New brand: Refresh, reboot, recharge
Watch out for the launch of the Chartered IIA’s new website and brand planned for later this autumn. The changes will include making Audit & Risk content – along with every other online engagement – more accessible and user-friendly.
One significant change will be that A&R magazine will move to a more regularly updated flow of web page content, with an aim for articles to be timely and immediate, rather than arriving as a bi-monthly magazine. This will enable us to respond faster to changing events and keep members updated about current developments. It will also mean that members can read articles as they are published and the stories will now be accessible on mobile devices.
Overall, the quantity and quality of content will not change, but we believe that the format and the enhanced accessibility will make it easier and more engaging to read. As with the existing magazine, most articles will continue to be exclusive to members. Content will also be easier to share with other members.
Other advantages of the new website will include the ability to see all your membership details and transactions clearly and easily in one place when you login. You will be able to upgrade membership and select your communications preferences online, so increasing your control over what you see on the website and what you receive from the institute.
Behind the scenes, the website is the public face of a whole new customer relationship management system (CRM) and this will be crucial to improving your interactions with the Chartered IIA. The existing system is outdated and basic and requires considerable manual intervention. Once the new system goes live, members will be able to access their own details more easily, but, even more importantly, staff will be able to focus on providing a more tailored, personal service to members rather than inputting data.
New brand
At the same time, the Chartered IIA is also launching a new brand identity, so expect the website to look and feel very different. This won’t affect membership benefits, but it will support the institute’s efforts to promote the value and status of the internal audit profession at the highest levels.
“We need to ensure our name and brand is more easily recognised and remembered by all our stakeholders. The new identity will also more accurately represent who we are – and what the profession is – today, and where we’re collectively headed,” explains Nigel Shattock, Director of Communications & External Affairs at the Chartered IIA. “It represents our commitment to innovation and growth and will enable us to align with the external context and changes our organisation and members are experiencing. The new brand also reflects our evolving services, our members’ changing needs, and the dynamic nature of our organisation.”
The new identity has been developed following consultation with members, with feedback from surveys and interviews highlighting that the old brand was tired and needed refreshing. Shattock emphasised that the institute’s mission and values remain unchanged. “The new brand particularly reflects and emphasises our commitment to innovation, growth and increased advocacy on behalf of the profession,” he says.
In addition to appearing on the new website, the new brand will then gradually be rolled out across all the institute’s communications and resource materials.
What do members need to do?
The short answer is nothing yet – you will be sent login details once the website is ready to go live. The membership team will be on standby to help anyone who experiences problems or who has queries – but the new system is designed to be easier and simpler than the existing one.
As with any new system, there may be initial teething problems (although there will be extensive pre-launch testing, so these should be minimal). If anyone does experience problems, please let us know so we can sort these out promptly by contacting membership@iia.org.uk.