End of Year 23 Committee update

We are past the 'midpoint' for the Committee’s term, but better late than never for an update! We have been working away, and we have a couple of segments to highlight, so we are breaking them up into sections with some heading to make it a bit easier to read (And not just a deluge of words on a page!).

From AGM 2023 to the here and now

At the AGM in April, we proposed a name change from the "Irish Electric Vehicle Owners Association" to the "Irish Electric Vehicle Association." This required updates to logos, website hosting, and social media channels. A huge amount of work, but one we have been working through well and you should see this updated across the board. But please let us know if we have missed something, somewhere! There has been a lot of data to process, and I have no doubt we could have missed something... But above all, the committee has put in a huge amount of work here to get this in place, so a massive 'thank you' to all for this effort!

We also discussed at the AGM for the need for paid individuals to work for the Association. Originally Eamon Stack took on this role, but due to time constraints and the growing demands of Eamon's business at Range Therapy, Eamon has stepped back from this role. We are extremely grateful for Eamon's contributions to the Association over the years and understand the importance of his business' success. So while we did not want to loose Eamon, it is for the benefit of all parties to focus on our respective work with dedication and vigour, and we wholeheartedly extend our best wishes for his continued success in all his future endeavors!

Digital Transformation of the Association

To address time constraints of the volunteer nature of our work and to prepare for future growth, we developed a Digital Transformation plan. We evaluated our existing systems and have decided to integrate everything into one using HubSpot. This allows us to increase productivity and easily share content across our website and social media. You should have seen this in more recent times, as more and more content is appearing on our site and social media channels.

Our website has also been updated with a more modern design, allowing us to provide more relevant information. Our focus is on making smart choices for a better future, and making our work and content that little bit more accessible and easier to get out there. This leads into the next section on what we need to do from here with our new site as part of this approach.

Strategy Day 2023

To secure our future direction, we met as a Committee in-person in September to assess our current position, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. From this, we formed a list of priorities and focus areas, refining our approach. From this, our main areas of focus are: Corporate membership, How-to-guide and FAQs, and sharing real-world Use cases and personas. To give some more details on these areas, I have outlined some info as below.

1. Corporate Membership - With the implementation of our new CRM system, we are now equipped to appoint dedicated Account Managers for our Corporate members, further enhancing our connection with them. This exciting development not only allows us to retain our current members but also attracts new Corporate members who can bring additional real benefits to our Individual members. Our ultimate goal is to provide an enhanced experience for all our members and foster a thriving community.
   
   
2. How-to-guide & FAQs -With the launch of our new website, we now have the perfect opportunity to deliver content that is both clear and concise. Our aim is to share this valuable information across all of our social media platforms, particularly on our highly engaged Facebook page. We are committed to regularly updating this content, ensuring that it remains easily accessible and prominently displayed, so that it doesn't get lost amidst the noise of ongoing conversations. We also are working on some plans for 2024 to make this bigger, and get to a larger audience!
   
   
3. Use cases & personas - To encourage the widespread adoption of electric vehicles and help those who are still undecided, we are embarking on an exciting venture. We are curating a comprehensive database filled with practical examples, inspiring anecdotes, and transparent information. Our goal is to empower individuals to make well-informed choices based on real-life experiences. While we won't shy away from acknowledging the obstacles, we are determined to counteract the prevailing negative narrative often perpetuated by the media.

End of the Calendar year

Finally we are nearly at the time of year where people get a break over the Christmas time period. On behalf of the committee, we wish you all safe travels and we hope that you all enjoy a little bit of time off! And as always, we value your input and genuinely appreciate hearing from you. So please don't hesitate to reach out and let us know your thoughts and we will work to move forward serving you all as best as possible. As we head into 2024, the future of the EV charging landscape is looking promising. With numerous companies accelerating their rollout, we are excited to collaborate with both businesses and individuals to create a network that is not only consistent but also user-friendly.