Chamber leaders endorse CMI as a framework for revamping member services.

Chamber leaders have endorsed the Chamber Model Innovation (CMI) as a practical and effective framework that has helped them achieve positive results and changes, which enabled them to revamp their services.

Bogota Chamber, Brampton Chamber and Federation of Belgian Chambers – all members of the World Chambers Federation: Chambers 4.0 Task Force, participated in a pilot project over the last year, which was designed to help chambers use the CMI framework to align services with changing member needs and adopt a more innovative and customer-centric approach to services and offerings.

“Our CMI experience has truly been transformational. It enables our organisation to both better serve and better leverage the insights of our business community. These insights are defining the new normal,” said Todd Letts, CEO of the Brampton Board of Trade, who said the organisation used CMI as an oracle to better understand today’s and the next generation of business leaders.

“I highly recommend that my peers around the world get at it. The future doesn’t wait, neither should chambers,” Letts said. He recommended that Dubai Chamber establish a global Chamber 4.0 institute in Dubai where chambers from around the world could visit and learn about chamber-led innovation.

“We are on a learning curve with CMI. Idea generation is probably the easiest part of the journey. We now have to be more daring in the field of experimentation, A/B scenario testing. Moving forward by trial and error is the real challenge ahead of us,” said Wouter Van Gulck, General Manager, Federation of Belgian Chambers of Commerce, Belgium.

“CMI contains all the ingredients to bring chambers in the era of connected organisations. Connected with each other, connected with our members, connected with society, connected with the future,” he explained, adding that Dubai Chamber can play a pivotal role in facilitating knowledge sharing and cooperation on innovation within the global chambers community.

“Adopting CMI has been a process of steady growth. Since its application, we have improved processes and found new ways and alternatives for different circumstances, generating a positive impact in different BCC’s departments and sectors, having benefits and responses to our customers‘ business needs,” said Nicolás Uribe Rueda, WCF Vice Chair. President, Bogota Chamber of Commerce.

“CMI generated significant changes in our institution such as adoption and use of digital technologies increased the effectiveness and efficiency of the departments,” Rueda said.

“When you see all benefits that CMI offers to your chamber of commerce, you keep moving and growing. CMI is a benefit strategic for all chambers or commerce to adopt it,” he added.

The opportunities and trends emerging in the post-COVID digital era was in the spotlight at the 12th World Chambers Congress (12WCC) in Dubai, where chamber leaders and members, prominent business heads and industry experts convened to share their insights and experiences in dealing with disruption and enhancing their preparedness for future challenges.

The three-day event, held under the theme ‘Generation Next: Chambers 4.0’, featured more than 44 thought-provoking sessions designed to tackle pressing issues facing chambers of commerce today, promote knowledge sharing, showcase success stories of chamber-led innovation and test chambers’ digital fitness.

Commenting on the upcoming Congress, Hamad Buamim, President and CEO of Dubai Chamber and Chair of ICC’s World Chambers Federation, stressed the significance of hosting the 12WCC in Dubai, describing the Congress as an ideal platform for chamber leaders to expand their knowledge, connect with industry experts and develop new action plans to improve their business models and competitiveness.

“The strong interest we’ve seen in the lead up to the 12WCC reflects a growing awareness within the global chambers community, which is fast realising the importance of investing in advance technologies and embracing innovation to adapt to the evolving needs of member companies,” Buamim said.

John W.H. Denton AO, Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Commerce, said, “Addressing global challenges in the digital and post- COVID world requires new forms of leadership, including from chambers of commerce. Two years in the making, the Congress will equip the chamber and business communities with insight and tools to effectively respond to the needs of the real economy, enable a resilient post-pandemic recovery and enable more widespread peace and prosperity for all.”

Plenary sessions on the first day of the Congress examined how chambers can work as one global movement to remain relevant in fast-changing business world, the digital revolution and the possibilities it brings, from remote working and hybrid events to increased international cooperation in the “new era of Chambers 4.0”.