The BPIF has slashed its entry-level subscription fee by more than 75% as part of a major shake-up of its subscription policy.


From 1 April the federation, which celebrates its centenary in 2001, will offer three levels of membership: silver, gold and platinum.


The entry-level fee for silver membership, for firms with less than five employees, is 120. Rate calculations will be based on the number of staff employed as opposed to the wages paid to production staff. And firms with more than 100 staff will be offered a bespoke package.


"One of the problems in the past for smaller companies was the cost of entry. It was 500 just to get your foot in the door," said chief executive Roy Hill, who added that the new policy
would also make the federation more attractive to larger firms.


"We want to offer companies two things - the services they want and more choice. Before there was no choice. You either were a member or you were not," said Hill.


Three "fundamental" new services have been introduced in the platinum package: training course credits; insurance cover for industrial tribunal costs; and HR and health and safety "healthchecks".


The BPIF has 2,500 members, mostly medium and large firms, and Hill said the new initiative should take that figure to "north of 3,000".


The subscription shake-up follows a move to more modern premises and a link-up with e-commerce providers, which were all designed to promote a more "dynamic" federation, said Hill. "We were in danger of living 50 years in the past. We'd got into a bit of a rut."


Hill was brought in to run the BPIF in July last year following the departure of Tom Machin. He has just renewed his contract and will remain until a new chief is found.


Story by Lauretta Roberts