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What Does The Chamber Do?
/ FAQs
The purpose of the Arlington Chamber
is to achieve collectively what cannot be done
individually. The Chamber:
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Offers the largest networking
opportunities in Arlington.
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Provides credentials via the
membership plaque and numerous business awards.
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Supplies your business with
numerous customers/clients, through referrals given
by the Chamber office, publications, and our
website.
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Provides the only representation
for Arlington business to state and local governments.
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Allows you to participate in the
process of forming public policy positions.
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Encourages you to be active in
the community where you do business
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Helps you establish closer ties
to Arlington - as Arlington prospers, so does your
business.
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Builds bridges between the
business and non-profit communities.
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Provides business opportunities
found nowhere else.
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Supports public and private
education.
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Builds bridges between the
business and education communities
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Provides informational
publications and meetings.
For detailed information on specific
Chamber benefits, please visit our Member Benefits
section.
Frequently Asked
Questions
Is the
Arlington Chamber a part of the Arlington County
government? No,
the Chamber receives no funding from the public sector
except in those few instances where a governmental
agency chooses to join and become a member.
In those instances, the agency makes an annual
dues investment the same as other members.
Does the
Arlington Chamber have a monthly meeting?
The
days of having a meeting for the sake of having a
meeting are long gone.
Out of respect for our members’ time, we hold a
number of events during the course of the year
(descriptions can be found elsewhere on this site).
There is no monthly luncheon in search of a
program.
Is there
any charge for relocation information?
No, the relocation packets are sent to you
without charge.
Member organizations may insert advertising material
into all mailed relocation packets for a nominal fee.
Contact the Member
Services Administrator for more information.
Why do
most companies join the Arlington Chamber of Commerce?
Most list “networking” as their number
one response. Several
reasonable interpretations can be made.
Small to mid-size companies (the bulk of any
Chamber’s membership) are looking for customers and
can find them within the Chamber membership by
networking at events and committee meetings.
What can a
larger company expect from the Chamber?
Often, larger companies use their membership
to just promote themselves without aiming at specific
selling opportunities. Or,
they are looking for legislative support on issues
important to them. Or they see it as a way to give back
to (and participate in) the greater business community.
Is
the Chamber a good resource for finding
vendors? Indeed.
For most types of businesses, you can find the vendor
you are looking for. Some companies have even joined so
they could find a good lawyer, a good plumber, or a good
advertising agency.
You can look up Chamber members in the Find
a Business or Find
a Member sections of this site.
You may also utilize the Business
Connect component of our website that allows you to
contact multiple area businesses at one time, with a
question, request, or quote. Further, the Chamber's
Community Action Committee gathered the information from
companies with a history of discounting their goods
and/or services to not-for-profit organizations. This
information was compiled and organized into a list of Compassionate
Vendors. Non-profits, click
here to find a Compassionate Vendor who might be
able to provide your business with discounted
services/rates. For-profit businesses, click
here to find out about other companies’ offers to
the non-profit contribution, and
click
here to learn how your business and/or your offer
can be added to the Compassionate Vendors list.
What’s
the best way to contact all the Arlington hotels (i.e.
to get room rates and availability)?
Go to the Business Connect section of this
site. You will be
able to enter the type(s) of business(es) that you wish
to contact and do so with a single message. This
works for any category of member, not just hotels
Where can
I find information about sites and attractions and
visiting Arlington? The Chamber of Commerce is a
great source for hotel & dining referrals and
we are happy to help you find answers to these
questions. The best place to find information on what to
see and do when you’re in Arlington is the Arlington
County Visitor Information Center or click
here.
When is
the Chamber office open?
What can I find there?
The Chamber office is open Monday through
Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. Exceptions
are locally recognized holidays and a rare occasion or
two when the entire staff is at an off-premises Chamber
event. At the Chamber’s office, you can find a variety
of information about our member businesses, membership
directories, a community guide and an Arlington map –
all free!
Click here for
directions to the Chamber office and parking
information.
There are
many non-profits organizations that are members of the
Arlington Chamber.
Why would they want to join a business group?
 The
Chamber values highly its non-profit members; they are
an integral defining component of the community. Non-profits join the Chamber for a variety of reasons.
They know that is the Chamber is the avenue to
the local business community.
Further, the Chamber affiliation assists them in
securing donations, volunteers, Board members and allows
them ample opportunities to promote their cause and good
work. The Chamber’s
Community
Action Committee is especially focused on the
relationship between the for-profit and not-for-profit
sectors. The
Chamber and the Community Action Committee have created
a resource for the local non-profit community, a list of
Compassionate Vendors, companies who have provided
special offers and discounts to non-profits in the past,
and the corresponding contact information. Click
here to access the Compassionate Vendors’
information and offers.
If I have
a complaint about an Arlington business, should I send
it to the Chamber? The Chamber does not process complaints of this nature
though you are welcome to copy us in on any
correspondence that arises from your complaint. Complaints should be directed to the Better Business Bureau
that serves our area, the BBB of Metro Washington. They can be reached at (202) 393-8000 or by
email.
You can or you can also file a complaint online, by
visiting the Better
Business Bureau website.
If you
have a question for the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, click
here.
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