Testimonials
Patrons
Pinsent Masons
The Chamber is the foremost voice for business in the West Midlands.
Being a Patron of the Chamber has provided us with valuable contacts
and insight into the West Midlands' business community. The Chamber
provides many opportunities for influencing the local business agenda.
Greg Lowson
Pinsent Masons
Shakespeare Putsman
Birmingham Chamber has started to understand the changing needs of organisations in Birmingham. It is transforming itself through listening to its members and adapting its objectives to ensure that it remains a relevant networking and practical resource to its members.
Shakespeare Putsman is a Patron and is only starting to play an active role. We have already seen some benefits - but we know that we only get out of anything what we are willing to invest.
Paul Wilson
CEO
Shakespeare Putsman
Aston Villa
Aston Villa Football Club has worked closely with Birmingham Chamber since we became a member in 1998.
The Chamber provides us with an excellent platform to network and engage with the local businesses community. Building relationships with local businesses is key to what we do here at the club, one of our brand values is commitment and we are committed to providing local businesses with a range of hospitality opportunities as well as an accessible local venue to host meetings and business events.
Having won the Best Matchday Hospitality experience award at the Football Hospitality Awards this year we have been delighted to be able to share this with Chamber members via the Chamber newsletters.
During our European campaign of 2008/09 season the Chamber assisted the club with valuable contacts from other European Chambers. In August 09 we hosted a chamber networking event which was a perfect opportunity for us to showcase our recently refurbished facilities to chamber members.
Our Chamber membership has proved excellent value for money and we would strongly recommend membership to others…
Alison Plant
Head of Hospitality & Events
Aston Villa Football Club
University of Birmingham
The Chamber has been a vital part of the University of Birmingham’s building of strong connections with local business and commerce. Their advice, help and contacts with members have been invaluable. We play a major role in the Birmingham economy, but without the Chamber, it would be much reduced.
Michael Clarke
Vice-Principal
University of Birmingham
Members
Continental Airlines
‘We at Continental Airlines have enjoyed a good working relationship with Birmingham Chamber ever since we first started our nonstop flights from Birmingham International Airport to New York twelve years ago.
Over the years, we have participated in a variety of Chamber organised events to promote our service to New York and to over 200 onward destinations in the Americas to the West Midlands business community. On each occasion we have appreciated the support received.’
Ursula Hammond
Midlands Sales Manager
Interserve Project Services Limited
Interserve is a FTSE 250 services, maintenance, building and infrastructure group and our construction business, with its head office here in Birmingham, is a major local employer.
We have been members of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce over many years and, while the Chamber may be better known for the wide range of support it provides to small and medium sized businesses, it works for us too.
Events run by the Chamber attract a broad spectrum of attendees from many different organisations, so provide a great way to network and understand what’s happening on the ground. In addition, through the Chamber, members have the opportunity to participate and offer advice in a range of other areas, which we find a useful way to gain insight into the future challenges of our clients.
As the voice for local and regional business in the UK’s second largest city, the Chamber is also widely consulted by key policymakers, which provides opportunities for members to help shape public policy.
Tim Capper
Business Development Director
Interserve Project Services Limited
Birmingham Stopper
Birmingham Stopper was established nearly 120 years ago and has been a member of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry for most of that time.
The advice and support that has been received during that time has been invaluable. Translation services have been very reliable and the relevant employee training cost effective. More recently, the legal advice helpline has proved to be fast, efficient and sound.
Birmingham Stopper, for many decades, has enjoyed the networking opportunities that the Chamber has provided. This has especially been the case in more recent years, with so many events and seminars that have been organised.
Birmingham Chamber has provided an extension to Birmingham Stopper's own in-house skills, knowledge and databases, along with opportunities to share problems and experiences with other businesses. It has always been a comfort that the Chamber is 'just around the corner'.
Roger Varley
Managing Director
Birmingham Stopper Limited
Colour Direct
I have found that membership of the Chamber has yielded many benefits to my business. Most people prefer to trade with people they trust and like. Belonging to the Chamber and taking an active part in its events have enabled me to meet many people on a regular basis so that understanding and trust are developed in a personal way.
I have carried out no mainstream advertising since I joined the Chamber, yet I have managed to grow my business steadily within the Chamber membership.
I have saved a fortune in reduced advertising, developed new and then sustained business worth hundreds of times the cost of my Chamber membership. I have also benefited by being able to find trusted and reliable suppliers from the Chamber membership for my own business needs.
My advice to anyone in business is to join the Chamber, take an active part over a sustained period and reap the benefits of additional good quality business, good suppliers and, just as important for small businesses, making new friends you can talk to about business issues or problems.
Rob Davis
Proprietor
Colour Direct
Graphic Display Solutions
ESOS
The support ESOS has received from director Jane Jackson and the Solihull Chamber of Commerce team is second to none.
Chamber events are consistently of a high quality and are held in fantastic locations, always well attended with quality, like-minded people from a wide range of industry sectors.
As a Premier Sponsor of Solihull Chamber, ESOS appreciates the value our association has had, not only in terms of new business or quality member referrals, but also with an increased awareness of our brand, our ethos and our presence in the local business community.
Is being a Chamber member for everyone? Not at all, there’s no need to become a member if you are not serious about growing your business!
Paul Jewell
Sales and Marketing
Pertemps People Development
What do you expect from your Chamber and why join in the first instance?
As a member, ensure you make use of the services provided and appreciate that the Chamber exists for the benefit of the membership.
An analogy might be along the lines of joining a gym which can only provide a service if you pay your subscription. In return you expect to use well-maintained equipment, enjoy friendly service and receive sound advice on keeping fit.
The Chamber is no different in that it offers an abundance of opportunities, networking, opening doors, bringing parties together or helping to raise your profile.
Like most things in life, it’s a two-way relationship where you achieve mutual advantage through engagement. But it’s up to you to take the opportunity as a member, after all you don’t join the gym and never go!
All Chamber members have an opportunity to comment and influence, to help develop strategy and draw upon a wealth of experience.
Get involved and just like going to the gym, the result should be a fitter and healthier outlook for your business.
Phil Pemble
PR Manager
Sydney Mitchell
We have been members since 1996 and consider our membership fees to be extremely good value.
Through our membership with the Chamber we have met a large number of business contacts from organisations within the surrounding area, helping us to build valuable relationships that have brought in new business and raised our profile throughout Solihull and the West Midlands.
Members of the firm regularly attend events that the Chamber organises and we find that these are very helpful in ensuring that we are actively involved within the local business community.
We can gain information and updates on what is occurring within the area, which helps us to assess if it will affect our business.
Jane Jackson, Director at Solihull Chamber, has been extremely helpful in assisting us to identify marketing opportunities.
The support services offered by the Chamber are excellent. We have used these successfully to obtain marketing information and to access a wide range of services from other members of the Chamber, helping us to achieve our business objectives.
Sarah Archer
Practice Manager
Yorkshire Bank
Birmingham Chamber offers its membership tremendous opportunities to grow their businesses and engage with 'like-minded' people who wish to develop and be successful.
The Chamber offers a huge variety of events including seminars, workshops and networking opportunities together with specialist groups such as the Institute of Asian Businesses, so there is something for everyone, from an individual to SME, through to large corporate and everything in between.
Not only does the Chamber actively support businesses in the region it also works with key partners such as the CBI, Birmingham Forward and Birmingham City Council, to name a few, to ensure that there is real added value in being a member.
Critically, the Chamber represents all sectors within the region and therefore has its finger on the industry and commerce pulse.
Whether you attend an informal networking event or the annual banquet you will be assured of a warm welcome. So whether you do business locally, nationally or internationally the Chamber can give you and your company the support you need to be even more successful.
Michael Kelly
Senior Partner – Business Development
Birmingham Financial Solutions Centre
Atkins
As a major employer and provider of consultancy services in Birmingham, Atkins values the opportunities which membership of Birmingham Chamber affords. Because of its high profile in the city and region, the Chamber is able to influence public policy at the highest levels in the interests of members and business generally. It also provides contacts with public and private sector leaders.
We have been pleased to contribute to the valuable work of the Chamber policy team and to participate in Chamber-led bodies such as the West Midlands Business Transport Group.
These provide further openings for networking with members and other organisations. Again because of its status, the Chamber is invited to participate in other regional forums which both raise the profile of business and give the chance for organisations such as ours to be actively involved on behalf of the Chamber, improving our visibility in the wider community.
The publications and events promoted by the Chamber are valuable both as sources of news and intelligence and networking opportunities and Atkins has been pleased to sponsor some events. The wide range of support services made available to members by the Chamber is also very beneficial.
Richard Hall
Regional Director
Atkins Ltd
Basic Training Centre Ltd
Birmingham Chamber is a powerful force for our community. The Chamber provides opportunities for its members to network and grow contact bases as well as communicate local business opinions to decision making bodies.
Miss Anjum Khan
Managing Director