Faith Based

Cairns has around 15,000 strongly active Christians regularly attending church. These thousands of consumers form a core base of loyal customers and represent only around 9% of Cairns’ population. In the latest census a massive 64% of Australians identified themselves as Christians. There is no doubt that the Christian market is huge, yet most don’t attend church. Therefore, in our market footprint we don’t even count them; we just count the ones that are strongly active and attend church regularly. That’s a total potential market of 15,000 loyal and dedicated new customers directed to your business regularly. 

The Peter & Paul’s Mission develops sectors in all participating churches that are responsible for making sure we encourage the congregation to shop only from the directory. The directory has a ‘policeman’ that ensures members of the directory don’t bring the phone book into disrepute ensuring that the advertiser’s investment in the directory is protected. Go to the following link and have a look at McCrindle Research, which is a professional research agency. Their qualitative, quantitative and ethnographic research is based on scientific methods and best practice research standards. They are committed to accuracy in the gathering, analysis and presentation of research data; it is at the very foundation of what they do.  

http://mccrindle.com.au/Infographic/Christianity-in-Australia_Infographic.pdf

Now that you have finished looking at what the experts say, to truly see the size of this market footprint, look at it being charted throughout Cairns’ suburbs. The phonebook has thousands of active sales representatives promoting and supporting the phonebook throughout the Cairns’ region. They are guided by Peter & Paul’s Mission sectors in all participating churches. A sales force of thousands is developing your business.

There are big advantages to being certified in the Christian Phone Book, if your business is certified you go to the front of your category listing. The Christian Phone Book lists it’s traders in the following ways.

Firstly the phone Directory Committee gives preference in your category providing that you are certified.  What this means  is if your business was a plumbing business and three other Christian plumbers who were certified were already advertising in the directory your business name will appear forth in your category. A Christian Painter and Decorator who is certified and was first in their category advertising in the Christian phone book their trading name will appear first in their category.  All future Painter and decorators who advertise later in the Christian Phone Book will be placed after in the order that they have joined the Christian Phone Book. The only exception is if the business was not certified it goes to the end of the category listing.

A certified trader has a clear advantage over traders who are not certified. It is important to be aware that certification can only occur when the owners or managers are regular attendees of church and their ministers confirms with Peter & Pauls Mission Ltd that they are regular attendees and of good character. Sometimes people stop attending church or move to another church, if you move to another church you must contact the Watchman’s office immediately. If the Watchman becomes aware that you are no longer attending church, your certification status will be terminated and your advertisement will be moved behind the certified traders in your category.

Certification is easy, print this form, and take it to your church have your pastor sign it declaring it to be true and correct. Then email it to the missions Watchman for verification.

Business People You Know You Can Trust!

Any person who operates a business can join, [once you have signed the memorandum of understanding. The memorandum of understanding is an agreement on the code of conduct that all business people advertising in the directory agree to] whether you are currently attending church or not.

If you are a regular attendee of a church get your business certified to move your advertisement closer to the front of the directory.

See Certify Your Business

Memorandum of understanding

 {All Businesses advertising are Signatories to the memorandum of understanding}

 Objective

 The Christian Phone Book [TCPB] is determined to achieve the highest standards of ethical trading throughout its membership. Peter & Paul’s Mission Ltd [The Mission] the owner of the Christian Phone Book requires agreement of the memorandum of understanding from all those involved in trading/ advertising in The Christian Phone Book  (directory) or members of the Christian Business Chamber [CBC] or both.

 Agreement is achieved between all parties when the advertiser / trader or member of the CBC become a signatory of the memorandem of understanding.

 Peter & Pauls Mission Ltd [the Mission] recognises that within our directory and chamber there are many different national cultures with their own, norms, traditions which the mission acknowledges and respects. Some advertisers or members of the chamber will therefore face more complex issues than others in implementing the memorandum of understanding. The Mission is committed to working with all advertisers/ traders or members of the CBC  to help them meet their responsibilities under the memorandum of understanding. The Mission believes that by working together with all advertisers/ traders members of the CBC  and employees we can strengthen our businesses and improve the quality of life for advertisers/ traders, CBC members, as well as  consumers whom come under the influence of the mission.

 The Memorandum of Understanding exists for the purposes of promoting safe and fair trading conditions and the responsible management of the Christian communities’ reputation. The memorandum of understanding recognises as custodians of His word advertisers, traders, members of the CBC, as well as consumers need to show due care and a reflection of Gods righteous standards to the secular world.  

 Definitions

All references apply to all traders, all advertisers , members of the CBC, subcontractors, employees, missionaries, volunteers, committees, covering finished goods, vendors, suppliers, manufacturers. The Mission will assist in the implementation of the memorandum of understanding in businesses which may include audits and site visits to assess performance against the memorandum of understanding. The cost of any audit or site visit will be met by the mission.

 For the purpose of assessing compliance of the memorandum of understanding the advertiser / trader or member of the CBC will allow authorised representatives of the mission, its agents or professional advisers to be given unaccompanied access without notice to their businesses and to employees of those businesses’. The Missions authorised representatives, agents or professional advisers must also be given unaccompanied access to consumers files, once authorised by that consumer in writing and the mission provides such evidence to the advertiser / trader , member of the CBC. Advertisers, Traders and members of the CBC are expected use reasonable endeavours to offer workers and other stake holders a confidential means to report any actual or potential breach of the memorandum of understanding.    

 Audit and compliance points

 Advertisers, Traders and members of the CBC are expected to identify and correct any activities that conflict with the standard of the memorandum of understanding as agreed with the Independent Team member [ITM].

Advertisers, traders and members of the CBC will immediately report to the mission through the Zone ITM any serious breaches of the memorandum of understanding together with a schedule for corrective action agreed with by a trade commissioner.

 Where a serious breach of the memorandum of understanding exists the mission will consider suspension or termination of the relationship with the advertiser, trader or member of the CBC.

Signatories of the memorandum of understanding are not responsible for any of the missions activities and membership is taken and the traders, advertisers and members of the CBC agree as a condition of their businesses becoming a signatory to the memorandum of understanding accept no liability or responsibility for activities or purchases or promotions under taken by the Christian Phone Book or the Mission, its servants, advisors and volunteers.  

 Standards of conduct

 Each advertiser, trader or member of the CBC will abide by state, federal laws and local bylaws ensuring their business does not breach government legislation/regulations pertaining to their industry. Each advertiser, trader, member of the CBC will supply a certificate of currency for work cover, indemnity insurance and public liability insurance and any other BSA licensing or any other statutory licencing required by any government in the operations of the business relating to the industry of the signatory.

Any loss of insurance policy required pertaining to your industry must be reported to the office of Independent Team member immediately [within 24 hours] , through your trade commissioner.  

Any loss of qualifications, loss of licensing, struck off any registry pertaining to your industry the memorandum of understanding expects such changes to be reported immediately [ within 24 hours] to the office of the Independent team member, through your Trade Commissioner.

Advertisers, traders and members of the CBC agree by being signatories of the memorandum of understanding that they will not price gouge or profiteer with the general public who use the phone directory. The memorandum of understanding between all parties accepts that unconscionable pricing conduct will result in suspension or expulsion from the directory of the offending signatory and their business.

Advertisers, traders and members of the CBC agree by being signatories to the memorandum of understanding that they will supply product / service promptly all signatories agree that they will not take advantage of the general public who use the directory to offer a lesser degree of service or product then they would normally offer in the open market place. The memorandum of understanding expects advertisers, traders and members of the CBC to be suspended or expelled from the directory for continued poor service standards.  

 Advertisers, traders and members of the CBC agree by being signatories to the memorandum of understanding that they will abide by the fair trading act of their state or territory. Regular breaches of this section of the memorandum of understanding may result in suspension or expulsion your business from the directory.  

The Memorandum of understanding expects advertisers, traders and members of the CBC to trade with and to support each other’s businesses.

The memorandum of understanding expects traders, advertisers and members of the CBC to report any breach of the memorandum of understanding committed by any trader any advertiser or any member of the CBC to the office of the Independent Team Member as soon as they become aware of a breach being committed.

Each Zone Council is policed by an Independent Team Member and up to five Trade Commissioners. Consumers and advertisers / traders of the Christian Phone Book as well as members of the CBC agree to abide by  the rulings handed down by the Independent Team Member. If a dispute does arise between an advertiser and The Independent Team Member all parties agree to have the missions Watchman adjudicate. The Independent Team Member has a range of powers, including ordering the immediate suspension from the Directory for a period of thirty days or until the next monthly meeting of the Leadership Team whichever comes first for an advertiser who in the judgement of The Independent Team Member brings the Mission into disrepute.  It is a condition of advertising in the Christian Phone Book / member of the CBC that no compensation or reimbursement will be offered or demanded by any advertiser facing a suspension / expulsion. Monthly fees to maintain your category listing are still payable while your business is in suspension; failure to pay monthly fees would be a breach of the memorandum of understanding agreement which would result in your membership being terminated immediately.

If your membership is terminated this means your position in your category is lost and if you re-join at a later date your business will be at the back of the category. It is important to understand that your business will not re-enter the Directory at your current ranking. Further to re-join the Mission, you will need to pay Membership fees again. It is a condition of advertising on this website that should you leave the Directory, be suspended or permanently expelled  you agree you have no claims on the membership fees that you have previously paid or weekly rates for advertising in the Christian Phone Directory or any funds that your business has invested in the CBC. Further you agree to honour the terms of your current contract wether your current status is permanently expelled, temporarily suspended or actively trading in the Directory.

Role of the Watchman

The Watchman is a senior member of the Leadership Team, they sit as a permanent member on the executive.

 The Watchman also has a seat on the peak policymaking board, as a selected member of the president’s advisers, a group known as Mission Watch. Mission Watch are the council of advisors to the President of the mission. As such the Watchman has easy and regular access to the leadership of the mission. The Watchman is there as an appeal process if you feel your business has been unfairly targeted or treated harshly. You can appeal any judgements or costs incurred, to the Watchman. The powers of the Watchman include asking the Independent Team Member to review their rulings. If the Independent Team Member refuses to review the ruling the Watchman may seek a presidential order compelling the Independent Team Member to review their ruling. After the review the Watchman will meet with the signatory to the memorandum of understanding and the Independent Team Member and attempt to mediate a resolution between the parties. The Watchman also has the authority to bring your case before the President or Vice President of the Mission for a presidential ruling. A presidential ruling is final and all parties agree to abide by a presidential ruling. .

Signatories to the memorandum of understanding accept and support the constitution of the Peter & Paul’s Mission.

Legal Agreement of signatories to the memorandum of understanding

Signatories to the memorandum of understanding except where we are unable to exclude our liability by law, we will  not be liable to you for any loss or damage, however it arises, whether in contract, statute of tort (including negligence), arising out of, or in connection with your use of the resources of the Mission or the Christian Phone Book. This includes trusted partners of, the Mission that are not linked to the website but physically linked, as well as advertisers and trusted partners that are linked to the web-site.

Signatories to the memorandum of understanding agree that the mission excludes liability for any loss of profit, loss or corruption of data, special exemplary, punitive, incidental, indirect or consequential loss or damages suffered or incurred or arising in connection with Peter & Paul's Mission including the use of the websites. This includes activities of any of the sectors of the mission or trusted partners or in connection with any act or omission by us [negligent or otherwise].

Signatories to the memorandum of understanding agree to indemnify the mission against all liability, action, claim, loss or damage arising out of or in connection with your content or use of the websites or your participation in any other mission activity conducted by your business or you personally.