Member Survey Results
Survey says…..
The Executive Board of Advocis Calgary sends out an annual survey to gather valuable feedback from our membership and the results are used to assess our current program and initiatives and identify opportunities for improvement.
Overall this year’s results are positive. In general, our members are satisfied with the work that Advocis Calgary does, the events that are provided and the venues.
A total of 132 members chose to participate in the survey this year and we want to thank each one of you for taking the time to help us improve! Almost 70% of respondents have been Advocis members for over 10 years. The primary reasons for membership are Advocacy (70%) and Continuing Education (56%). Only 16% of respondents indicated Networking was a primary reason to be an Advocis member.
Areas for improvement are linked to the educational sessions that are held throughout the year. Suggestions on how to enhance the value for Advocis Calgary members include: vary the meeting places throughout the city, improve the benefit for paying members and ensure the quality of speakers.
Advocis Calgary strives to find a balance between providing value and managing costs for both our members and sponsors. Designing an impactful event is never easy and it’s not inexpensive.
There are venue fees to consider plus catering plus audio visual plus service fees plus speaker costs. Venues must provide adequate parking, ease of access, be professional and be easy to work with. We’ve been able to negotiate preferred rates at many venues due to collaborative relationships. This becomes more difficult when the number of events held are reduced as different locations are used.
Food is one piece of an event that everyone seems to remember and has an opinion on. There’s a fine line between value for your money and cheap. Is a hot breakfast necessary? Perhaps water jugs with glasses on all tables will suffice instead of offering bottled water? Are snacks really necessary at coffee breaks?
We cannot underestimate how vitally dynamic credible speakers are to the success of our events. Potential speakers must be judged by their experience and qualifications, content, style and affordability. Are suitable options available locally compared to hiring well known, professional speakers who can demand fees of $5000 and up plus travel costs?
We all pay an annual Advocis membership fee but did you know that your local chapter receives very little of this? The bulk of the annual fees pay for government relations, Advocacy and the promotion of Professional Standards. These initiatives may be hard to quantify but there’s no doubt how important they are to our Industry. We really depend on the generosity of our annual sponsors to help fund the Advocis Calgary program and, ultimately, keep the event costs charged to you, as low as possible.
Understanding members’ experiences and satisfaction is important in our efforts to enrich the membership experience. All members are encouraged to provide feedback, not only when formal surveys are sent, but anytime. Advocis Calgary will continue to consider and research all options while looking for ways to reduce costs without lowering standards. We may not be able to do everything that’s suggested, but we will definitely listen and think about it!
