Membership of professional bodies

[WorldofHampers]

Hello everyone.
Just wondered how everyone felt about businesses that display their membership to professional bodies or associations. Do you think it adds credibility to your business, or would it make no difference to the customer?

 

[roydmoorian]

Hello everyone.
Just wondered how everyone felt about businesses that display their membership to professional bodies or associations. Do you think it adds credibility to your business, or would it make no difference to the customer?

If it is as a genuine member of a genuine professional body then it can do no harm whatsoever, but if it is suggesting membership of a ficticious body then it only shows someone up for the shyster that they are, a bit like suggesting that your occupation is a "Director" when you had to fold your company to get away from CCJ's and are now operating a similar business as a sole trader

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

Hello everyone.
Just wondered how everyone felt about businesses that display their membership to professional bodies or associations. Do you think it adds credibility to your business, or would it make no difference to the customer?

I've been an accountant for years I'm a Chartered Certified Accountant FCCA, I'm also a member of the AAT (MAAT) and ATT. In over 20 years I can honestly count on one hand the number of times anyone has ever asked if I'm qualified. I suspect most accountants are the same.

Ideally I'd dearly love to say it adds credibility to what I do as I worked so very hard to get my qualifications, and I now pay a lot of money every year to continue as a member of my professional bodies but actually I cant.

So many people dont even realise in my profession anyone can call themselves an accountant it requires no qualification or experience whatsoever.

Do I look at someones professional qualifications, apart from my competitors, in all honesty very rarely but I should.

 

[businessfunding]

My broad view is that if it is qualification based then there is merit, if it is purely a paid membership organisation then it is meaningless

I have steadfastly refused to join the body representing my profession on the simple basis that they haven't provided a single compelling reason to do so.

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

If it is as a genuine member of a genuine professional body then it can do no harm whatsoever, but if it is suggesting membership of a ficticious body then it only shows someone up for the shyster that they are.

Interesting point in my profession to be an FCCA I had to study long and hard complete lots of exams and undertake a set period of training before I could obtain a practising certificate to run a practice. I could have simply bought membership of an accounting body which gives me letters after my name. Would anyone know the difference!? :|

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

My broad view is that if it is qualification based then there is merit, if it is purely a paid membership organisation then it is meaningless

I have steadfastly refused to join the body representing my profession on the simple basis that they haven't provided a single compelling reason to do so.

We were clearly typing at the same time.

I wonder just how many people appreciate the difference between a membership organisation and a professional body?

 

[WorldofHampers]

Thanks everyone. It is just a thought - as a gift basket designer I know that nobody has either certification or membership to a professional body. Too many people do gift baskets as a hobby or small business and do not realise there is a design skill to this. I was just wondering if I were to become a member AND be certified by a professional body whether it would be worth it and whether it would give my business more credibility over those that do gift basket as a hobby.
I don't think it is necessary after all the proof is in the pudding so they say, but I think it would be nice for customers to recognise that we are gift basket designers - this is not a hobby and a lot of work, training and skill come into effect with our baskets.

Appreciate all of your answers.

 

[WorldofHampers]

Meant to say nobody (or perhaps very few) in the UK has membership or certification to a professional body.

 

[Mayor]

The phrase "20 years experience" carries more clout than "member of the UFOGBD" is no-one knows what the UFOGBD is !

(Apologies if the United Federation of Gift Basket Designers actually exists...)

 

[Gecko001]

Hello everyone.
Just wondered how everyone felt about businesses that display their membership to professional bodies or associations. Do you think it adds credibility to your business, or would it make no difference to the customer?

I assume you mean logos of professional associations that owner/partners are members of. Also trade association logos.

Sometimes less is more. For example most highly qualified people only put their highest qualification after their name and leave off the degrees and diplomas etc even though they are entitled to put them there.

 

[WorldofHampers]

The phrase "20 years experience" carries more clout than "member of the UFOGBD" is no-one knows what the UFOGBD is !

(Apologies if the United Federation of Gift Basket Designers actually exists...)

Good point. and the UFOGBD sounds like it may be a space (UFO) association. As far as I know United Federation of Gift Basket Designers does not exist but the Gift Basket Association does, which is what prompted the question in the first place. Was it worth considering - I am still not sure.

 

[WorldofHampers]

I assume you mean logos of professional associations that owner/partners are members of. Also trade association logos.

Sometimes less is more. For example most highly qualified people only put their highest qualification after their name and leave off the degrees and diplomas etc even though they are entitled to put them there.

The problem is that most professionals would be lawyers, accountants etc so would not necessarily need to show all the qualifications or membership of professional bodies, however as a gift basket designer it may give a little more clout, separating you from those that do this as a hobby, but have no real idea of how to design a gift basket. No disrespect to gift basket suppliers out there. Had some really good points raised here though.

 

[David Griffiths]

The phrase "20 years experience" carries more clout

But how do you know that it's not one year's experience repeated 20 times?

 

[Gecko001]

The problem is that most professionals would be lawyers, accountants etc so would not necessarily need to show all the qualifications or membership of professional bodies, however as a gift basket designer it may give a little more clout, separating you from those that do this as a hobby, but have no real idea of how to design a gift basket. No disrespect to gift basket suppliers out there. Had some really good points raised here though.

If it was a qualification associated in some way with business then yes it might help if for instance if it was a MBA or a member of one of the finance professional bodies (chartered accountant etc). For instance most professional bodies regard making yourself bankrupt a professional misconduct matter so customers might think that you would be more trustworthy and will pay your bills. However, how many people know about that sort of thing when they are buying goods?

 

[TheBAB]

There are precious few trade bodies that have a level of membership that involves establishing a level of customer service or quality. However, I do see many vans, websites and adverts advertising being a member of something like it is an achievement!

I'm sure it must work as a marketing tool to some degree, otherwise people wouldn't do it. I'd argue there is a benefit to being a Chamber of Commerce member, as it shows you are part of the local community (plus, it could lead to new prospective business or at least some ideas).

If you want to demonstrate true credibility, then it's a case of looking at something along the lines of ISO 9001.