Blog
April 1, 2022
Making a change in your Association Management System (AMS) is a big decision that requires a lot of thought and preparation. To ensure success, think through these four key questions before you decide on your next system.
1. Should we make the change?
First, analyze your current systems/processes and decide if moving forward would be beneficial or if your organization would be better off maintaining and improving your current system. Ask yourself:
- What risks do you face if you do nothing?
- Can you grow and adapt with your current solution?
After evaluating the answers to these questions, you are ready to make an informed decision on the future of your association.
2. How do we handle the staff impact?
This consideration is often overlooked in the decision-making process. Changing systems can have a major impact on staff morale and effectiveness if not handled properly. Getting your team involved throughout the process is key to alleviating concerns and building trust in your decision.
Our clients have found that employing a change management strategy is essential in completing a successful project. Your staff will feel as though their concerns have been addressed. Leading to buy-in and excitement for the new solution.
3. Is our current way the only way?
As you move closer to a new solution, you’ll want to take a look at your current processes and see where things can be improved. Maybe it’s a reduction in steps or an automation of a manual process. These changes may seem small but can pay big dividends in the long term. You can increase productivity by allowing staff to focus on key tasks such as member engagement.
You started exploring new systems for a reason and these reasons should be brought to your implementation partner for open discussion and understanding. You can then move into having a partner that understands your business problems and can provide tailored solutions. Having a partner that understands your goals and your members is fundamental to completing a business process review. Sharing best practices and using knowledge from our vast experience has been pivotal in our clients’ success.
4. Platform or point solution?
Now that you have gone through and answered the above questions, you are ready to tackle the next important decision: platform or point? First to define those:
- Point solution is defined as a tool or software that addresses a single use case or challenge.
- Platform solution is defined as a comprehensive software solution that provides a foundation that can address a number of use cases across multiple departments within an organization.
Both solutions offer pros and cons based on the specific use case of your association. A point solution can offer a quicker implementation timeline, one system to manage, and functionality that is specific to a defined channel. A platform solution offers an integrated solution throughout the organization, no data silos with its ability to combine all data into a single point of truth, and better ability for adapting to a changing environment and scale as you grow. Having a trusted implementation partner will help you navigate this complex decision.
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As you can see, making a change in your AMS requires a lot of thought and work to make it a success for your association, your members, and your staff.
At Attain Partners, we acknowledge the importance of choosing the right implementation partner when embarking on this adventure. We have the knowledge, experience, and technical expertise to provide you with advice and guide you throughout the process. We have helped hundreds of nonprofit organizations successfully implement solutions tailored to their unique needs since our inception.
Learn more about our services here.
About the author:
Chad Simmons is an Associate Business Development Director at Attain Partners. Since 2013, Chad has helped hundreds of organizations implement innovative technology solutions designed to meet their complex needs. Chad’s focus is demonstrating the value of the Salesforce Platform and Attain Partners’ services to higher education and healthcare clients.
