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2004 CII Membership Survey Overview The following tabulations are based on 41 complete survey responses. This overview also attempts to summarize extemporaneous "editorial" comments and partially completed surveys. There are those among our membership who found the survey too long, too short, and generally annoying. Not all calculations will match the total response number as a result of the attempt to summarize as wide a swath of responses as possible. Demographics/Membership
9. TOP TEN CATEGORIES OF INVESTIGATIVE WORK
13. TWO TOP REASONS FOR JOING CII Provide effective professional network
MEETINGS
15. LAST MEETING ATTENDED: By far, Kinsale was in the running as 20 of the survey respondents had attended the last conference in Ireland. Toronto, Germany and New Delhi also were listed. 16. REASONS FOR NOT ATTENDING MEETINGS (IN DESCENDING ORDER OF IMPORTANCE): Scheduling/business conflict remains the thorn in the side of business attendance. The 1998 survey also listed this as the single most mentioned barrier to attendance. After that, location, cost and length of the meeting are the most frequently cited reasons. 17. CONSIDERING ALL THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS AND/OR MID YEARS MEETINGS, CII continues to earn rave reviews for location. This was the same response as was noted in the 1998 survey. Facilities, Seminars, Total Value and Social Events remain more or less balanced among the other factors. It is noted that out of the responses received, the cost of the conference was noted as a lower end factor rating, i.e., 1 poor, 4 fair, 8 average, 11 good and 6 excellent of those responding to this question. 18. IMPROVE ATTENDANCE (LISTED IN DESCENDING ORDER): LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
19. IF THE AGM MEETINGS WERE VIDEOTAPED 19 would purchase the tape. Another 14 would not and most would spend in the range of $21-$25.00 for the tape. Some would pay "as little as possible" and two even offered to pay $100.00! 20. TOPICS LISTED FOR FUTURE SEMINARS: International Investigations/Locate
21. DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS 32% HAD SERVED AS A SEMINAR SPEAKER. Another 63% of those responding had not spoken. 22. THOSE WILLING TO SERVE AS A SEMINAR SPEAKER included 44% of those responding. Topics listed included:
23. THOSE SUPPORTING THE AGM BY ADVERTSING WERE 46% of those responding. 24. WILLING TO CONSIDER CONTACTING VENDORS FOR ADVERTISING IN THE AGM PROGRAM: There were 49% of the respondents willing to volunteer for that effort. That is up from 37% from the 1998 survey. ["Marketing, marketing, marketing."] 25. BYLAW REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AGM SCHEDULE were supported by 80% of the respondents this year and 90% of the respondents in the 1998 survey. 26. A (78%) MAJORITY WOULD ASSIST IN LOGISTICAL PLANNING. 27. "TOP FIVE" AGM MEETING LOCALES: 1. SAN FRANCISCO (MOVING UP FROM #5 IN 1998)
And for the rest, honorable mention: Las Vegas, Seattle, Bermuda, Tokyo, Kansas City. . . followed closely by Monte Carlo, Nice, France, Bangkok, New Delhi, and Warsaw. 28. THE RANGE OF RESPONSES FOR THE LENGTH OF AGM PROGRAM AND TRAVEL TIME VARIED LITTLE. Of those responding, 37% favored 4 days. (In 1998, 35% favored 4 days). 24% favored 3 days. In 1998, that was 33%. 12% favored 2 days in the current survey. 29. HOW MANY DAYS OF EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS AT THE AGM: Most of those responding favored 4 days (37%). That is followed by 24% who favor three days. A number of members (17%) wanted to go for five days while another 12% favored 2 days. (The 2-day option was favored by an overwhelming majority of respondents in 1998.)30. HOW MUCH ADVANCE TIME NEED TO ATTEND THE SEMINAR: The majority of the respondents still need 6 months to plant to attend a seminar. This mirrors the 1998 survey. Several still need a year and a couple can fly out the door with only 1 month to plan.31. FACTORS IMPACTING DECISION TO ATTEND AGM Location, Location, Location continues to be the one singular driving factor as it was in 1998.
32. HOLDING ANNUAL MEETING IN FALL MONTHS As in 1998, a majority of 59% favor holding the meeting in fall months. 33. SHOULD AGM CONTINUE OVER TO SATURDAY A clear majority of 49% favored Saturday meetings. No such majority was noted in the 1998 survey. 34. IN ADDITION TO AGM, SHOULD CII CONDUCT OTHER SEMINARS/WORKSHOPS A majority of 56% of those responding agreed with this idea. 35. TOO MANY, TOO FEW, RIGHT NUMBER OF CII SOCIAL ACTIVITIES? A full third of the membership responding felt there are "just right" number. That compares to 67% in 1998 who agreed with that assessment. Another fair share wanted to party on with more social activities (29%) and few of the "early to bed, early to rise" philosophy felt there were too many (7%). 36. INCREASE OF REGISTRATION FEE TO SUPPORT RECPTIONS, ETC. While the majority wanted to party on with more social activities, only 24% were willing to pay higher fees while 39% did not favor any rise in fee. Many just could not make up their minds (27%). 37. IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, 22% ATTENDED UP TO 5 OTHER PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS’ SEMINARS. That is a significant drop from 69% in 1998. In fact, the majority, 34%, only attended 1-5 seminars in the last five years. 38. OVERALL, HOW DOES CII COMPARE WITH OTHER SEMINARS. This survey's respondents mirrored those in 1998 with a mixed bag of ratings ranging from a "far superior" for "social events" with a lower end review for the business meeting. A heavily weighted number found the cost "average". CII continues to have an overall member rating of average to above average in comparison to other seminars. This mirrors the 1998 survey results. 39. AN ONGOING CERTIFICATION PROGRAM CONTINUES TO BE FAVORED (59%). The support faltered some as 70% favored a certification program in 1998. 40. A SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY (71%) FAVOR THE ELECTRONIC PUBLICATION OF INTERNATIONAL COUNCILLOR. [This question does not appear in the 1998 CII Membership Survey Overview]. 41. IF THE ELECTRONIC VERSION WERE ADOPTED BY THE MEMBERSHIP, A FAIR NUMBER OFFERED TO SUMBIT ARTICLES AND ADVERTISING. Less than half of those respondents were as eager to serve on the editorial version. Another 9 of the 41 members would not support an electronic version. [This question does not appear in the 1998 Overview]. 42. ALMOST HALF OF CII MEMBERS HAVE AUTHORED/CO-AUTHORED A PAPER AND/OR RESEARCH REPORT PUBLISHED IN A RECOGNIZED JOURNAL. 43. MANY TOPICS NOMINATED FOR COUNCILLOR ARTICLES INCLUDED THE OLD STAND-BYS: 1. FRAUD
With little fanfare, Privacy Legislation is screaming across the membership's radar screens. It is also probably equally weighted for the future of our profession concerns expressed throughout the survey responses. Some of our members editorialized that the privacy issue is causing them to consider other "outgrowth" career options. Other topics ranging around the article suggestions were the CII web site and related topic areas such as computer investigations, updates on databases, IT security, tracing e-mails. This is another generation of concerns for many CII members. Other topics related to legal issues and marketing. One specifically mentioned the topic of costing of services in other countries as well as just conducting business in other countries. 44. CII MEMBERSHIP CONTINUES BY AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY (66%) IN EXPRESSING NO INTEREST IN RECEIVING AN ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THE MEMERSHIPI ROSTER INSTEAD OF A HARD COPY...BUT IF 45. THE ELECTRONIC VERSION IS UPDATED MAILED ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, 49% OF THE RESPONDENTS WOULD HAVE THEIR DECISION INFLUENCED. 46. A MAJORITY (59%) WOULD BE INTERESTED IN RECEIVING INTERNATIONAL COUNCILLOR IN ELECTRONIC FORMAT E-MAILED REGULARLY...AND THEN... 47. A MAJORITY (59%) WOULD BE WILLING TO SWITCH TO ELECTORNIC MEDIA IF THIS KEPT DUES FROM BEING INCREASED.... BUT 48. A MAJORITY (56%) DOES NOT FAVOR A DUES INCREASE. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
52. TOP REASONS FOR REFERRING CASES OUTSIDE OF CII: 1. NO MEMBER IN AREA
53. THE RESPONSE IS BALANCED BETWEEN THOSE WHO SOLICITED (41%) A NON-MEMBER TO JOIN CII AS TO THOSE WHO HAD NOT (44%). 54. OF THOSE WHO HAD REFERRED AN APPLICANT TO CII, ONLY 29% WOULD WANT THE PERSON TO RECEIVE MERBERSHIP SOLICATION FOR THE COUNCIL. ANOTHER 51% HAD NO RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION WITH ONLY 17% FAVORING ADMISSION TO NON-MEMBERS REFERRED. 55. A LARGE NUMBER (44%) WISH THERE WERE MEMBERS IN MULTIPLE NATIONS LOCATED AMONG OTHER PLACES, AFRICA, CENTRAL AMERICA, LATIN AMERICA, MIDDLE EAST, CHINA AND RUSSIA. 56. MOST (56%) KNEW OF NO QUALIFYING MEMBER IN THOSE AREAS.
58. MOST (56%) MEMBERS OFFER A DISCOUNT RATE FOR CII MEMBERS. The discount varies widely. 59. MOST (68%) HAVE DIFFERENT RATES FOR OF INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES DICATED BY THE TYPE OF SERVICES PROVIDED. 60. THE PEFORMANCE OF REGIONAL DIRECTORS WAS RANKED RATHER EVENLY: EXCELLENT - 22%
61. HOW OFTEN DO MEMBERS DEAL WITH THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR? OFTEN - 15%
62. A LARGE NUMBER (71%) WOULD SUPPORT REGIONAL MEETINGS AND/OR SEMINARS. THIS REMAINS A TREND SINCE THE 1998 SURVEY WHEN 67% OFFERED TO SUPPORT REGIONAL ACTIVITIES. 63. THE SUPPORT FOR REGIONAL BUYING COOPERATIVES FOR VOLUME DISCOUNTS WAS TORN BETWEEN 44% NOT IN FAVOR AND 41% IN FAVOR. 64. NOT MANY WANTED TO SERVE ON A COMMITTEE TO SUPPORT COOPERATIVE DISCOUNT PLAN. ONLY 32% WERE WILLING TO VOLUNTEER AND 49% WOULD NOT SERVE ON A COMMITTEE. CII AND YOU 65. THE TOP FIVE ORGANIZATIONS, IN ADDITION TO CII MEBERSHIP: 1. State Associations
66. IN COMPARISION WITH OTHER ORGNAIZATIONS, MEMBER RATED CII AVERAGE TO SUPERIOR FOR MEMBERSHIP QUALIFICATIONS, PROFESSIONALISM AND RELEVANCE. PUBLICATIONS AND REFERRAL NETWORK EARNED A FEW LOWER END MARKS. 67. IMPORTANCE OF STRATEGIC PLAN: 17% - CRITICAL
This is a noteworthy change from 1998 when 75% of the members polled rated the Strategic plan as critical. 68. A RESOUNDING MAJORITY (93%) FIND MEMBERHIP IN CII MEANINGFUL. 69. MOST AGREED THERE WAS ADEQUATE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON COMMITTEES (44%). 70. COMMITTEE LEADER COMMUNICATION WITH MEMBERSHIP: EXCELLENT - 12%
71. IN PAST FIVER YEARS, HOW OFTEN HAVE YOU INTERACTED WITH ASSOCIATION OFFICERS, DIRECTOR OR COMMITTEE LEADERS: OFTEN - 29%
72. COMPARED TO CII MEMBERSHIP VALUE, COST OF ANNUAL DUES ARE FOR THE MOST PART RATED AS ABOUT EQUAL TO VALUE OF MEMBERHIP (71%). THERE WERE 15% OF THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED WHO FELT IS WAS LOW FOR THE VALUE OF MEMBERSHIP. IN 1998, 81% FELT THAT DUES WERE ABOUT EQUAL OR A LITTLE TOO HIGH FOR THE VALUE OF MEMBERSHIP. 73. IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, 41% OF THOSE RESPONDING HAD SERVED ON THE BOARD OR SERVED AS AN OFFICER. ANOTHER 59% HAD NOT PARTICIPATED ON THE BOARD OR AS AN OFFICER. 74. MOST MEMBERS (61%) DO NOT WANT TO PARTICIPATE BY HOLDING OFFICE OR SERVING ON THE BOARD. THE SAME NUMBER WHO WOULD BE WILLING TO SERVE (37%) MATCHES THE PERCENTAGE RESSPONSE NOTED IN THE 1998 SURVEY. The most frequently cited reason remains the same as it was in 1998: time commitment. Others cited that they want to retire or are involved with time commitments to other organizations.75. A MAJORITY (71%) HAS SERVED ON OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AS AN OFFICER/DIRECTOR. 76. IN RATING CII'S PERFORMACE, THE VETTING OF PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS RANKS GOOD TO EXCELLENT ALONG WITH DETERMINING/MAINTAINING STANDARDS. AREAS FOR IMROVEMENT WOULD INCLUDE PROVIDING ADEQUATE NETWORK REFERRAL. 77. A WIDE RANGE OF CRITICAL OR THREATENING ISSUES FACING OUR PROFESSION WERE CITED, BUT AGAIN, PRIVACY LAWS (ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS) WERE CITED AS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE FACING OUR PROFESSION. This theme was followed by suggestions ranging from increased education, lobbying various governments and developing new sources of income in light of restricted public records access. THE OTHER TOP FIVE CONCERNS:
78. TOP FIVE AREAS THE COUNCIL SHOULD FOCUS MIRRORS THE RESPONSE RECEIVED IN 1998 WITH PRVIACY ISSUES STILL RANKING AS THE TOP CONCERN. THOSE WHO FELT THEY WERE NOT HEARD IN 1998 AGAIN CITED WORKING ON THE USE FRIENDLY ASPECT OF CII'S WEB SITE. RESPONSES THROUGHOUT THE SURVEY SUGGESTED BETTER BUSINESS MEETINGS. 79. 37% FELT THEY BENEFITTED "VERY MUCH" FROM CII MEMBERSHIP. ANOTHER 24% FOUND THEY BENEFITTED "MODERATELY". 80. THE MOST SINGLE IMPORTANT ISSUE CII SHOULD ADDRESS TO MAKE MEMBERSHIP MORE VALUABLE STILL WOULD FALL TO PRIVACY ISSUES. OTHER COMMENTS INCLUDED THECII WEB SITE NEED FOR A MORE USER FRIENDLY SITE.. OTHER ISSUES CITED MIRRORED THOSE LISTED ABOVE. There was also an overriding concern regarding maintain high standards of membership balanced with the attempt to increase membership. This was balanced with many members wishing for membership in Africa, Central American, Latin American and Asia. The CII web site was cited for some attention ranging from one member's complaint about the entire web site concept to several members noting the difficulty of navigating the web site and the user-friendly factor as the most common complaints (6). One member felt that if CII continues the good work, "at my age that will be good enough for me." There were a number of respondents who were not included in the polling because for one reason or another, they found the survey too long and merely forwarded some kind of overview comments that reflected the majority opinion in most instances. There was some commentary that CII may want to consider holding only one meeting per year to address the cost issue raised by many members as reasons they could not attend meetings. This thread was echoed by Board members who noted that with the electronic means of communication so readily available, CII might want to consider branching out to regional meetings and only hold one meeting per year. Another member who could not complete the survey wanted to note that more postings to the listserve such as those prepared by Ponno Kalastree should be encouraged as a means of effectively communicating with the general membership. |
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