The Otago Chamber of Commerce Incorporated has been part of the Dunedin business community since 1861.

  

We are a not-for-profit organisation governed by a Board of Directors who are elected from local businesses and we work for our members to actively promote and encourage business growth and opportunity in Otago.

 

There are many valid business reasons to join the Otago Chamber of Commerce.  We can help promote your interests, grow your business and develop your people, while providing you with a comprehensive range of training and development, networking and event opportunities. 

 

We are truly a regional organisation with 1500 business and professional people making up our membership from the North, South and Central Otago regions as well as from Dunedin City.  The Otago Chamber of Commerce is the Hub Chamber for the Otago and Southland region with other affiliated Chambers of Commerce located in Wanaka, Queenstown and Invercargill.  Nationally, we are affiliated to the New Zealand Chambers of Commerce and internationally to the International Chambers of Commerce.

 

As part of Chamber membership we provide access to business savings, discounts and benefits from national corporate partnerships and from local chamber members.

 

Membership involves an annual subscription with some services including training, events and representation incurring additional fees.

 

Our current subscriptions rates are based on full time equivalent staff.

1-5       employees         $250.00+GST                                         6-20    employees         $280.00+GST

21-49    employees         $480.00+GST                                        50+     employees          $650.00+GST

Individual member and regional membership rates are available on request.

  

PROMOTING MEMBER INTERESTS

With a membership of 1500 we are the regional champion of business for Otago.  Business owners need to spend time on their business not on legislative or regulatory issues.  We have a strong voice to enable those issues that affect business to be heard politically.

 

We actively

¨       establish affiliations with other organisations which extend our influence nationwide

¨       represent business by sitting on influential local and national bodies

¨       promote business interest by lobbying and submitting on issues to local and national political bodies

¨       engage in informed media debate and comment

¨       engage in a number of initiatives to drive local business success

¨       develop economic surveys and other opinion polls

¨       are available to discuss local issues with members

  

GROWING MEMBER BUSINESS

Our member businesses range from small owner operators to sophisticated manufacturing exporters and corporates.  We provide a comprehensive range of services and support for any type of business.

  

Chamber members have access to the following:

 

Benefits and Savings

¨       Partners

The Chamber works closely with a number of well respected national corporate organisations to offer members exclusive discounts and savings including:

FORD          OFFICEMAX                  ORIX                SHELL               VODAFONE                   WESTPAC

 

¨       National Organisations

¨       Regional Benefits

We promote regional member benefits, savings and discounts offered by a wide cross section of industries and organisations.

¨       Other promotional opportunities exist for members to advertise or promote their services to other members by co-hosting events, by holding forums and information briefings.

 

Business Information and Resources

We are the starting point for any type of business enquiry.  Questions may be answered in-house by our staff or can be referred to our on-site BIZ Information Service Advisor.

 

BIZ Business Information Service

A fully funded information referral service provided by the Otago Chamber of Commerce on behalf of NZ Trade and Enterprise to members and the public.  While most business enquiries come via an 0800 number, anyone is welcome to visit the office during normal business hours to browse the huge range of resource materials and brochures that BIZ Information carries on any business-related topic.

 

BIZ Information acts as a first point of contact and aims to direct people to sources of specialist assistance depending on the type of help they need.  Due to the range of issues dealt with BIZ Information does not offer advice or direct assistance, preferring to leave that to the agencies that specialise in the field relevant to the client’s circumstances

 

Frequently asked questions to our advisor include:

¨       How do I register a business?

¨       Is there any funding for starting up a business?

¨       Am I eligible for a business mentor?

¨       I want advice on importing/exporting

¨       How do I protect a name or product?

¨       What do I need to include in an employment contract?

¨       What can I do if a company I do business with appears to have misled me?

¨       How much do I need to earn before I need to become GST registered?

¨       Who do I speak to about buying a business?

¨       On which days of the year are shops prohibited from opening?

 

Business Mentoring

The business mentor programme operates nationwide and provides a free service to a business which has been operating for more than 12 months.

 

Business Expertise and Contacts

We can provide timely and relevant information to business as we have:

¨       access to experts who can take complex issues and simplify the message for members to assess the possible impact on their business

¨       access to many key and influential community, business, local and national bodies

¨       specialist and industry groups which meet regularly throughout the year

¨       connections with other regional, national and international chambers

¨       access to appropriate contacts

¨       Chamber members form a formidable pool of knowledge and are willing to help each other out saving both time and money

¨       affiliation to the New Zealand Chambers of Commerce

¨       affiliation to the International Chambers of Commerce (ICC). There are more than 22,000 chambers world-wide which together make up ICC and provides members with access to the largest international business network in the world

¨       strong Sister City chamber relationships with Otaru in Japan; and Shanghai in China.  Chamber membership is highly valued overseas as an indication of integrity of potential trading partners

 

Employment Issues

We can keep abreast of changes to current legislation and inform members of implications on their business.

 

Funding Opportunities

We have information on many grants and external sources of assistance for business owners offered by Government and other agencies.

 

International Trade Support

Many chamber members use the world-wide relationships available for importing and exporting assistance including:

¨       Trade Documentation and Certification

¨       Certificates of Origin

documents which can be used to satisfy your buyers that the product exported is wholly obtained, produced, or manufactured in a particular country

¨       Certificates of Free Sale

documents which provide an assurance that products comply with New Zealand laws of distribution the domestic market 

¨       Carnet documentation

customs documentation that facilitates the temporary export of goods overseas and is valid for up to one year

¨       Commercial invoices

¨       Inbound and outbound trade missions

¨       Letters of Introduction

 

Networking Opportunities, Functions and Events (click here for a PDF version)

We offer networking opportunities for members to come together in many ways.  Functions and events are held on a regular basis and can be aimed at the general membership or to segments of membership.  We regularly partner with members to co-host or jointly present information or to bring key speakers in front of chamber members.

 

Regular Networking Functions include:

¨       BA5

Business After Five is a monthly networking function hosted by a member company

¨       Home Alone

regular networking for those individuals who work from home or who work on their own

¨       Open All Hours

regular opportunity for retail members to offer members discounts and savings

¨       Behind the Scenes

regular opportunity for members to see what goes on in a manufacturing organisation or organisation of interest

¨       Women in Business

regular events run for this segment of the Chamber

¨       Golf Tournaments

annual ambrose tournaments held in Alexandra and Dunedin

¨       Business Awards

A black tie event held every two years celebrating business success in the region

 

Publications

¨       we hold many business publications including international directories

¨       regular newsletters and updates are distributed to members

¨       information on our activities and keeping members informed of local and national issues or current legislation changes are published monthly in “The Chamber” newsletter

 

Developing Your People

We hold and offer a variety of training contracts to members including fully funded and user pays options.  Our aim is to educate our members by working with other service providers to ensure an affordable level of education and training programmes.

 

Current programmes operating include:

¨       Be Your Own Boss

an intensive 2 week programme run on behalf of Work and Income New Zealand to teach attendees how to start a business

¨       Cadetship Programme

The Chamber is currently piloting a programme targeted at placing young people in cadetship roles in host companies.

¨       Computer Training

The Chamber can arrange for individuals and groups to attend computer training on a particular application or focusing on a particular skill using Microsoft products.

¨       Enterprise Training Programme

a fully funded business training programme provided on behalf of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.  To qualify for these workshops, owners and operators of small to medium sized business must have less than 50 full time equivalent staff, must be commercially trading for profit and must personally own the business

¨       4 Trades Apprenticeship Programme

an initiative working to reduce red tape and compliance costs that can hinder the hiring of an apprentice.  4Trades select, employ, pay, administer and manage the apprentice who is placed with a suitable host.

¨       Frontline

a modular programme designed to give attendees tools to assist with dealing with people aimed at sales and administrative frontline staff

¨       In House Training

The Chamber can tailor training workshops to suit a particular business or a particular need

¨       KiwiHost

full day workshops based around customer service.  Run for both public and senior high school students

¨       Not for Profit Training

workshops run to assist Not for Profit organisations with business training and development, governance and funding issues, jointly funded with the Community Trust of Otago

¨       Straight 2 Work Programme

a 1 week course designed for parents returning to the workforce provided on behalf of Work and Income New Zealand

¨       Succession Planning

The Chamber together with the Dunedin City Economic Development Unit have identified a need for forward planning with regard succession and exiting of a business for owners.  This free confidential succession planning advisory service is now available to local business owners.

 

For a fuller explanation of our services contact us as follows:

The Otago Chamber of Commerce Incorporated

Ground Floor, Burns House

10 George Street,PO Box 5713, Dunedin

Phone  03 479 0181

Fax       03 477 0341

Email    office@otagochamber.co.nz

Website www.otagochamber.co.nz

 

CLICK HERE FOR A PDF VERSION