NTCA gives you $2,000 every year in vouchers!
There are many great reasons to join NTCA – the technical support, education and training, community of like-minded tile setters and tile artisans, and a collection of benefits that enhance your business.
One of those benefits is the Partnering for Success (PFS) program – aka the voucher program. Assistant Executive Director Jim Olson, who oversees the program with office support from Tricia Moss – calls the benefit a “reward program.” Manufacturers who support NTCA, and believe in education and the betterment of tile installers, have all agreed to reward NTCA members for their investment in their own businesses – and are super generous about putting their money where their mouths are.
Think about it – every single new or renewing member of NTCA is entitled to $2,000 in cash, discounts or free products for setting materials, tile, tools, sundries, heating systems, etc. That’s a huge commitment and encouragement from industry manufacturers.
“This is a great way to learn more about manufacturers and try products you’ve never tried before or get great discounts on products you are already using,” Olson said.
The process is simple – but it does require your attention. Some members have expressed confusion about selecting and redeeming their vouchers, so we want to go over the process so you can take advantage of the program.
How the program works
- Open your email – When you pay your dues or renew, you will receive an email from NTCA that outlines how and when to pick your vouchers. Be sure to open your emails from NTCA! When you click on the link in the email, it takes you to a page on the NTCA website that explains how to select your vouchers.
- Read all the individual details for each of the vouchers – Some have caveats or specific conditions, as well as information on how to use them. Some vouchers can be used as cash to purchase listed products, some provide a discount, and for some – after you make your selection – the product is mailed directly to you. So be sure to read the individual instructions.
- Check with your distributors to be sure they carry the products you are selecting. Big box stores like Lowe’s, Home Depot or Menard’s will not redeem vouchers, so be sure to check with your suppliers and distributors as you make your selection, so you know you can obtain the products through a local source.
- Make all your voucher selections at the same time, from two categories: Tile & Setting Materials – $1,250 category max, and Tools/Heat Systems/Sundries – $750 category max. You must choose from both categories to reach up to $2,000, select all vouchers in one submission, and include the address where you want the vouchers to be mailed.
- Mind the deadlines – The deadline for SELECTING the vouchers in a given year is November 15. And the deadline for REDEEMING the vouchers you’ve selected in a given year is December 15. “Vouchers are voided at the end of each year, and we start fresh in January,” Olson said.
If you have taken the step to invest in your business by joining NTCA, don’t let the opportunity to use these vouchers pass you by. You can completely recoup your membership dues by using these vouchers – and you can even “make money” by getting discounts on products you use or new products you’d like to try.
Member experiences with PFS
William Pino, of Summit Valley Tile & Stone LLC in Las Vegas, Nevada, is an NTCA member who makes use of vouchers, mostly for materials he regularly uses from LATICRETE, Schluter and MAPEI. He says they “offset the cost of my membership. Also the free tools items are always nice, and those are easy to redeem with a simple email.”
Lee Aviv, from Aviv Tile and Remodeling in Colorado Springs, Colo., said, “I have been on the fence about the NTCA membership fee for a few years, and after asking a few local distributors if they accept the vouchers, the Partnering for Success program became the deciding factor for me. I used several vouchers for installation materials that I use on a regular basis, such as thinset and waterproofing, which has helped offset the membership fee. They were easy to redeem, although the distributors required that I redeem them only when a staff member familiar with the vouchers was working.” Aviv especially likes the opportunity to try new products. “The option to test and become familiar with these products without excessive out-of-pocket expenses is invaluable to me,” he said.
Stephen Belyea of JSG Tile and Stone in Weymouth, Mass., said, “I can’t understand why more people don’t understand the value. You’re basically being paid to be a member of an invaluable association.” Belyea uses them as a “rainy day fund: If I have a job that gets delayed and I end up with a day off, I go redeem some vouchers and ‘get paid.’” He said in the past he has waited till the last minute to redeem them but has been more diligent recently and redeems them as they come in, making sure they cover his membership costs.
There has been some confusion at the distributor level in redeeming the vouchers, but a call to the NTCA office can rectify the situation. Call 601-939-2071 for assistance. There is also some discussion at Ceramic Tile Distributor Association (CTDA) to provide more information to independent distributor members to simplify the redemption process.
“This program is growing every year,” Olson said. “There is over $7,500 worth of product to choose from. So, look at the program, renew, select, and use these vouchers to make the best of one of the key benefits offered with NTCA Membership.”
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3CouOnc, or check out the video below.
Editorial Director and Senior Writer for TileLetter and TileLetter ARTISAN
Lesley Goddin has been writing and journaling since her first diary at age 11. Her journey has taken her through a career in publishing and publicity, landing her the editor position of TileLetter and its special publications in 2006. Her goal is to educate, inspire, recognize and encourage those in the tile industry -- especially the tile and stone contractor.