October, 2011 Archives

You Have To Do Some of the Work! – A True Story

I once met with an association executive director to discuss the challenges she and her association were having with their data management systems. As we discussed what was possible with newer technology, she was especially excited to hear how a new AMS would allow her to capture interactions ...

No job satisfaction at your non-profit?

According to a recent article in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, "two reports...show a disconnect between what nonprofits provide to their workers and what employees say is essential to their job satisfaction." The article goes on to state that "70% of workers in two surveys said their jobs were ...

Inward vs. Outward focus of your AMS

One of the most significant changes in association management software over the past decade is the change in functionality focus from staff to customer. That is, prior to the internet (and even early on in the internet years), AMSes were designed to help staff process data more efficiently. As the ...

What are your database success metrics?

How do you know if you're being successful with your existing data management system? For most organizations, the primary metric is "lack of complaints." That is, if no one is really complaining, then the system must be working. Right? Not necessarily. What I often see when I work with my ...

SaaS CRM Market Set to Triple according to AMI

A recent article at destinationCRM.com discusses research from AMI-Partners that suggests that the software-as-a-service (SaaS) CRM market is set to undergo double-digit year-over-year growth in the next five years. The research cites four reasons for this: Greater availability of broadband ...

New Article Posted – Five Significant Trends in Association Management Software

I’ve posted a new article on my website. The world of technology never stops changing, and certainly the same is true for the world of association management software (AMS) vendors. As I look back at 2011 and forward to 2012, there are several trends I see developing among many (though ...

25 Most Important Lessons in Membership Marketing

Tony Rossell at the Membership Marketing blog has listed the "25 Most Important Lessons in Membership Marketing" based on their recent survey of membership marketers. It's an interesting list, and what I found most intriguing is how a well-implemented and well-managed membership and customer ...

Business Intelligence Matters

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal highlighted the desperate need businesses have for workers skilled at analyzing data. The article outlines how many companies have been partnering with major US business schools to develop curriculum and certificate programs for data analytics. The ...

Little things can make a big impact

I was recently helping a client of mine with an AMS system selection. After a thorough review of needs and potential systems, my client chose a vendor that she felt was their best match. The vendor was very pleased to hear that they had been selected. But rather than immediately signing a ...

Great article in Associations Now

David J. Martin, CAE, is CEO of the Society of Critical Care Medicine. He has written a great article for the recent issue of Associations Now (available online here). In the article, Martin describes how, as CEO, he mandated that all data be managed in a single database (a principle I've been ...