June sees the Risk & Assurance Group (RAG) holding two of our free learning events in as many weeks, as we return to Bonn with Deutsche Telekom for the 2019 European conference and then head to Toronto and TELUS for our second North American conference and the first to be held in Canada.
Whilst there seems to be no shortage of telecoms events in and around Europe and the US, most of these are sales events in nature, and still expensive for telcos to attend. Telcos are usually charged a premium for the chance to be corralled and surrounded by salesmen.
In fact, telecommunications professionals across Canada and assurance professionals throughout North America seem to be almost orphaned by most of these so-called international associations.
There should always be budget for learning, and events can provide a valuable resource of materials, solutions and new developments in the industry which are invaluable to operators looking to remain secure, competitive and efficient.
Despite cost challenges faced by telcos, as revenues and margins continue to decline, the status quo of this model doesn’t seem under any threat.
Global Communications Requires Global Thinking
RAG goes where it’s needed, not where there’s money to be made. That’s why we provide genuinely global presence and support for the industry, and don’t limit ourselves to a handful of regions whilst claiming to be international. We continue to break into new territories and, aside from the European and North American conferences, we are coming back to South Africa in October, and then will be holding our first event in India at the beginning of February 2020.
If you want to see what we’ll be discussing at our European and North American events, take a look at the RAG Bonn and RAG Toronto conference pages to check out the agendas, and to register.
How Much Is Too Much?
If you are paying to attend, then that is too much.
If your business can afford to invest the time of your staff to learn at events and spend the money required for travel and accommodation costs, shouldn’t that be enough? Why should you be charged annual membership fees, and why should you be paying just to be inside a room?
This isn’t the way of RAG, which doesn’t charge for membership and always allows telecoms employees to attend our events for free as part of our mission to become the biggest global provider of free information and advice through our international conferences and online services.
The most valuable assets in your business are the people, so ensuring they are educated and at the cutting edge of their respective disciplines should be of paramount importance to your employer.
Cost Versus Benefit?
The next time that you are approached to attend or participate in an event, sit down and spend a few minutes assessing how much it costs your business to belong to a group, how much it costs to be involved in their initiatives and how much you are charged to be at the meetings, versus what you really get out of it.
RAG already provides a variety of online services and content for its members, and ensures the real issues are addressed for risk and assurance professionals at our events.
You can make a change, by investing in your business, and your people, the smart way.
So, tell us what you want and how RAG can better serve you in this time of technological and commercial evolution. We can all improve telecoms together, working as guardians of the industry.
