Chamber program gives discounts

The discounts program launched by the Reno-Sparks Chamber of Commerce last week deals from Office Depot and Employers Insurance Group are part of an expanding campaign by the business organization.

Doug Moser, who heads membership services for the chamber, said he expects to continue building the program called ChamberAdvantage.

But, Moser added, he's working cautiously to make sure that discount offers are exclusive to chamber members and represent genuine value.

The additions to ChamberAdvantage announced last week include:

* Sixty percent savings on 200 commonly purchased office supplies Office Depot, a discount that's available beyond any other discount a business already may have with the retailer.

* A 5 percent discount on workers' compensation coverage acquired through Employers Insurance Group.

(Participating businesses need to meet the company's underwriting standards.)

Early programs arranged by the chamber for its 1,700 members include discounts on computers and technology purchased at Gateway,Web site services purchased from Great Basin Internet Services and health insurance purchased through Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Aflac, Mainstreet Health Plans and St.

Mary's.

Moser said the ChamberAdvantage program has been in the works for about 18 months, and some of the discounts have taken long negotiation.

The new arrangement with Office Depot, for instance, took a year to hammer out.

While numerous businesses want to participate, Moser said they're carefully screened.

"There are no automatics," he said.

"We really look at each one to see if it truly is a member benefit."

The discounts that are selected, he said, need to be useful to a wide swath of the chamber's membership programs that target an industry or two won't make it and provide value.

The worker's compensation program through Employers Insurance Group, chamber officials said, clearly meets the standards.

"With worker's compensation, any savings is a big savings," said James Stearley, the chamber's director of marketing and research.

The Office Depot program, meanwhile, brings tiny businesses the same discounts available to the largest firms.

Moser said the ChamberAdvantage program helps the chamber attract and retain members.

"This is something that a member business can get through the chamber that they can't get anywhere else," he said.

At the same time, Stearley said, the program helps fulfill the chamber's mission of helping business in the Reno and Sparks areas.