How SCRA’s affinity programs can drive business growth

Jason Bell, SCRA director of membership. (Photo: SCRA)

SCRA has long been known for offering a robust platform of networking, education and advocacy opportunities to its membership around the world.

Accordingly, one of the most valuable yet sometimes overlooked benefits of an Association membership is its suite of affinity programs.

From insurance programs that can offer solutions to help mitigate the risks inherent in heavy lifting or transport operations to travel discounts that ease the logistical and financial burdens of managing a mobile workforce, SCRA’s affinity programs are a strategic asset for companies of all sizes.

These offerings not only help members reduce operational costs but also enable them to reinvest savings into other critical areas of their business, fostering growth and resilience in a competitive market.

Moreover, these programs mark an SCRA membership as not just another professional affiliation, but a strategic business decision. “Many of our affinity programs are longstanding, and specifically designed to cover so many facets of member business,” explained Jason Bell, SCRA director, membership. “If you’re not looking at them, you might just be wasting money.”

Currently boasting seven programs, the Association’s affinity offerings include: property and casualty insurance, a 401K program, Enterprise and National car rental, publications (KHL), FedEx shipping, Milwaukee Tool and CrownSource’s discounted products marketplace.

SCRA Crane and Rigging Workshop 2023 held in Oklahoma City, USA.

“It really is a one-stop-shop,” added Bell, “and, uniquely, this suite of programs, as well as their offered solutions, are always being updated, or added upon, to their benefit.”

A prime example, he pointed out, would be the CrownSource program. “It was once primarily a way for members to save a lot of money on tyres across a variety of market-leading brands, but now, SC&RA members have access to five million products through this program. There are discounts on fuel, oil and coolant, toll management, warehousing, computers, even mattresses. Just about anything you could want for your fleet, your office or your business.”

Along similar lines, SCRA recently established the Milwaukee Tool Heavy Duty Alliance partnership, which provides benefits ranging from trade-in support to annual rebates alongside a host of promotions, customised incentives, their Red Tote service program and tiered rebates.

“This one is really exciting for us as an Association because it directly helps members to be at their best,” said Bell. “Imagine you’re a carrier or a crane rental company – you need tools for equipment repair and maintenance. This relationship with Milwaukee Tool doesn’t just provide rebates, it helps you to determine your best options through your local rep and builds out a rebate program accordingly. It’s designed to address those needs across the entirety of your business and establish a high-value equivalency across all that purchasing.”

Out in front

Bell emphasised that with each of SCRA’s affinity programs, members have free access. “And access is a word right now that I think plenty of members are thinking about when considering the current insurance market,” he noted.

Within the Association’s Property & Casualty Insurance Program – which includes two endorsed market partners and four preferred producers – options are exactly what SCRA is offering up. “Insurance costs have skyrocketed,” indicated Bell, “so we ask what can we do to help out in planning – how can we work to make sure our members are prepared, don’t get caught off guard and are able to make better, educated business decisions. Because at the end of the day, we’re looking to work alongside our members in navigating this landscape – align them with partners who are working to make the industry better and ultimately help manage those insurance costs.”

To that end, planning is a cornerstone principle within SCRA’s 401K Program – through a partnership with One Retirement Source. Through this program, members gain access to a retirement plan as an employer, said Bell, in terms of pricing and fiduciary services, that they may not be able to obtain individually on their own – especially smaller member companies.

“And now with the retirement mandates, it won’t be long before all fifty states will be requiring companies to provide some type of retirement plan for their employees,” he explained. “Getting out in front of that is critical – again, especially for the smaller companies. But also, working with someone who knows the industry and is working with other SCRA members to offer benefits that are applicable and competitive. This program specifically helps members to understand the market, look for a program and plug one in that makes sense, quickly and efficiently.”

Across the board

As for day-to-day operations, Bell spotlighted SCRA’s Enterprise and National and FedEx affinity programs as longstanding options for members that offer notable savings that could positively impact the bottom line.

“The Enterprise and National rental car program not only supports members when they’re travelling to our meetings in a particular city but wherever they are – the jobsite, visiting customers or even last-minute business or personal travel,” he confirmed. “SCRA members are entitled to discounts of up to twenty percent off rates. It’s another example of – if you don’t have a preferred relationship with a rental car company, this is one to align yourself with immediately to save yourself some serious money.”

The FedEx program is no different, insisted Bell – where SCRA member companies who have registered are saving up to 27 percent on all shipments through the FedEx agreement with PartnerShip. “We’re coming up on ConExpo and Bauma – we do have a freight program within this FedEx offering,” he acknowledged. “Savings on ground shipments, overnight, express – this is another one of these programs where you could potentially be saving double digits on your shipping.

“And if you’re sending documents, contracts, components, hard mail – effectively anything – through FedEx without any type of a discount, you’re missing out. This is one of our longest-standing affinity programs where we see roughly six or seven percent of the Association’s membership actively using it and saving money.”

Savings, planning and preparation being what they are, recognized Bell, the Association’s affiliation with KHL is a partnership as much as it is an affinity program. “With ACT and ICST magazines, and online through Crane and Transport Briefing, KHL helps us broaden our reach and inform members of what’s going on across industry sectors with new products and services. Overall, access to information is a key component to our value proposition for SCRA members worldwide.”

At the end of the day, added Bell, it stands to reason that the publications piece is at or near the top of SCRA affinity benefits – just based on the value of information across the board. “Absolutely, there’s no sense in trying to navigate these extremely complicated times and markets blindfolded. But indeed, all of these programs, especially in conjunction with each other, point to so many unquantifiable dollars saved – be it through product and service discounts and rebates, retirement and insurance planning, or simply being as educated and informed as much as possible while endeavouring to succeed within this industry.”

For more information on SCRA’s Affinity Partners, visit scranet.org/partners