It’s a trade dispute!

31/8/10

We are often told that bad workmanship and money owing are trade disputes and nothing to do with our chapter, but I don’t agree with this for two reasons. Both my reasons are to do with money owed, but equally apply to bad work.

What I must make clear, however, is that one, you are not in the wrong, and two, that everything has been done to sort the problem out. Then I really do believe that it is a chapter matter.

The first case was to do with a member who owed money to another member but was just not paying. He promised to, but never quite got around to it; there was always an apparently good reason. I then discovered the same member owed money to another member, with the same pattern of non-payment. Trade disputes: nothing to do with the chapters concerned. However, he ended up leaving a trail of unpaid accounts behind him, something that may not have happened if a chapter’s committee had got involved and were allowed to act.

The second case was in fact two cases, where money was owed and then when asked for the people who owed started to complain about bad workmanship, the supplier being un-professional. They made stuff up and put it in writing (just in case it went to court) and ended by sending abusive emails. This has clearly passed the trade dispute stage and in my opinion is now a Code of Ethics issue.

But, the members concerned didn’t want to cause a fuss or be seen to be causing trouble. Well, to my mind, that’s what these non-paying members count on: nothing being said and keeping their positions in their chapters with no one else knowing what they are really like. Well, my advice is let the Membership Co-ordinator know and allow the chapter committee to deal with the matter. If the person concerned is worried about their credibility you may get your money, or they may just leave, but at least you will have stopped anyone else getting hurt.

However, please remember what I said at the beginning, you must be honest about your side of the deal and your complaint must be in writing. Don’t expect your committee to act if you won’t put the details down on paper.

I mentioned the BNI Code of Ethics, of which, number 2 says, I will be truthful with members and their referrals, and number 6 says, I will display a positive and supportive attitude with BNI members. Is that what these non-paying members are doing?

Trust is a big part of BNI, of our chapters, and what we owe each other as members.

Note: As always this is only my view and not necessarily the view of BNI.

Could you be a great actor?

25/8/10

In our chapters we don't have competition as far as our individual categories are concerned. If there is a printer there can't be another in your chapter, likewise for a business mentor, and so on.

But, how about the competition to have our 60 Seconds remembered?

If your chapter has over thirty members, each week there are thirty plus 60 Seconds to listen to and remember. But, let's be honest, that's not going to happen! How many 60 Seconds do you remember each week? Six or seven maybe?

So, this means that as a member we need to have a really memorable 60 Seconds if our message is to be remembered, and we are to be in the forefront of our fellow members' minds. Because that is the only way to consistently get referrals from our chapter. We need to be remembered. In fact, better still, we need to be a story worth telling.

So, how about this for an idea? Act your 60 Seconds!

Choose someone famous and then do your 60 Seconds in their style. I guarantee you will be remembered!

Imagine, for example, your 60 Seconds being presented by Churchill, or David Frost, or Ann Robinson.

And, what's more, it will be great fun. Let me know how you get on.