Membership Services, Inc. Employment Opportunity Information Application Process - Step #1

This recording provides all of the details about our company and the available employment opportunity. Listen to learn how to move to Step #2 of the application process.

Secrets of our Success

Vision:

Improve the life of the people we serve though excellent coordination, communication and representation.

Goals:

1. Build a company that can sustain its operations financially, provide resources for reinvestment for future growth and profits for its shareholders.
2. Provide an educational, challenging and financially rewarding employment opportunity for its employees.
3. Perform services, conduct publicity, client marketing and client relations so additional associations and projects are offered to us.
4. Choose clients that provide an opportunity for success and have the capacity to pay a fair price for services rendered.

History:

The firm was founded in 1979 by Robert C. Harris, CAE, and began with a single trade association client in need of lobbying and membership assistance. Bob had just relocated from Washington D.C., where he’d spent five years in association and governmental work with both the Presidential Classroom and a law firm representing national associations.

In 1999, Robert Skrob, CAE acquired the company to focus efforts on membership marketing. In 2001, Harris Management Group became known as Membership Services, Inc as it concentrated on improving its service to a smaller number of clients. Now we have clients that love us and members who look forward to the opportunity to meet us.

Facts:

• The only association management company that specializes its services on perfecting membership marketing and retention.
• Recognized for quality, creativity and enthusiastic staff.
• Generates exceptional results for associations by drastically increasing revenue of existing programs and by creating new programs to increase member benefits and association revenue.
• The largest employer of professional lobbyists in Tallahassee.

Pledge:

Adapted from the Standards of Conduct of the American Society of Association Executives:

• Maintain the highest standard of personal conduct.
• Actively promote and encourage the highest level of ethics within the industries and associations represented by Membership Services, Inc.
• Maintain loyalty to the associations that employ us, and pursue their objectives in ways that are consistent with the public interest.
• Recognize and discharge company responsibilities and those of the associations to uphold all laws and regulations.
• Strive for excellence in all aspects of management.
• Use only legal and ethical means in all activities.
• Serve all members of the associations impartially, provide no special privileges to any individual member and accept no personal compensation or gifts from a member except with full disclosure.
• Maintain the confidentiality of privileged information entrusted to Membership Services, Inc.
• Refuse to engage in activities for personal gain at the expense of the associations or Membership Services, Inc.
• Refuse to discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or disability.
• Always communicate association and company statements in a truthful and accurate manner by assuring that there is integrity in the data and information.
• Cooperate in every reasonable and proper way with other professionals, and work with the association community for the advancement of the profession of association management.
• Use every opportunity to improve public understanding of the role of associations.

Educational Opportunities:

For everyone working at MSi, educational opportunities abound. In addition to daily learning and job enhancement, formal education is available from a variety of sources. The primary conduits are the Tallahassee, Florida and American Societies of Association Executives. From monthly meetings to annual seminars, the company encourages personal growth.

As employees mature in the company, they gain opportunities for travel and attendance at national meetings. In addition, the company supports personal growth by offering partial tuition for programs such as Leadership Tallahassee and certifications such as CAE and CMP.

Leadership opportunities exist for employees as they aspire and gain seats on boards of directors in organizations that directly benefit the company, such as the Tallahassee Society of Association Executives, the Florida Society of Association Executives Foundation, the American Society of Association Executes AMC Section and the Florida Institute of CPAs.

Learning is also encouraged as employees cross-over to learn the responsibilities of other staff members within the company. This makes the company stronger and teaches a broader range of responsibilities and skills to everyone at MSi.

Targeted Marketing:

The company uses it reputation for quality and talented staff to quietly market the company. By concentrating on association activities throughout the state, prospective clients learn of MSi’s services. In addition, participating in allied societies and writing guest articles informs associations about MSi. Targeted markets currently include:

• Florida trade associations without staff or those looking to replace part time staff with full-time professional management.
• National associations seeking a Florida presence.
• Developing associations or ideas for organizations.
• Law firms, lobbyists, accountants and insurers serving associations.

Benefits:

Membership Services, Inc. offers an expansive package of employee benefits, including:

Medical Coverage	Health care is provided by Capital Health Plan, a Heath Maintenance Organization (HMO). Employees are eligible to receive comprehensive health care at approved facilities and through member doctors and health care professionals. Covered services include: semi-private hospital room and board; outpatient hospital services; preventive health services; family planning; and children’s vision and hearing tests. MSi pays 80% of the employee’s medical premium and 50% of the employee’s family premium. Open enrollment begins on the first of the month following 90 days of continuous employment
Disability Insurance	On the 1 st of the month following 90 days of continuous employment, employees receive Long Term Disability Insurance. The plan provides for up to a 60% monthly benefit after 90 days of disability.
Christmas Vacation	MSi is closed from Christmas Eve until the first working day after New Year’s Day.
Annual Leave	Each employee accrues 40 hours of vacation time a year for their first 5 years and 80 hours of vacation time for each year thereafter.
Sick Leave	Sick leave time is accrued by earning 1.54 hours per pay period for a maximum of 40 hours each year.
Holidays	MSi recognizes 7 paid holidays each year: Good Friday, Memorial Day, July Fourth, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving, and the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Resources:

Membership Services, Inc. and its employees increase their value because of the extensive network of resources that has been developed over 15 years. These are just a few of the resources available to everyone in the company.

• Huge library of marketing training resources consisting of over 100 hours of recorded seminars, huge manuals, reference samples of ideas as well as traditional manuals.
• Proprietary materials developed over years of research and testing that generate results for member recruitment and retention.
• Manuals, systems and reference documents created from over 35 years of association management including scripts, templates, sample contracts, budget, board orientations, manuals and reference samples.
• Network of high quality suppliers to assist in job performance and meeting goals.
• Library of association management books.
• Membership in professional associations and the resulting benefits and services.
• Professionals briefed and ready to serve our needs, including the state’s more influential lobbyists, lawyers, accountants and insurers.

Management Style & Culture:

This will not be like any place you have ever worked before. Our culture is made up of two completely conflicting management styles.

Total Quality Management is applicable to the management style at Membership Services, Inc., as it seeks to offer high quality services to client associations and their members. The four components of TQM include: 1) assess member needs and expectations; 2) set standards of quality and workmanship for the staff; 3) empower staff and volunteers to deliver service standards matching the quality; and 4) re-evaluate and make corrections as necessary. Projects are mapped out well in advance so that we know what has to be accomplished this week to make an event 9 months away successful.

Project autonomy is provided as an individual demonstrates they can successfully accomplish unsupervised tasks. We try to start everyone on the easy stuff, this is to build a comfort level and avoid feeling drowned, at least early. Then as client familiarity grows along with project understanding everyone is left to manage their own work, priorities and projects. This does allow for failures, which is exactly what TQM tries to prevent. However, the autonomy creates self esteem and employees that are much happier creating their own work environment.

Mistakes will happen. They are a fact of life. Mistakes are divided into 2 categories. Those that are noticed by members and those that are noticed by each other.

We are all here to fulfill our members’ perception of perfect service. If a member perceives that our services are not perfect, that is a big deal and must be remedied aggressively.

Mistakes that are noticeable only to each other are the most common. Those are learning experiences that teach all of us where we need to be more careful in the future. They are encouraged and welcome opportunities to ensure perfect member perceptions.

All member complaints or requests are studied for latent needs. It is through these comments that many new successful projects are created.

Career Advancement:

When ever possible we promote from within. Our company provides a unique opportunity to move up within the association management field to become Executive Director of a state-wide association in a short period of time. This title is extremely marketable for your entire career.

Compensation corresponds to position and responsibilities. MSi prides itself on an exceptional benefits package and equitable financial compensation. In nearly all positions, the compensation package is directly related to the quantity and quality of work (i.e. -producing billable hours, acquiring new clients, overtime, client management fees and special services projects) and other employment market factors.

Stakeholders:

The company has many audiences/stakeholders it must consider in making strategic decisions.

Staff

The staff at Membership Services, Inc. form the greatest resource of the company. Our primary goal is a company that offers a pleasant environment and opportunities for all the members of the staff.

Families

The families of the staff are an important part of the company as individuals grow and have requirements that include their personal and family needs. Considerations are given for family priorities and needs.

Association Clients

The primary purpose of the company is to offer services to associations in the state of Florida, southeast, and in the rare instance, national or international associations. The strategic management of the company is directed at these associations. This section of the company forms the base and foundation of MSi.

Association Members & Boards of Directors

Members are the main reason we exist. Serving the member needs by offering quality telephone service, correspondence and on-site services at meetings and conventions is the primary goal of the company.

Consulting Clients

Many organizations call on MSi for services aside from association management. These might be consultation on computers, marketing, structure, strategic planning and so on. This section of the company allows for the greatest diversification and fastest growth.

Suppliers and Subcontractors

The company subcontracts a great deal of work to local and statewide vendors (copy shops, graphic artists, hotels, printers, etc.) These persons have an interest in the prosperity of the company in order to continue a fruitful relationship.

Government Regulators

The government has an interest in Membership Services, Inc. regarding compliance with federal, state and local regulations and the payment of taxes relating to social security, unemployment, tangible property, sales, etc.