NAPSA: Information for Sweeping Professionals

Sweeping Association Comes of Age

• First NAPSA-Certified Sweeping Company

The North American Power Sweeping Association (NAPSA) recently celebrated its 3rd successful year of existence. Although NAPSA was based upon the previous Contract Sweepers Institute, which was under the American Public Works Association, it is actually a different organization from the ground up. For years, the sweeping association was always under the wings of some or the other big group, like APWA. Unfortunately, when that was the case, the needs of the sweeping contractors always seemed to take a back seat to those of everyone else.

In October of 2000, 16 founding members and 9 inaugural members contributed $2000 and $500, respectively, toward founding a new organization. An administrative director, Shanda Middleton, was hired to oversee growth and daily affairs. Her office was located at Michigan-based Superior Sweeping Service, the company owned by Bob Hammond, the association's first president.

With the help of Hammond and a determined board of directors composed of sweeping professionals throughout the country, Shanda set out to develop the types of membership benefits needed to build and retain membership. The more than triple growth that NAPSA has sustained, to its current total of 305 members, is a testimony to her drive and ability to get the job done.

On January 1st, Shanda handed over the reins to a new administrative director, Amy Allen, who will become the new 'go-to person' for the association. Shanda will remain available, however, and will even be in the same building in her new position of president of Superior Equipment Company. Before she left, we asked Shanda to reflect on why the sweeping association has been, for the first time, able to thrive and prosper.

"I think a real key is that this is really the first time we, a collection of sweeping people, were in control of our own destiny," said Shanda. "Before now, we were relying on some large association to do a good job for us, and they never put the energy and resources into it like we have done for ourselves. The tangible benefits of membership weren't there, at least not benefits tied directly to sweeping. When a member called, oftentimes no one even returned their call, answered their question or provided them with the information they needed. I can tell you, that doesn't happen today.

"In the beginning, I worked to get manufacturers and suppliers to provide discounts, like Schwarze has done from day one with its 20% parts discount to NAPSA members. Today, we have discounts from a variety of places. I'm very proud of the benefits' package we now have, as well as the quarterly newsletter and other regular mailings we offer for our members. We have even negotiated free attendance for our members to some of the seminars at each of the National Pavement Expo events. There's no question in most our members' minds these days that they're receiving true value for their $275 yearly membership.

"We sent a questionnaire out to members about what else we might offer, and one of the hot buttons was discounts on filters. Because of that, we've now negotiated a discount with Donaldson, one of the premier filter suppliers out there. Donaldson has even become a Sterling member with us, so it's an example of how our membership can now drive the benefits' package improvements. Next, we'll be approaching tire manufacturing companies and other types of suppliers outside of the sweeping industry, but where we use a substantial number of that type of product.

"We were told by association management companies to expect a 20% drop-off in membership each year. After our first full year, our rate was 18%, or slightly better than average. Then, last year, our drop-off went down to 10%, which includes all the people who retired, or went out of business and the like. I'm very proud of the effort we've made and of the higher level of involvement we've been able to achieve with everyone, from manufacturers to suppliers to the interaction of our members, themselves. It's clearly working.

"Now, with the new Certified Sweeping Contractor program, we'll be able to raise our membership value even further. I see that as a key to increasing NAPSA's visibility to those outside the sweeping community, as well as providing a very tangible marketing component to our members who go through the process. I think it won't be too many years before all kinds of customers for sweeping services will start insisting on NAPSA certification as a prerequisite for hiring. That will serve to raise our professionalism as an industry, as well as the awareness about our service throughout the American business community."

This article is reprinted from American Sweeper magazine, Volume 9 Number 1, 2003.

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