We learned at the recent National Pavement Expo that many contractors still don't know all of the benefits of NPCA membership, which includes discounts on equipment, fleet pricing on trucks, a really great health plan that even smaller employers can afford, discount insurance of all types, discounts on web services, work apparel, and many other things that can quickly offset the cost of your membership dues. All this plus offerings we have had for almost 10 years, such as a discussion forum (http://pavementpro.com/forum), free equipment classifieds, and industry articles.
Of course, most contractors immediately realize the benefits of our job search, where consumers can find you quickly and easily over the Internet simply by entering their zip code. They see a complete ad describing your company and the benefits of using you for their needs and one "click" connects them to you. They realize you are prequalified for insurance and licensing and subscribe to our code of ethics and customer satisfaction.
That's the only thing we can figure that is making our search figures go through the roof this year. As of April 1 the NPCA site has had 2,423 searches - an incredible amount for the first three months of the year when most areas are still in the middle of winter; it's almost twice as high as this time in previous years, and we can only attribute it to the fact that with the economy as tight as it is, people want to make sure they get the best quality work for their dollar. Whether it's commercial or residential, they want someone they can trust.
So this will certainly be a great year for consumers finding our members with our online search. Of course, our search is part of membership; we are not in any way involved in your business so there are no lead fees or commissions, like some of these "lead firms" you may be getting junk e-mails from or like some "national providers" who subcontract work.
As the only organization ever formed strictly for the benefit of independent pavement contractors, we are looking forward to our 10th anniversary next year.
We are forming the most important advisory board we've ever had as we look forward to major restructuring, making use of even more of the benefits available with today's technology, and we're anticipating a significant reorganization to ensure the association continues for decades to come and becomes an ever more influential part of the pavement industry, giving the independent contractor a bigger voice by sharing common goals with other independent contractors.
Stop by and check our great discounts on dues for underrepresented markets and join us for what looks to be the best year ever at http://www.PavementPro.com, the original complete pavement contractor's website.
