Strength found in numbers
Members get cost break on range of services
When small businesses flex their muscles together, good things happen. And with 109,000 members, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has the clout to negotiate services that are essential to operating a business at a discount.
Called Privilege Programs, these discounted services are comparable to preferential contracts that are negotiated by large companies. Equally important, CFIB receives no commission from negotiating these deals with its various partners. Any and all savings are passed on to CFIB members.
The goal is to help its members reduce their costs and, sometimes, get exclusive benefits not normally available to small businesses.
In many cases, the savings enjoyed can far exceed the cost of their annual CFIB membership.
Here are some of the opportunities available to CFIB members: ❚Chase Paymentech offers credit and debit card payment solutions. Members benefit from innovative solutions, including card terminals on site, mobile and ecommerce. ❚Scotiabank provides a preferred banking package. It’s one of the most successful business banking affinity program in Canada and includes discounts and enhanced services on business, personal and commercial banking. ❚ Payworks has two payroll solutions for CFIB members. Simple-And-Smart satisfies the needs of most businesses with fewer than 10 employees. It includes electronic pay stubs and direct deposits starting at $5 a pay run. Flexible-And-Affordable is the bet- ter choice for those needing a fully featured solution. ❚Select Com provides preferred pricing on business telephone lines, high-speed Internet and long distance with no term contract and no installation fees. It also provides a fax to email service. ❚Allstream offers local and long-distance business phone and high-speed Internet services through its national fibre optic network. ❚Zoom Ship R’s online service allows businesses to ship envelopes and packages to over 200 countries using leading couriers such as Purolator, Canpar, FedEx Express and DHL. In addition to packages, the company delivers significant savings to members. ❚Sun Life Financial offers affordable and flexible insurance solutions exclusive to CFIB. Prima Sure multi is a group benefits solution for business owners and employees. Prima Sure uno is intended for owners of businesses. ❚Vubiz provides online training in a variety of business and professional development courses, tailored to the needs of small and medium-size businesses. Training is available around the clock from any Internet connection.
For more information, go to www.cfib.ca/privilege-programs or contact a CFIB Business Counsellor at 1 (888) 2342232.