FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can anyone join a chapter?

Any business is eligible to join a BNI chapter, however please check whether your business category is already taken within our chapter. If we already have a member from your field you will not be able to join our chapter, but we will refer you to another chapter.

Where do you meet and how often?

We meet every Friday morning, from 7:00am to 8:30am, at Porters Park Golf Club in Radlett. To view a map of the area, click here.

I want to come along but don’t know if this is right for me.

Joining a BNI networking group is a long-term commitment and it may not be right for you. We always recommend that you come along as a guest to meet the other chapter members first. This way, you can see how it all works without any commitment. In fact, many visitors who come along often walk away with real business.
If you would like to come along as a visitor, click here.

I am going to come along as a visitor. What do I need to bring?

We would be delighted to welcome you as our guest. Please bring with you enough business cards to hand out to all the business present (30-40). Also please have something prepared to say about your business and what referrals you are looking for.
As you are our guest, we will pay your meeting fee.

How often do you meet?

All BNI chapters meet once a week. The Connexions chapter meets every Friday morning. We do expect everyone to attend each week, but should circumstances prevent you from attending one week, you may send a substitute in your place. This may be a work colleague or employee, a business partner or a client.

Why is attendance so strict?

It is the regular commitment that makes BNI and its members so successful. It takes time to build trust and confidence between members and by meeting every week we strengthen our business relationships within the group. Everyone makes that commitment to the group and to each other.
And besides, if you miss a week, you might miss that big referral...

How much business is done between members?

A phenomenal amount - see the box on the right for an idea of how many referrals are passed between members. Some Connexions Chapter members have been in BNI for over five years and members rarely hesitate when it comes to renewing.
Why? Because the value of BNI membership goes way beyond getting your membership fees back.
It isn't rare for members to get tens of thousands of pounds' worth of business through BNI in the course of a year. And that's not even counting the value of the training, skills-building and additional networking opportunities that BNI membership offers.

How do you know new members are reputable?

The application to join asks for business references and we have a membership committee that checks them thoroughly before considering whether that person/company would be a good asset to the chapter.

What if a member gets a referral and does poor work?

This is very rare indeed, but should this happen we have an membership committee and it is imperative that anyone who gives a referral and finds out it was not satisfactorily handled must report that to the membership committee, who will investigate.

What occupations benefit the most from networking?

It is not an occupation that benefits most, it is the individual. The occupation can be anything. The more the members of the chapter know about each other’s business, the easier it is to find referrals.

Are members supposed to bring visitors?

All the members are encouraged to bring visitors for those occupations that aren't already represented. With each new member the possibilities for networking and business referrals increases, so it's in our interest to have a vibrant, participating group.

Do ethical rules for certain professions prohibit participation in BNI?

BNI understands the importance of the ethical concerns governing certain professions and acknowledges that rules can differ by location. As such, BNI therefore requires its members to uphold the rules of its profession so as not to violate the professional's ethical obligations. In the event that BNI's general rules could potentially violate a professional's ethical code, BNI's rules are superceded by the dictates of the professional's ethics' code. Significantly, a primary objective of BNI is to educate its membership in ways to market and grow business. It is BNI's intent to ensure that this is permitted.

If I specialise in a field within my profession, am I expected to be an expert in all aspects of my profession?

BNI understands that many professions are broad and that people often specialise within their profession. BNI does not expect, nor does it encourage, any professional to participate in an area in which the professional does not have expertise. On the contrary, BNI prohibits professionals from acting outside of the scope of their abilities.

If you have any other questions about the Connexions Chapter or BNI, please feel free to ask us.