Expert Guidance on Choosing New Association Technology
The anxiety-ridden decision to look for new technology was the topic of the first session of Mastering Membership, our new event series for mid-size associations featuring advice from the association, selection consultant, and technology partner’s perspectives. There’s a lot on the line when choosing new technology, said Ryan Costello, chief strategy officer for MemberSuite, that’s why we felt bringing together these expert panelists and recapping the highlights of the session would be helpful to those looking for guidance when considering upgrading their association’s tech stack.
How to Know When It’s Time to Make a Technology Change
It’s helpful during stressful processes to have a psychology degree, like Chad Stewart, founder and chief software adviser at Smart Thoughts, does. He often finds himself playing therapist with clients facing technology decisions. He advises making a change before you’re mad as hell and not going to take it anymore.
My colleague Ana Loden, senior account executive at MemberSuite, joined our panelists in identifying the signs that it’s time to replace your technology.
- Software limitations: The software lacks the functionality you need now and can’t support the strategic direction for the next few years. Brian Birch, chief operations officer at the Snow & Ice Management Association, warned that you don’t want to be the one saying to the board, “We can’t do that.”
- Upgrade expenses: You shouldn’t have to pay for upgrades when so many SaaS options are available.
- Complexity: If your system is so complicated or customized that only one person on staff understands it, you’re on dangerous ground during The Great Reshuffle.
- Staff experience: Staff are so fed up with frustrating, outdated technology that they look for a better job.
- Integration limitations: You’re dealing with a lack of interconnectivity because a lousy API prevents integration with other best-of-breed systems.
- Roadmap: The vendor’s product roadmap doesn’t solve your existing problems or align with your association’s direction.
The biggest cost of past-its-prime technology is its opportunity cost—how it holds your association back from providing mission-critical services and experiences. Your technology should be a strategic asset, not a strategic weakness. If technical limitations are influencing decisions, it’s time to change.
Know When You’re Creating Your Own Problems
Sometimes technology isn’t completely at fault. Brian suggests asking, “How much of this problem is us?” He advises simplifying processes before changing systems. Don’t purchase an AMS to manage the exception or answer one person’s complaint. Even if a prospective system can handle a complicated process, never try to solve for one issue or get hung up on one or two features.
Set Realistic Expectations
Manage the expectations of colleagues and leaders up front. You can’t solve all your association’s problems with technology and you can’t expect to find the perfect technology—that’s not how it works. Instead, said Chad, find the best software fit for what you’re trying to accomplish. Prioritize and make tradeoffs. But first, understand the criteria by which you’ll gauge success.
Identify Decision-Making Criteria: Your Requirements
Ana said there’s lots of work to do before contacting a salesperson: identifying and prioritizing your requirements. Don’t copy another association’s RFP. Requirements are unique to every association.
Interview a representative from every team that will use the software or use data stored by or shared with the software. Talk to membership, marketing, events, education, governance, accounting, and other staff to determine what they need to do with the software and/or data now and in the future. This process takes time but is necessary to get everyone’s input and identify all requirements. As a bonus, it helps build staff support for the new system.
Don’t focus on the past, said Chad. Focus on the functions you need to achieve goals. You may realize during this process that what you once thought was so critical is not so important after all. Prioritize your list by necessity and urgency—what you need now and what you need in the next few years.
Determine what factors you will weigh in the final decision and how much you will weigh each factor. Conversations are an important part of this process. Everyone on the project team must understand the software’s goals and requirements.
Ana recommends asking prospective technology partners for resources to help with the selection process, such as e-books, white papers, matrixes, functionality sales sheets, or PowerPoints for board presentations.
Do your research so you know what solutions are out there, said Chad. Don’t assume everything works the way your system does or processes have to look a certain way. Attend ASAE demo days or AMS Fest so you know what’s on the market and what’s possible.
When you see what’s possible with better technology, Ryan said, you can imagine a different future for your association. For example, you could finally offer certification programs or automate marketing. Although Chad didn’t mention it, a consultant can help you assess your existing processes, show you possibilities, and introduce you to solutions.
Consider the People Factor
Don’t underestimate the impact of people, not just your team, but the vendor you select. Ryan said selection and implementation is more than a technology project, it’s a partnership.
Before signing a contract, Ana suggests asking the sales person to introduce you to the people behind the curtain, such as the implementation, data migration, and training teams. Ask how they will help you get the project done on time and on budget.
Welcome a New Direction for the AMS
The conversation ended with a look at how the AMS market is changing. Brian said AMS technology has always reflected association desires, which is why the standard has been the jack-of-all-trades AMS that can handle every function and business process. But many associations are now leaning in the best-of-breed direction for their AMS.
Chad advised finding the AMS that comes out on top for your core requirements, then use its API to connect it with other best-of-breed software. Brian recommended selecting a configurable (not customizable) AMS with a bi-directional API that can push and pull data between systems. This type of flexibility in an AMS allows your association to be more nimble when you need to change or take on something new.
What do you think? Is your association ready or overdue for improving the software you use? Take our AMS Change Quiz to find out, in just a few minutes, if it’s time for a new AMS.