Founded in 2008. The Landscape Juice Network (LJN) is the largest and fastest growing professional landscaping and horticultural association in the United Kingdom.
LJN's professional business forum is unrivalled and open to anyone within within the UK landscape industry
LJN's Business Objectives Group (BOG) is for any Pro serious about building their business.
For the researching visitor there's a wealth of landscaping ideas, garden design ideas, lawn advice tips and advice about garden maintenance.
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An APL colleague pointed out a mistake in my attached posting :
- The APL are aligned with TrustMark scheme and not the Trust-A-Trader scheme as stated below - Sorry for any confusion.
It raises the point that if someone in the industry (ie me !) can confuse these schemes, where does it leave the Consumer in this crowded marketplace ?
Gary RK said:
Gary RK said:
Noticed today Which? are offering heavily subsidised rates for new members to join their scheme. If I understood, it's up-to £200 off first years subscription. Ouch...for existing members. Is it due to their success or need ?
Any updates from Contractors who gained the Which accreditation...?
It's now not only a battle between the APL & BALI but a battle between Which? and Trustmark:
http://www.bali.org.uk/news_events/news/2668/which-trusted-traders-...
The fact that the associations are relying heavily on partnerships to enable them to survive proves that the associations, themselves, have failed.
It's my view that a trade associations must operate totally independently and without influence from any external commercial body. An affiliation with a commercial entity dissolves any impartiality that an organisation should maintain.
I cant see anything wrong with the associations forming these types of strategic alliances Phil and I don't see that it would in anyway affect either associations impartiality.
LJN have always had sponsors and its never affected your impartiality.
I've read the Which press release on the BALI website and it gives members a good deal. I see a real synergy here with this collaboration.
I also believe that an alliance like this will help to raise the profile of the whole landscape industry. Its a common complaint that the landscape industry lags behind other trades and that we need to find ways to add value to the industry. Surely an alliance like this will serve to strengthen the industry?
Steve
Steve. Which? are a consumer organisation. I see this deal as a deviation from the independent status it boast about.
BALI is a secret society. It doesn't publish its member numbers, its financial accounts nor any complaints made against BALI members.
No transparency from BALI yet Which are happy to promote them, that's not right in my view.
Which says that you'll never see an advert in its magazines nor on its websites yet this tie-up is clearly an endorsement and in effect an advert for another commercial organisation.
BALI is a limited company, it isn't an altruistic charity that is seeking to benefit me or my peers. Its aims are to benefit its members only. Which? have now thrown away any impartiality and taken sides with a single commercial operator.
Here's a bit of blurb from the Which website:
"The Which? mission is to make individuals as powerful as the organisations they have to deal with in their daily lives. We identify where consumers are experiencing problems, and through programmes of research, debate and consumer dialogue we develop effective, practical policy solutions."
Which champions its independence:
"Completely independent - Which? exists to make individuals as powerful as the organisations they have to deal with in their daily lives.
The power we have is based on the fact that Which? is completely independent - we have no owners, shareholders or Government departments on our back and you'll never see an advert in our magazines or on our websites.
This means we work entirely on behalf of you, the consumer, and nobody else - so you can rest-assured you're getting the very best advice available.
By countering the morass of misleading information and bewildering choices that people face all the time, we work so consumers can feel truly confident - and powerful vested interests can be kept in check. "
"I also believe that an alliance like this will help to raise the profile of the whole landscape industry. Its a common complaint that the landscape industry lags behind other trades and that we need to find ways to add value to the industry. Surely an alliance like this will serve to strengthen the industry?"
You need to explain this one Steve....I can't see at all how this strengthens the industry?
The APL & BALI have divided the industry and this deal puts another couple of blocks on the wall between the two groups.
Phil
"I cant see anything wrong with the associations forming these types of strategic alliances Phil and I don't see that it would in anyway affect either associations impartiality"
When I said the above Phil I was more referring to the APL & BALI. I hadn't really considered how this deal compromised Which and after reading your reply I agree with your point that a deal like this does compromise Which's supposed impartiality.
I still think its a good deal for BALI members though.
I think that BALI being associated with a household name like Which can only be a good thing for the industry. Its an alliance that raises the profile of BALI and its members and you would hope to see a trickle down effect for the rest of the industry. May only be small but there is certainly no downside for the industry
Were coming from very different view points on the APL & BALI. I cant understand the criticism. As a landscaper you can choose to be a member of APL and/or BALI or you can choose not to be a member. People who see the value of these organizations join up and people who cant see the value choose not to join up. I've never heard a landscaper who was not a member of BALI or APL criticizing the trade associations, they just vote with their feet and opt not to join.
I cant see how the APL & BALI can be viewed as a negative influence on the industry
The more one digs into Which? website the more one is flabbergasted by Which? endorsement of a single commercial operation.
Have a read of this page: http://www.which.co.uk/about-which/who-we-are/which-policy/regulati...
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