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Mumbai's IT channel association Trade Association of IT (TAIT) has much to be
proud of. For the fifth year running, it has managed to bag the honor of being
the best association in the country, as determined by a survey conducted by IDC
India, India's premier market research agency.
The two other associations that followed TAIT are Nagpur-based Vidharbha
Computer Manufacturers and Dealers Welfare Association (VCMDWA) and Pune-based
Computer and Media Dealers Association (CMDA), interchanging their positions
from last year's ranking. What is commendable is that both these associations
have seen an improvement in their member perception since 2007 when they were at
number eight and number nine positions respectively.
TAIT
It ranked well on both analyst evaluation and member feedback. Parameters
like elections, internal meetings, awareness programs and website participation
have a high weightage in the analyst evaluation and TAIT rated high on these
parameters, which helped bring it to the top of the charts. According to
information submitted by the association it conducted 20 meetings last year,
with a committee meeting on the first Friday of every month and timely
elections. It regularly updated its website 12 times last year and conducted
three awareness programs in the past year-the Landmark Forum, an insight in the
period of recession by Jagdip Kapur and lectures on recession by HP, D-Link,
Sony and Intel.
TAIT received good member feedback on almost all parameters. Members gave a
high rating on its ability to resolve problems, either through its online
complaints resolution forum or its proactive steps to register an arbitrage
committee with advocate Rajiv Jain acting as an arbitrator for problem
resolving.
VCMDWA
Among all associations, VCMDWA rated highest in the analyst evaluation, as
it scores high in almost all the parameters. The association saw its membership
number going up from 98 in 2008 to 120 this year. It organized around 30
meetings per year, has conducted three awareness events for its members in the
past year, which were effectively communicated (a ranking of 10 has been
provided on communication means in the analyst's evaluation) largely through SMS.
To balance this out, it conducted events like a Diwali mela,Haldi Kumkum on
Sankranti, a garba dance during Navratri, a family picnic as well as a show
where ghazal singer Penaz Masani peformed.
Amongst social obliÂgations, they donated three tricycles to handicapped
persons and conducted blood donation campaigns. This aside it found a novel way
of distributing sweets on Diwali festival asking citizens who received excessive
sweets on the festival to donate it to the association which then distributed it
amongst slum dwellers. VCMDWA also adopted 11 year old Prajwal and is looking
after his education needs as well.
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It updates its website every month and has made provisions to handle
complaints on the site. VCMDWA scores high on it full-time employees to the
number of member ratio with its two full-time employees and eight office
bearers.
CMDA, Pune
The only ISO certified association in India, CMDA bagged the third rank this
year on the association ranking. It managed to increase its member strength from
325 to 350 this year of which
150 actively participate in its affairs.
The association has high number of 16 office bearers and two full-time
employees. It organizes internal meetings every Thursday and has held seven
business events, three seminars, and two awareness events. One of the events was
a training event done with the Pune Linux User Group at discounted rates for
CMDA members.
It is rated high on monthly updates of website which has a discussion forum,
advertisement section, technical articles, tips on buying a PC, an expert
section, details of local service centers as well as vendor warranty policies.
On the social front, it donated one PC, printer, UPS and voice recorder to
the Blind Men's Association.
It also conducted a Diwali mela, sports event and a health check-up for its
members. During the Diwali Mela a talent award was given away to sports people
who participated in state or national level and also to those students who
secure 90 percent or more marks in class 10th or 12th exams.
Since it conducted just two awareness programs in the past year and has been
rated low on exhibitions and business events conducted as well as the
effectiveness of communication, its analyst evaluation score is less than
associations like TAIT and VCMDWA resulting into fall in ranking.