ISPA 'roadmap' aims to improve group's key services
By Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, December 21, 2003
| ISPA at a glance |
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Alexandria, Va. — When he became president of the International Sleep Products Assn. in May 2002, Dick Doyle saw opportunity for the 87-year old trade group.
That opportunity lay in a strategic plan to outline the association's short- and long-term goals. Completed late last year and adopted by the board in January, it is a series of seven main objectives that range from enhancing industry image to lobbying on behalf of the industry.
"Last year was a monumental year for the association," Doyle said. "Not only did we come out with a tremendous outcome — the process was valuable for me, the staff and the membership. We got to hear what the members were looking for from the association."
Coming up with the plan was perhaps the easy part. Now comes the challenge of following the course of action set forth in its goals and objectives. But that's a process Doyle and others look forward to carrying out.
"We are evolving the association to operate it like a business," he said. "We are positioning ISPA to be an extension of our member company operations."
ISPA Vice President of Communications Nancy Blatt called the plan a road map "with some real, solid goals."
"Basically the whole organization has been reinvented," Blatt said. "We are taking a fresh look at what is working and what is not."
A performance management system has been put in place to make sure ISPA staff is carrying out the plan.
The association already has made progress, including incorporating the Better Sleep Council into ISPA, one of the steps taken under the Enhancing Industry Image category.
Under communications, it has increased the number of members receiving its Tuesday morning message electronically. Some still receive it via fax, but that number is dropping in favor of more cost-efficient e-mails.
Another communications improvement has been the launch of four new Web sites for ISPA, the Better Sleep Council (whose brand name remains intact), the Sleep Products Safety Council and association publication Sleep Savvy.
"We are moving forward in a coordinated fashion with some specific objectives," Blatt said. "Everything is aligned with the strategic plan.... It makes for a much stronger organization."
ISPA continues to support legislative issues such as establishing national standards for flammability and mattress disposal, and product liability reform. ISPA's government relations committee is identifying the major issues and addressing them through direct lobbying and grassroots coalitions.
But as Doyle sees it, ISPA also needs to have its pulse on broader issues affecting not only the bedding industry but other manufacturers as well. As chair of the government relations committee of the National Assn. of Manufacturers, he expects to pool the resources of ISPA and other associations to address issues like tort reform, tax relief and the effects of imports.
ISPA's membership includes 650 mattress manufacturers and bedding component suppliers in 50 countries on six continents, relatively unchanged in the past five years. Doyle estimated that includes 97% of the domestic bedding industry.
However, he believes the association can gain more foreign members by establishing a better presence overseas. For instance, with 40 of its members in Europe, ISPA is working with an association management firm in Brussels to explore opening a European office.
If successful, such efforts could be duplicated in Asia and South America.
ISPA also wants to expand educational alliances. At its recent industry conference in Nashville, Tenn., it unveiled a partnership with Vanderbilt University to develop a business education program geared toward the bedding industry. Two areas of focus in the program would be innovation and entrepreneurship.
"If we can raise all the boats in the harbor, the overall industry would be better off as a result," Doyle said.
