Is TCIA membership worth it?

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..Plus, how would you feel if a competitor in your market became TCIA Accredited and you weren't?

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Unfortunately, I feel peer pressured to become accredited.
 
'TCIA' Tree Care Industry Association. used to be named 'NAA' National Arborist Association, with the late Bob Felix as beloved president.
Since 1974 been a member of ISA (used to called 'Shade Tree Conference')and attended ISA symposiums since 1974.
I joined the NAA becoming TCIA.
Around 1980 a magazine 'Arbor Age' was first published and in 1984 Arbor Age, and held their first Trade Show EXPO in Philadelphia, PA which was very successful that I attended and enjoyed.
NAA saw the dramatic and financial commercial benefit both hosting Trade Shows and advertisement revenue, with resulting financial benefits.
About 1999 I asked chair persons of TCIA to host a internet forum for Members (like treebuzz), and they dismissed and declined my forum idea. I think they TCIA did not want to potentially challenge any of their tree equipment vendors.
So, I discontinued TCIA membership about 1999.
I have been a Certified Arborist in ISA since 1989 and the successor of my father’s tree service business founded in 1949.
 
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I'm a career firefighter. I'm also a fully insured certified arborist and a member of both ISA and TCIA. Careful with your generalizations.

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Fireman, mill worker, whatever. It's tough to do this full time. People ask me what else do I do, as if this trade can only be part time beer money. To serve a community properly we need full time professionals that are there to respond to a three alarm call of a tree on a roof or an apple tree that needs to fruit better. I may need to get another job, then my level of service will suffer, and that is not good for elevating this trade's image. Part timers are not the only problem but a part of it. I appreciate hard workers and good for you, but my goal is to be recognized as a respectable professional, who is worth the rates that it takes to survive doing this the best I can. It's easy to lowball every quote from your position, different story for me.
 
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It's tough to do this full time.

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Yes, I know. I've done it.

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To serve a community properly we need full time professionals that are there to respond to a three alarm call of a tree on a roof or an apple tree that needs to fruit better.

[/ QUOTE ] My service area is already saturated with guys who can get a tree off a roof, and I'm not sure how many apple trees (or any other tree, for that matter) need immediate service that a part time tree professional can't provide.

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I may need to get another job, then my level of service will suffer, and that is not good for elevating this trade's image.

[/ QUOTE ] I fail to see how working part time affects the trade's image. I do see how an untrained, uninsured lowballer affects the trade's image, but how does the number of hours a week a person puts into tree care fit in? I am as professional as anyone out there. It seems to me that my lag time (the time between when I give the estimate to the time I am available to do the work) is no different than full time tree companies I have worked for. Their lag time is due to their volume. I do less volume, but have other time constraints, so it just about equals out.

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my goal is to be recognized as a respectable professional, who is worth the rates that it takes to survive doing this the best I can.

[/ QUOTE ] I wish the same. But apparently, as a part timer, I'm not entitled to the same rates you are...

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It's easy to lowball every quote from your position,

[/ QUOTE ] Really? Last time I checked, dude, firefighters don't make a heck of a lot of money, (and we're not in it for the money, for the record). Yes, I'm comfortable now, but I rely on the income from my tree service just as much as you rely on yours. If I go under, there's not really a whole lot there to fall back on. I have the same kinds of overhead as you, my man.

It sounds to me like if your competition, whether TCIA Accredited with 6 crews, or a dude with a Wild Thing and a mullet, are consistently underbidding you and getting the jobs, there might be a reason you're not surviving. The blame probably lies a lot closer than you think, and its not with the firefighters and millworkers.
 
I have a few issues with success. Low population, no high end neighbourhoods, long winter, a client base that had not heard the term "arborist" till I arrived 4 years ago. I could also work on my marketing skills for sure. Most of my competition are part timers or moonlighters as their employer would call them who have union negotiated days of rest, for their enjoyment.
I have one full time crew that drives over two hours to cover my area. As much as I dispise their owner's aggressive marketing, (Hi Norm) if it wasn't for them I'd be charging $50 a day and really not making it. So as long as we all agree to charge industry standard rates, it appears that it is mostly up to the individual to sell the professionalism and educate how important it is to be certified. The system works in large affluent markets. I really like living where I do though. I feel I provide an essential service like a true professional so it's just a matter of patience.
 
We are kinda starting to derail this thread, but I'd love to see one written about the issues facing guys doing this full time vs. part-timers. I fall into the later.
 
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