What to Ask When Choosing an Association Management System
Without an Association Management System (AMS), your organization’s members (and staff!) would have a completely different experience. Imagine: manually tracking each membership–from filling out forms to tracking details in spreadsheets and sending emails one-by-one for each confirmation… Ouch! Unfortunately, this is the present for many member-based organizations (maybe even yours!).
Choosing the right AMS for your organization is crucial. Remember: it’s not just about getting the shiniest new technology–it’s about organization, automation, and enhancement. After all, the right AMS can improve the efficiency (and ease!) of your administrative processes, help you boost revenue (of both the dues and non-dues variety), and increase engagement.
On the other hand, the wrong AMS may result in inefficiencies, wasted resources, and frustration–oh my! Thankfully, you’re not alone. Today, we’ll be covering the right questions to ask when you’re looking for a new AMS. For instance…
1. “What are my organization’s current goals and challenges?”
Before evaluating any platforms, you’ll want to take a moment to assess your organization’s current situation. What do you aim to do? What challenges (“pain points”) are you facing, and what could help you solve them? Make some lists.
For inspiration, you can ask yourself things like…
- What administrative tasks do I have that are manual and/or time-consuming? Could they be automated?
- Example: tracking memberships, sending expiry notifications
- What challenges are my staff and members experiencing? What hinders engagement?
- Example: resources are hard to find, navigating the platform is difficult, each system is its own separate ecosystem
- What key functions am I looking for?
- Example: organizational memberships that oversee individual memberships, coupon codes, automatic membership renewal
- How will the AMS align with my organization’s long-term strategic goals?
- Example: automated notifications can keep members more informed, automatic membership renewals make it easy for members to keep their standing
More high-level features to consider may include:
- A member database with advanced search and segmentation capabilities
- Event and conference management tools that include online registrations and virtual event integration
- Automated communications, like marketing and notification emails
- Detailed reporting and analytics capabilities for data-driven decision-making
- Integrated financial management tools that allow for things like invoicing, payment processing, and subscription tracking
Now, you can use what you’ve created to make your own requirements document. While this may sound daunting, it’s actually just another list!
Requirements documents, at their most basic, typically sort features into two groups:
- Must-have features: these are do-or-die requirements, functions that will make or break your platform. These are the functions that, if they aren’t included, you will not be able to go further with this platform; these form the foundation of your cake.
- Nice-to-have features: requirements that are helpful (or even really exciting!) but won’t sour the whole platform for you if they aren’t included; these are the icing on your cake.
Then, if you want to really delve deep (or indulge in a possible pipe dream!), you can add one more type:
- “Flying cupcake” features: these are your maybe-crazy, “perfect world” requirements; these are the sparklers and gold leaf decorating your cake.
While you may wonder why putting more far-fetched requirements on your list would be worthwhile, you may find yourself surprised–a good vendor may suggest viable workarounds to get the result you want. After all, it never hurts to ask!
By clearly outlining your organization’s objectives, challenges, and needs, you can ensure that the AMS you choose is the one that’s right for you!
2. “How well will the AMS integrate with my existing systems?”
An AMS should work seamlessly with your existing software to maintain efficiency and data accuracy. Compatibility is crucial to ensuring that all of your components work harmoniously.
Consider the following:
- Does the AMS integrate with your current CRM, financial tools, and email marketing platforms?
- How easy is data migration from your existing system to the new AMS?
- What API capabilities does the AMS offer for custom integrations?
- Can I consolidate multiple systems with it?
Poor integration can lead to inefficient processes, duplicated efforts, and frustration among staff. Choosing an AMS that integrates well with existing systems can prevent these issues and enhance productivity.
But wait! There’s Another Solution!
What if I told you that there’s a way to get an AMS without dealing with the pain of managing integrations? What if there was a one-stop shop for all your system needs?
With an all-in-one solution, you can skip the extra steps with a single unified (but modular) solution. Check out the benefits of using an all-in-one platform HERE!
3. “What’s the cost?”
This is probably the question you’ve been waiting for; after all, some things really do just come down to money.
However, when it comes to picking an AMS, there’s more than just the upfront figure to consider. Yes, the initial cost is important, but what’s even more crucial is calculating long-term expenses (both spent AND saved!).
When it comes to money spent, you’ll want to think about the following:
- Pre-implementation costs
- Does the licensing act like a subscription?
- Is there an upfront price for implementation?
- Is maintenance (e.g. keeping integrations and security up to date) included or separate?
- Is there a fee for data migration (i.e. moving data from your current platform to your new platform)?
- Post-implementation costs
- Do you need to pay for training for staff? For members? Is training billed by staff members or by the hour?
- What types of customizations are included, and what do you have to pay for?
- Is end-user technical support available?
Then, compare the above to what you could potentially save:
- Return on investment (ROI) and long-term cost-effectiveness
- Are you automating tedious, time-consuming tasks? Remember, time is money–if you’re saving your administrators time, that’s like getting cash back!
- An intuitive, streamlined platform can increase engagement and bring in more members–meaning more dues revenue!
- Can your AMS integrate into a wider all-in-one platform? By switching to a comprehensive, unified system, you may be able to go from paying lots of vendors to just a single one. All-in-ones don’t just increase efficiency and ease-of-use–they save you money!
When choosing an AMS, you want to create a detailed cost analysis to avoid unexpected expenses. It’s essential to assess what you’re actually getting for your money; while an AMS may appear to cost more than some of its peers, factoring in the potential ripple effect can prove that you’d actually end up saving!
4. “How user-friendly is it?”
A user-friendly AMS can enhance productivity, improve engagement, and ensure smoother adoption by members and staff. If your platform is clunky and frustrating to use, your members won’t want to spend time with your organization. Instead, aim for a clean, seamless experience that will keep your audience coming back for more!
To judge the friendliness of a system, ask yourself the following:
- How intuitive is the AMS interface for both administrators and members?
- Remember, you want to consider both sides of this story. If the front-end experience of a platform is great, but the back end is not, it’s going to be hard for staff to keep up. Conversely, if the back-end experience is smooth but the front-end is hard to navigate, you’ll find your audience losing interest fast!
- What training resources are available to support new users and staff?
- Does the platform come with tutorials–and does it even need to? Some designs are so clear that even someone with minimal experience on a computer can engage with ease!
- Is the AMS mobile-friendly, allowing members to engage from any device?
- These days, it’s all about tablets and smartphones. Don’t make your members pinch-to-zoom on every page–let the desktop view stay on the desktop where it belongs!
- Can the platform be customized easily?
- This one’s a tricky one. Every organization has different needs, and true customizations can cost a pretty penny. Thankfully, there’s a work-around: find an AMS that’s built to have the look and feel of a customized piece WITHOUT all the programming. What does this mean? Look for platforms built specifically for your type of organization!
Overall, if your AMS is difficult to navigate, it can lead to frustration, inefficiencies, and resistance. Keep your platform simple, sleek, and effective for the best results!
5. “What level of training and support do I get?”
We touched on this above, but it bears repeating; after all, reliable support ensures smooth operations, from implementation to beyond, so evaluating the kinds of customer service provided is essential.
When you’re looking for an AMS, you’ll want to ask about…
- Vendor support options, which can include things like 24/7 availability, live chat services, and dedicated account managers
- Onboarding programs, training sessions, and knowledge hubs
- Software update schedules, maintenance, and inquiry responsiveness
To learn more, ask about the different options for service level agreements (SLAs) and pick the price point that’s right for you. Providing your members (and staff) with dedicated support will ensure that everyone can use your AMS worry-free.
6. “How secure is it?”
Data security and compliance should be amongst your top priorities when choosing an AMS, regardless of your industry. With increasing concerns over data privacy and cyber threats, selecting a secure AMS is vital.
Consider the following:
- What encryption, backup, and recovery measures are in place to protect sensitive data?
- Does the system maintain compliance with relevant regulations and best practices (e.g. HIPAA)?
- What policies exist regarding data ownership, member privacy, and risk management?
- Does it offer multi-factor authentication?
- Where is the data stored?
Having a secure AMS will protect your members’ sensitive information, build trust, and ensure regulatory compliance. Remember the age-old saying: Safety first!
7. “What are their other clients saying?”
They say the best advertising is word-of-mouth. Thankfully, the internet makes “mouths” a lot more accessible! Testimonials, success stories, case studies, and client lists are now often only a click away.
Reading the experiences of other associations can help you make a more informed decision. So, while you search, consider…
- Reading online reviews, testimonials, and case studies
- Speaking with current clients to gain firsthand insights
- Researching the vendor’s industry reputation and years of experience
- Requesting product demos and trials to evaluate real-world usability
Nothing beats real-world information straight from the source!
Conclusion
It’s no secret; choosing the right AMS requires careful evaluation, strategic planning, and thorough research. Thankfully, when you ask the right questions, you can make solid, informed decisions that align with your organization’s goals and needs.
While you search, keep this in mind: an AMS is more than just a software purchase—it’s an investment in the future of your organization!
Want to learn more? Contact us to schedule a meeting and we’ll discuss how we help organizations like yours!
References:
57 Essential Questions to Ask Your AMS Vendor Before You Decide to Buy. (2017). Arment.com. https://www.arment.com/armstrong/armstrong/case-studies/57-essential-questions.aspx
Ketcham, A. (2017, August). 5 Questions to Ask Potential Association Management Software Vendor. Associations Management Online. https://www.associationsonline.com/member-management-system/5-questions-to-ask-potential-association-management-software-vendors/
Six Features to Look for in an Association Management System. (2019). ASAE. https://www.asaecenter.org/resources/articles/an_plus/2019/may/six-features-to-look-for-in-an-association-management-system
