Insight and Intelligence services

It is more important than ever that businesses have a core understanding of the local political landscape and ever-changing economic terrain. The GBCC’s insight and intelligence services team is here to help businesses understand and engage with the region, offering various packages and tailored support to help you achieve your strategic goals.

 

Services

The GBCC's insight and intelligence services team exists to help businesses navigate the local political landscape and gain a deeper understanding of how they should shape their commercial objectives moving forward. The team provides various programmes of tailored support to help businesses achieve their strategic aspirations.

Research

The insight and intelligence services team have extensive experience in delivering research services across a broad spectrum of topics and methods. We can undertake any research of interest to the local business community that aligns with the Chamber's values and can include one or any combination of the following:

  • Desk research
  • Focus groups
  • Surveys

Businesses also have the opportunity to commission and sponsor high profile reports. To find out more, including regarding bespoke research packages and costings, please get in touch.

 

Business Research: West Midlands and Warwickshire Local Skills Improvement Plan

The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce Policy Team led the research and analysis underpinning stage 1 of the West Midlands and Warwickshire Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), which features insights from over 1,000 engagements with local employers.

The West Midlands and Warwickshire LSIP, funded by the Department for Education, has been produced by Coventry and Warwickshire Chambers of Commerce in partnership with Greater Birmingham and Black Country Chambers. Through collaboration with regional stakeholders, businesses and further education providers, the West Midlands and Warwickshire LSIP aims to support delivery of skills provision to meet employer demand and facilitate regional growth.

Business Research: Department for Business and Trade

Following the UK’s official exit from the EU on 31st January 2020 and the end of the transition period on 31st December 2020, the six Chambers of Commerce across the West Midlands partnered with the Department for Business and Trade to gauge local business’ recent experiences of trading with EU Member State counterparts. The research was led by the Policy and Strategic Relations team at The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) and supported by the Chambers of Coventry & Warwickshire, Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, and the Black Country.

Business Engagement and Communication Support: Colliers

Hilary Witts, Head of Operations (Ratings), Colliers: “We have been working with the Chamber for the past 5 years, providing advice on all business rates matters across the  different sectors, sharing our views on current legislation and developments in the system and giving suggestions about how the business rates regime can be improved for rate payers, both in Birmingham and nationally.  

“We regularly contribute blogs to the Chamber’s website, sometimes make joint statements with the Chamber’s policy team and also write for the Birmingham Economic Review. Our head of department also attends round tables and policy discussing events.  

“We have a very good working relationship, with a two-way flow of information and thoughts. We find the team at GBCC personable and helpful with their fingers on the pulse in relation to ongoing issues that ratepayers are experiencing.  

“The Birmingham market is very important to us and we have found that the relationship has put us in touch with many local companies, as well as taking the messages that we are trying to deliver wider afield, such as to the British Chamber. This helps with our lobbying for change for ratepayers. Overall we really appreciate the support GBCC provides for us.”

Business Research and Engagement: Birmingham City Council, Young People and Covid-19

In 2021, the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce conducted a bespoke research project with the Birmingham City Council Leader's Office. Through focus groups and surveying, the Chamber sought to gather business views on the impact of Covid-19 on young people (aged 16-24) and what needed to be done to prevent a ‘crisis cohort’ with diminished employment prospects and earning potential. This research contributed to Breaking down barriers: working towards Birmingham’s future supporting younger people into employment.

Mary Crofton, Cabinet Support Officer, Birmingham City Council "This was a high profile piece of research carried out at the height of the Covid pandemic, feeding into ‘Breaking Down Barriers’, the Birmingham City Council report into youth unemployment in the wake of Covid. We were very impressed by the work carried out by the Chambers, who carried out high quality research despite Covid-19 restrictions, provided valuable support and insight into the design of the project, and enabled us to massively increase our reach into the local business community. The quality, insight and presentation of the final report were all excellent. At all times we found them to be a responsive and highly professional research partner, providing regular updates and in-time feedback on the progress of the project."

Stakeholder engagement

Our Stakeholder Engagement Service aims to connect you with key players in the political or commercial landscape to the benefit of your business. Activity that falls within the Service includes:

  • Roundtables with MPs, local businesses and/or local political figures
  • Facilitating introductions to key regional contacts in the public and private sector
  • Hosting briefing sessions on the current political landscape
  • Stakeholder mapping

Through such activity, the Insight and Intelligence Services team can help raise the profile of your organisation with relevant stakeholder circles across Greater Birmingham and put you in front of people who can help you meet organisational goals.

Tailored Communication Support

Tailored Communication Support

Communications support is included as standard when you commission the Insight and Intelligence Services team’s Stakeholder Engagement Services or Research Services, and can include the following:

  • Communicating outcomes of activities in the ChamberLink Daily e-newsletter, which reaches approximately 16,000 contacts every day
  • Podcasts
  • Blogs

Connections and Reach

The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce has an expansive network of contacts in all corners of the country, including access to over 2,500 businesses in the region, regional corporate CEOs and industry leaders, and regional membership bodies.

Connections

Connections include:

  • Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce Patrons
  • Regional political bodies, including Combined Authority Executives
  • Pan-regional delivery bodies, such as Midlands Engine and Midlands Connect
  • Government Departments
  • Members of Parliament
  • Economic and political think tanks
  • Local Authorities, such as Birmingham City Council

Reach

The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce’s social and digital reach includes:

  • 354,000 website visitors per year
  • Over 2,500 members employing more than 180,000 local people
  • 105,000 ChamberLink magazine readers
  • More than 9,000 events delegates
  • 70,000 twitter followers
  • 5,000 LinkedIn connections

Bespoke Packages

The Insight and Intelligence Services team can work with you to compile a bespoke package of activity suited for your business needs. Bespoke packages could include additional questions in the Quarterly Business Report, desk research with a customisable length report, and events such as online webinars or roundtables with key stakeholders.

Please get in touch if you require more information on potential packages, or would like to work with the team to create a bespoke package of Insight and Intelligence Services support.

Insight and Intelligence Projects

The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce produces a range of publications offering expert analysis and commentary on the city-region’s economy, offering businesses and stakeholders detailed insight into the views and experiences of local firms.

The Chamber’s reports depict key trends across major economic indicators, such as investment, jobs growth, and business confidence. As well as this, publications include valuable information for any business looking to start, grow, move or invest in Greater Birmingham.