The Chartered Governance Institute provides thought leadership and internationally recognised qualifications for everyone working in governance. They needed to conduct member-focused research to provide actionable insight into several different membership areas.
The Challenge
The member-focused research included both members and subscribers. It was designed to inform:
- the Institute’s five-year corporate strategy
- member value proposition, and
- plans for recruitment, retention and engagement.
In addition, the Institute needed to better understand two more things. Firstly, why members due to renew at that time, were not doing so, Secondly, why members had lapsed in recent years.
For both of these groups, the Institute also wanted to reiterate the benefits of membership and encourage prompt renewal or re-joining.
The Solution
Ashridge Communications were commissioned to act as the principal consultancy. Chord worked with Ashridge to deliver the member-focused research programme.
Ashridge developed and delivered an online survey for members and subscribers. This provided detailed insight on member profiles in three key areas. Firstly, it included how they engage with the Institute. Secondly, where they see the most value in their membership. Thirdly, what they need and want from their membership body now and in the future.
Chord conducted volume outbound telephone calls. We spoke with lapsed members and those pending renewal. Personalised emails and a short online survey provided an alternative method of capturing feedback from those who were difficult to reach by telephone. A dedicated phone line was provided for enquires. Questions from contacts that fell outside the remit of the campaign were referred to the Institute’s membership team.
The Outcomes
Ashridge and Chord supplied separate reports for each element of the research programme. Together they delivered and discussed their recommendations with the Institute’s team.
0%
of lapsed and pending renewal members indicated their intention to re-join or renew
Ashridge and Chord worked extremely well collaboratively to deliver the insight and outputs we needed at an important time for the Institute. The research with lapsed and pending members delivered good response levels, as forecast. From the file provided over 58% of members indicated their intention to re-join or renew and the feedback provided us with knowledge and suggestions for improving our future renewal activities.
Having not carried out any member research for around 5 years, the online member and subscriber survey has been invaluable in helping us get the breadth and depth of understanding we needed. Of particular value was the use of Ashridge’s Net Engagement Ratings, which enabled presentation of KPI findings for member segments in an easy-to-understand format. Recommendations were carefully considered and very useful. We thoroughly enjoyed working with the team.
Jane Galbraith, Head of Membership, The Chartered Governance Institute
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