A Winner Once More

Mumbai's IT channel association Trade Association of IT (TAIT) has much to be
proud of. For the fourth 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 8 and number 9 positions respectively.

Nine associations saw their rankings slide down in the survey with Amritsar
IT Association heading the list, falling 15 ranks below. It was followed by
Ankleshwar Bharuch IT Association, which slid down 11 rungs and Panipat Computer
Dealers Association by 10 ranks.

The remainder six associations that saw their fortunes slid by a single digit
rank included, Pune's CMDA, Kolkata's Compass, Baroda IT Association, Indore's
Madhya Pradesh Telecom & Computer Traders Association, Bhubaneswar's Information
Technology Association of Orissa (ITAO), Patna's Bihar IT Traders Association (BITA)
and Coimbatore Computer Dealers Association.

Top 5 associations

Trade Association of IT (TAIT)

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.

However, due to low ratio of number of full-time employees to the members as
compared to associations like VCMDWA of Nagpur and ITTA of Puducherry, TAIT's
analyst evaluation score was less than these associations.

In social activities, the association stated that there is no fixed frequency
for the same but it was conducted as and when needed. Last year, it donated Rs 2
lakh to the Mumbai Police after the 26/11 terrorist attack in the city. This
aside, it organized family-oriented functions like Diwali mela, a picnic for
members with their families and a Holi get together as well.

Vidharbha Computer Manufacturers & Dealers Welfare Association (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 obligations, 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.

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.

Since all these parameters have a high weightage in the ranking, VCMDWA
emerged as a strong association. Although the analyst evaluation score of VCMDWA
was higher than the top scorer-TAIT (Mumbai); it scores second rank due to lower
score on size of the city and a relatively low score on member feedback as
compare to TAIT.

Computers and Media Dealers Association (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 donated Rs 1.5 lakh to the Jagruti Blind
Women Association for its computer lab.

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.

Computer Media Dealers Association (CMDA), New Delhi

This association was a non-mover in the ranks, holding on its number 4
position since 2007. Since 2005, its membership numbers too remained constant at
150 which improved marginally to 150 in 2007 and is currently 190.

The association has fairly well balanced permanent employee (one person) to
member ratio. It organized two seminars but several social activities. These
included celebrations for Lohri, New Year, an annual meet, a family get together
etc were also organized

CMDA intervened to settle some payment issues between a vendor and a member.
Other payment issues especially those around defaults were also resolved. It
also lobbied with some vendors to save member profit.

However, it conducted only 12 monthly meetings which is lesser than
associations such as VCMDWA and CMDA Pune. It also did not organize any business
event last year and has a static website.

Jalandhar Computer Dealers Association (JCDA)

For the second year, this association has maintained its position at number
5 position. Its membership remained at 70 since 2007 till date and has six
office bearers. In the last year it conducted two seminars and one awareness
meet.

It contributed old PCs worth Rs 30,000 to a less privileged school, 10 sewing
machines to a charitable organization helping ladies and winter clothes to an
orphanage. It also contributed Rs 20,000 to the family of a poor employee who
died.

For its members it organized a family get together, movie shows and a trip to
a hill station.

Amongst member benefit initiatives undertaken, it caught a fake excise
taxation officer and handed him to the police. This aside, it worked with the
police to apprehend thieves who had burglarized several shops. It also raised
the issues of delayed backend incentive to its members as well as support
offered by national distributors and vendors.

JCDA received good feedback from its members. However, more proactive steps
in terms of regular website update, organizing business events, exhibitions and
business directory are required to move the association to the top of the
charts.

The next 5

Jammu Computer Dealers Association (JCDA)

Revived a year back this association is a new entrant into the survey. JCDA
managed to initiate several activities ranging from member training programs to
registration with the government. It got high rating on the basis of its
internal meetings-it holds around 28 meetings a year and one general meeting
every quarter.

It has been actively involved in social programs as well as a seminar on VAT,
which resulted in good feedback from members. It held a blood donation camp
where 25 dealers donated blood and distributed gifts worth Rs 60,000 to the
blind on Lohri.

But, it is suggested that JCDA appoint a full-time employee to help its 102
members and also update its website regularly besides creating a business
directory. It didn't conduct any business event the last year, which was one
reason it was rated lower than the Jalandhar association in the analyst's
evaluation.

Association for Computer Traders Trichy (ASTT)

The association got a higher ranking from the analyst evaluation than the
Jammu association in terms of good frequency in internal meetings, timely
elections and three aware­ness events held last year which were effectively
communicated.

Members gave low rating in terms of welfare activities and overall
satisfaction probably because of few member oriented non-business initiatives,
so it needs to look upon that too.

Computer Association of Eastern India (Compass), Kolkata

Though Compass has very high number of office bearer, 21, it has just one
full-time employee. The association has got low rating on analyst
evaluation-mainly because it did not hold any awareness programs or seminars,
the website was not regularly updated and there was limited participation in
social activities.

Baroda Information Technology Association (BITA)

The main strength of association is that all its 230 members are pretty
active. The association also got good score because of holding elections
regularly and conducting close to 35 internal meetings as well as the business
event.

However, based on member feedback it's evident that BITA needs to work upon
partner issue resolution, organize more awareness and business events and also
create a more effective communication for members.

Association for IT (AIT), Bengaluru

With 480 members with 150 active members, internal meetings every 45 days
and having conducted five business events, AIT managed to make it into the top
10 associations. But since it has an active website, its ratings increased by
four ranks since last year.

Amongst the remainder associa­tions there were some debutantes into the
ranking. These included Ghaziabad Computer Association, Kanpur Computer Dealers
Associa­tion and Dehradun's Uttaranchal IT Trade Association.

DQC News Bureau