• Financial support provided up to 5,000 (excl.
  VAT)

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TRADE FAIRS EXHIBITIONS ABROAD

• Number of fairs exhibitions one company
  participates in is not limited, total support
  must not exceed 200,000 within 3 years
• Eligible expenses
• Rent of exhibition space, inscription into the
  event catalogue
• Exhibition booth, equipment and related services
• Registration fee, supplies (energy, water,
  cleaning, etc.)
• Ineligible expenses
• Travel, accommodation, insurance
• PR materials, shipping costs, catering
• Participation possible also in joint exhibition
  booth (CZ national booth) under favourable
  conditions

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TRADE FAIRS EXHIBITIONS ABROAD

• Further conditions for financial support
• Company profile complying with sector focus of
  the respective trade fair / exhibition
• Seat or major activities outside the capital
  Prague (exceeds 75 of average EU GDP income)
• No debts vis-a-vis the state (taxes, social
  health insurance, etc.)
• Physical presence at the trade fair / exhibition
• Organizational conditions (questionnaires,
  original documents and other proofs of
  eligibility)
• Financial support provided up to 100 of eligible
  expenses

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Project CzechPOINT

• CzechPOINT Ceský Podací Overovací Informacní
  Národní Terminál (Czech Submitting Verification
  Informative National Terminal)
• Joint initiative of the CCC and the Ministry of
  Interior (Contracting Authority) introduced in
  2007
• At present 53 public administration contact
  points (CzechPOINTs) operated by the CCC network
• Through the CCC network CzechPOINT is represented
  in all regions of the Czech Republic (14
  regions) map on the next slide
• Certifiers/verifiers who provide services of
  CzechPOINT are trained to work with the system
  and have passed exams focused on services
  according to the Law no. 21/2006 (vidimus and
  legalization)

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Project CzechPOINT

• CzechPOINT services are meant for all public and
  business entities
• This service facilitates public and entrepreneurs
  to access the system of verified/certified
  documents printouts from various registers,
  submitting applications or certified documents
  and signatures
• Its also possible to obtain information and
  consulting concerning business issues at these
  points
• Objective of the project is to reduce bureaucracy
  in the relation citizen public administration
  (main motto It is data that is circulating, not
  the people) and also to create a guaranteed
  service for communication with the state
  administration one universal spot
• According to statistics, since its introduction
  the whole system generated in total over 2 mil.
  Outputs
• Positively received, further extension planned

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Project CzechPOINT - services

• Printouts from Real Estate Register (entries in
  the real estate evidence contains information
  on parcels, buildings, registration districts,
  owners, etc.)
• Printouts from Trade Register (contains
  information on business entities legal persons
  changes, data of establishment, etc.)
• Printouts from Crafts register (contains
  information on physical and legal persons
  operating crafts based on trade licence
  certificate)
• Printouts from Criminal Record Register (contains
  records about individuals lists their criminal
  delicts or prove thier chastity)
• Drivers Register printout of Point Evaluation
  (provides current information on number of
  penalty points)
• Directory of qualified suppliers (evidence of the
  Ministry of Regional Development on suppliers
  fulfilling the qualification according to 53 and
  54 of the Law no. 137/2006 on public tenders)

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Project CzechPOINT - services

• Register of the Ministry of Environment MAISOH
  (possibility of registration for operators of car
  breakers yards)
• Printouts from Insolvency Register (contains
  information on insolvency proceedings)
• Vidimus (verification of wording concordance of
  copies with the presented original)
• Legalisation (certification of personal signature
  or certification of the applicant to have
  accepted the signature on the document as his/her
  own)
• Conversion of Documents (full transformation on
  the document in paper form into a document in
  data format and vice versa)
• Creating a data box (submitting of application to
  the Ministry of Interior through the public
  administration contact point Cze
• Submitting acc. to 72 Trade Code (application
  for acquiring a trade license, notification about
  new or other trade license, other applications
  for licenses)

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Opening Business Opportunities

• Outgoing and incoming business missions to and
  from all territories of the world (according to
  priority selection)
• Accompanying missions of businessmen at the
  occasion of official visits of state officials
  (President, Prime Minister, Ministers, Members of
  the Parliament) abroad
• Matchmaking events focused on selected branches
  (with EU support, bilateral, multilateral)
• Operation of database of demands and offers,
  Business Contact System
• Providing auspices to national and international
  trade fairs and exhibitions

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Széchenyi Card SME Credit Card Programme

• Joint initiative of the Hungarian Chamber of
  Commerce and Industry and National Organization
  of Entrepreneurs and Employers
• Credit facility on state supported preferential
  terms
• micro- and SMEs with minimum business history of
  1 year
• Use of credit managing liquidity risks
• Eligible for any expenditures (meeting the tax
  and accounting standards) purchases, cash
  withdrawal, wire transfer, etc.
• Non-eligible for exports

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Széchenyi Card

• Choice of 5 commercial banks to contract with
• Revolving credit limit between 2,000 and 100,000
  EUR
• Duration of the credit 365 days (possible to
  extend)
• State support 50 of guarantee fee, 1-2 per cent
  interest rate
• Members dont have to pay any registration fee
• Enterprises register at offices of the Hungarian
  Chamber of Commerce and Industry, all process
  goes on electronically
• Club of Széchenyi Card Programme associates
  members and creates and additional platform for
  discussions on current issues, not only
  concerning credit facilities