Under One Umbrella

The International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA), Lincolnwood, Ill., is surveying its members to determine whether support exists for opening its ranks to building service contractors and other end users. While the reception to the proposal from ISSA membership has been, for the most part, positive, other prominent industry players have expressed reservations and concerns.

To add BSCs as well as other end users, ISSA would have to get its current membership to approve a change in its bylaws; no vote has been scheduled yet, so the changes aren’t a foregone conclusion.

“The preliminary survey results from distributors and wholesalers are four yes to each no and the manufacturers and manufacturer representatives are 9.5 yes to each no,” says executive director John Garfinkel.

There appeared to be more debate several years ago, when the 4,700-member association decided to open its annual convention and trade show to end users. Until 1999, the show only had been open to distributors, manufacturers and their representatives; some ISSA members objected to opening the show because of concerns about pricing discussions and opportunities to buy direct.

Although there still are some objectors (including some wholesalers who only sell to other distributors, according to an earlier report in Sanitary Maintenance magazine), ISSA has gone ahead with plans to open the show to all cleaning professionals annually.

At the time, ISSA wasn’t seeking to attract BSCs into its ranks. Instead, it sought alliances with customer associations, including the Building Service Contractors Association International (BSCAI), Fairfax, Va. ISSA approached BSCAI, the largest contractors’ group in the United States, about the possibility of scheduling the two organizations’ conventions concurrently, with a combined trade show. BSCAI currently has its own convention and show in the spring; ISSA’s is in the fall.

The BSCAI board of directors declined to work with ISSA on a combined show because officials suspected that such an arrangement might lead to ISSA soliciting contractors for direct membership.

“It seems as though our board was correct in their assessment and, thus, [we] have been expecting such a move,” says BSCAI executive vice president Carol Dean.

“Several [ISSA] board members have contacted BSCAI officials to seek discussions to pursue cooperative efforts toward a goal of benefiting both organizations and to help the members of both organizations,” says Garfinkel. “ISSA has made several attempts to open a dialogue, but BSCAI representatives have declined.”

An alliance between ISSA and the International Executive Housekeepers Association (IEHA), Westerville, Ohio, has been successful, agrees Garfinkel and Beth Risinger, IEHA’s executive director.

“They’ve been a wonderful partner regarding our ad exchange and technical-question hotline,” Risinger says. “We have a direct line to manufacturers who can assist us with any problems.”

IEHA works under an annual contract with ISSA. Under the terms of the contract, IEHA holds its educational conference in conjunction with ISSA, helping to generate attendance. Additionally, ISSA has assisted some of IEHA’s more than 100 local chapters with scheduling educational speakers.

Long-lasting impact?
Dean and Garfinkel disagree on the eventual impact new-member integration will have on ISSA and on the industry.

“If ISSA is successful in achieving additional members for themselves, they may realize a short-term, lucrative benefit from their decision,” Dean says. However, she isn’t sure whether the immediate boost will result in a long-term gain for the association.

Garfinkel, on the other hand, feels adding membership will offer enduring benefits for ISSA, end users and the industry.

“From my perspective, the bottom line is that bringing direct involvement with the customers — and direct input from them — will only benefit the current members of ISSA and the industry overall,” Garfinkel says. “At ISSA, we think an industry association will create a larger, more professional market, better community awareness of the environmental benefits of our industry and a stronger voice with government regulatory agencies.”

BSCAI and others shouldn’t feel threatened, Garfinkel continues.

“The board is committed to continuing the pursuit of alliances,” he explains. “It is not like ordering one entrée at a restaurant. The cleaning industry associations such as ISSA have such a low rate of dues that it is conceivable many will choose to belong to more than one association.”

Also, he believes many new ISSA members would come from the ranks of the unaffiliated, rather than from BSCAI, IEHA or other associations.

“More than 90 percent of the facility service providers attending our show indicated they do not belong to any association in the cleaning industry,” he says. “Many have expressed a desire for such an opportunity with ISSA.”

Risinger also believes ISSA and end-user groups can have a symbiotic relationship, and doesn’t anticipate losing members to an umbrella association.

“End-user membership is high-maintenance,” she says, “and I don’t see ISSA getting into the business of certification/registration programs. I personally see a future partnership, rather than them ‘taking over.’”

Even though Dean differs from Risinger on her interpretation of ISSA’s motives, she also believes BSCAI membership is and will continue to be beneficial to contractors.

“I am confident that my association’s members realize full well that by belonging to BSCAI, an association run by building service contractors for building service contractors, they have chosen the best place to be to achieve their company’s business interests,” she says. However, Dean wonders if other, smaller end-user associations might not be able to survive if they have to compete with ISSA.

Regardless of ISSA’s decision, BSCAI will continue to provide educational programs, training materials, marketing materials and networking opportunities on a national and regional basis to assist building service contractors of all sizes in growing their business, Dean adds.