How do you implement the AMS system you need while everyone’s working remotely?
Here’s how it works (and works well) with Nimble AMS.
Your association might have been considering a move to a new association management software (AMS) system. Or, maybe your organization had already selected one.
Then… bam! Everyone went to work from home.
Now what? How do you implement a new AMS system with everyone working remotely? Doesn’t it take a bunch of people all together in an office to successfully go live with such a project? At the same time, how do you not implement the new AMS system that your organization needs to keep up with the times and grow into the future?
The Nimble AMS team has tackled this dilemma, and here’s what we found: Your association can successfully launch a new AMS – even with a team that’s working 100 percent remotely.
In fact, my colleague, Amy Bell, who is an implementation consultant on the Nimble AMS team, said, “We’ve found that by using the right tools, AMS implementations done remotely can be just as smooth as an onsite implementation.”
For example, a few months ago, an actual association was ready to go live with Nimble AMS. The group was somewhat concerned about their project team (eight staff members, including membership and accounting staff) and the Nimble AMS implementation team all working remotely during the project. But, realizing they needed to move forward with a new AMS, they embraced the virtual go-live environment and found that it turned out very well.
Here’s how the AMS implementation worked in the remote environment
- The Nimble AMS team met via Zoom with the client’s entire project team once in the morning, and once in the afternoon, each day of the implementation. They used this time to talk about the status of the project and what would happen next.
- Members of the Nimble AMS team created a day-long Zoom meeting. They continuously staffed it so that the client’s team could “step” in and out of the meeting at any time to talk (virtually) face-to-face with a Nimble AMS team member as questions popped up.
- The Nimble AMS team also provided an instant messaging channel, giving the client’s team a direct line to Nimble AMS for sharing messages, screen images, and files.
- As the Nimble AMS team made fixes and adjustments along the way, the client’s team was able to watch the changes online, giving them additional learning opportunities that they would not necessarily have had in an on-site implementation.
- As with an in-person implementation, the teams were able to have fun along the way – sharing funny memes, gifs, and kudos for each other to celebrate the work being done together.
One big tip for associations that has come from this type of remote AMS implementation is this: It’s easier and smoother work when everyone on the team shares their cameras. It helps the team more readily understand who’s who and who’s talking when. And, generally, the entire project has a more on-site feel.
The truth is that, like many businesses, many associations have been pushed into the remote work world much faster than they had planned (if they had planned it at all). But that doesn’t have to (nor should it) keep you from moving forward with the technology your organization needs to operate more efficiently and deliver a better member experience.
Associations are implementing new AMS systems today – even with a remote workforce. And, yours can, too.
