Strategic Planning and Chamber Development

Gerard DoyleChambers of Commerce of

Ireland

Ingredients for a Good Plan….

Relate to the medium term i.e. 2/4 years

Be undertaken by key personnel/stakeholders

Include consultation with the membership

Focus on matters of strategic importance

Be separated from day-to-day work

Be realistic, detached and critical

Be reviewed periodically

Plan Components

SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) Analysis

Vision

Mission

Values

Strategies

Goals - Objectives

Programmes

Look Back…Diagnostic

How has the Chamber been managed?

How has the Chamber been funded?

How has the Chamber sought to increase membership or broaden the scope of services?

How have productivity/costs moved?

Chambers are…

Structure led not service led

Member led not customer led

Input focused not Output focused

Focused on behaviour – doing things well rather than on results

Find out the Cause

"What stopped the Chamber from?" "What caused such a result?" "Why didn't the Chamber achieve a 25% growth rate?" Go underneath obvious causes…

 

Strengths/Weaknesses

Membership – marketing, promotion; Management – systems, expertise; Operations – staff, efficiency, capacity; Services – quality, pricing, range, competitiveness;Representation – quality, effectiveness; Finances – resources, cost performance; Research – effort, direction, resources; Systems – organization, structures.

Opportunities/Trends

The state of the global and national economy and how local business is competing in the economy.Changes in the marketplace due to economic or social factors.Local economy or social and environmental issuesGovernment laws and regulations.Impact of new technologies.

Trends Affecting Chambers

Competition from other business organisations, state agencies

Changing Business Structure - ……small business growing - large business declining …..Corporate downsizing.. leading to more home based-electronically based business.

Trends Affecting Chambers

Business Pressure - Changes in society “people are too busy to go to events any more” “entrepreneurs are under huge pressures”

Members More Demanding – want better quality services, at the same price or cheaper

Service Needs Changing – less information needed, more how to make sense of information

Trends Affecting Chambers

Direct Commercial benefits – business development services for members are more importantChambers Role no longer clear, financial pressure forcing chambers to adopt new roles and strategiesNeed to innovate or disintegrate [specialization – using new technology]

Trends Affecting Chambers

We must get closer to the customer - establish branches, contact mechanismsEconomies of scale are important - mergers and greater regionalisation of ChambersEngage with newly diversified partnership and leadership models in the community

Vision

The San Diego Chamber of Commerce will be acclaimed as a leader and catalyst in creating value for its members by optimizing their competitive viability in the regional, national and global marketplace.

Vision

Picture of the organization in 5 years time re its influence, role, size, activities, services, stakeholders, products, structure, staffing etc.

Picture-Vision for the Country can help create Vision of the Chamber

Vision de Costa Rica

Aspiramos a una Costa Rica con un crecimiento economico sostenido, equitativo y ambientalmente equilibrado, basado en un entorno nacional competitivo.

Mission

The role of the Metropolitan Chamber ofCommerce in achieving its vision is to: Build and strengthen the business culture

through:Advocacy - The Voice of BusinessNetworking - Bringing Business TogetherLeadership - Shaping the Business Environment

- Metropolitan Halifax Chamber of Commerce, Nova Scotia, Canada

Mision de Camara de Industrias de Costa RicaSomos una organizacion que promueve la competitividad del sector industrial, impulsando a) los cambios que requiere el pais y b) el mejoramiento continuo de las empresas industriales.

See Mission Examples

Mission - Vision How To Sheet

Values

Somos una organizacion que representa los intereses legitimos del sector industrial, con:

- Eficacia- Objetividad- Transparencia- SeriedadEn sus acciones manteniendo siempre una

vision de futuro y las busqueda permanente de la excelencia.

Strategies

Are broad plans for implementing the missionThey are not specific or detailedThe usually relate to stakeholders“Fortalecer la representatividad del sector a traves de alianzas conjuntas con el Gobierno y sus instituciones, organizaciones afines y associaciones sectoriales.”

Goals - Objectives

Time and Measurement (Result)

The Chamber will achieve a 20% increase in membership by the end of 2004.

The Chamber will increase its income from member events by 30% by the end of 2003.

The Chamber will reduce its operating costs by 10% in 2003.

Programmes – Action Plans

Implementation plans for the key strategies. These should cover resources, objectives, time-scales, deadlines, budgets and performance targets.

9 Benchmarks of a Successful Chamber

1. Broad Based - Concerned with membership and business development and actively engaged in representation activities, but also involved with local economic development, provides education and training, and extensive information management services.

2. Strong financial position -mix of income from members, products, projects and services and access to funds for investment in new projects, and a contingency fund.

9 Benchmarks of a Successful Chamber

3. Has all the key businesses in the area in membership.

4. Membership expanding annually.5. Has a strong local brand image

and exercises real influence. 6. Devotes substantial resources to

innovation (new services, new ideas for local development).

9 Benchmarks of a Successful Chamber

7. Very close to its members and responsive to their needs.

8. Seeks a leadership role in the local community.

9. Well managed with high-grade staff and good people-management.

Planning to Plan

Planning Team

Chairman/President/CEO/Board

Member Surveys/Gather data

Consultation/Discussion/Feedback

One Person responsible

Planning to Plan

4 Meetings Planning SystemHalf-Day Board Retreat – Vision. Mission, Values – Appoint Planning TeamDraft Plan/Objectives/Goals/Program PresentedFeedback meetingFinal Board decision Meeting

Format of Plan

1) Executive Summary2) Authorization 3) Chamber Description - Diagnostic4) Mission, Vision and Values Statements 5) Strategies6) Goals-Objectives7) Action Plans-Programmes

Format of Plan

8) Budget9) Description of Process Used 10) Monitoring and Evaluation of Plan 11) Communication of Plan

Critical Success Factors

• Adequate resources (staff, office, program budget, etc), Partnerships with companies, other organizations, agencies, government, Support from member companies, Commitment of chamber officers/ committee members - (this may imply innovative ways of getting people involved) Realistic targets and review mechanisms

Implementation

Involve those responsible for implementation – Senior Commitment is vital

Be realistic – divide into smaller plans

Decide who does what, when

Regular reviews

Appoint one person for implementation

Monitoring, Evaluation, Changes

Are goals being achieved or not? If they are, then acknowledge, reward and communicate the progress. If not, why? Deviating from PlanIt’s OK to deviate from the plan. The plan is only a guideline, not a strict roadmap which must be followed.

Changes – Celebration !

Changing the PlanBe sure some mechanism is identified for changing the plan, if necessary. CelebrationCelebration is as important as accomplishing objectives -- maybe more. Without a sense of closure, acknowledgement and fulfillment from a job well done, the next planning cycle becomes a boring grind.