How to Choose an AMS: Understanding Your Organization’s Needs

Selecting the right Association Management System (AMS) is a pivotal - and usually stressful - decision that can significantly impact your organization’s effectiveness, member satisfaction, and overall growth. 

It can sometimes be considered a decision of the devil you know vs other options, but at their core all AMS systems have some very solid features and functions. It really comes down to how well you prepare for the selection process. 

To start, take a deep dive into understanding your organization’s unique needs. 

Here’s an extensive guide on how to do just that. 

Conduct a Comprehensive Needs Assessment

Begin by thoroughly evaluating your current operations. This involves a candid look at your processes, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.

Review Existing Processes: Map out how your organization currently handles key functions like membership management, event planning, financial tracking, and communications. Identify areas where workflows are efficient and where they falter.

Example: You might discover that your membership renewal process is time-consuming and prone to errors due to manual data entry.

Identify Pain Points: Pinpoint recurring issues that hinder productivity or member satisfaction. These could be technological limitations, resource constraints, or procedural bottlenecks.

Example: Perhaps your event registrations are managed through multiple platforms, leading to data fragmentation and reporting challenges.

Gather Input from All Departments: Engage with team members across different roles—membership coordinators, event planners, finance officers, marketing staff, and IT professionals. Their insights will help you understand specific needs and frustrations.

Example: Your marketing team may need better segmentation tools to tailor communications, while the finance department might require more robust reporting capabilities.

Define Clear Goals and Objectives

Clear goals will guide your selection process and help you measure success post-implementation.

Set SMART Goals: Establish objectives that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Examples: Increase member retention by 15% over the next fiscal year or reduce event management administrative time by 30% within six months.

Improve data accuracy: Find ways to eliminate manual entry errors through automation.

Align Goals with Organizational Strategy: Ensure your AMS objectives support your broader mission and strategic plans.

Example: If your organization aims to expand its educational offerings, you’ll need an AMS that supports learning management systems or online course integrations.

Prioritize Your Requirements

With a clear understanding of your needs and goals, prioritize the features and functionalities that are most important to your organization. Easier said than done sometimes! 

Must-Have Features: Identify non-negotiable elements essential for your operations.

Examples:

• Integrated membership database with real-time updates.


• Secure online payment processing.


• Robust reporting and analytics tools.


• Mobile app for member engagement.


• Social media integration.


• Advanced marketing automation.

Future Needs: Consider features that may become important as your organization grows.

Example: If international expansion is on the horizon, multi-language support might be a future requirement.

Understand Your Members’ Expectations

Survey fatigue is definitely a thing, but for a decision this important, getting feedback from your constituents is key. 

Conduct Member Surveys or Focus Groups: Gather feedback on what members value most and areas where they see room for improvement.

Examples:

• Desire for a user-friendly member portal.


• Interest in personalized communication and content.


• Need for streamlined event registration and access to resources.

Analyze Member Engagement Data: Review how members interact with your current systems to identify usage patterns and preferences.

Example: Low engagement with your online forums might indicate the need for a more intuitive community platform like Higher Logic or Breezio. 

Assess Technical Requirements and Constraints

Technical considerations are vital to ensure compatibility and ease of integration with your existing infrastructure.

Integration Capabilities: List out all the systems and software your organization currently uses, such as CRM, accounting software, email marketing tools, and learning management systems. 

Determine whether potential AMS solutions can integrate seamlessly with these platforms or if you’ll need special connectors like Zapier for iMIS. 

Example: If you use QuickBooks or something similar for accounting, you’ll need an AMS that can synchronize financial data without manual intervention.

IT Infrastructure and Resources: Evaluate your organization’s technical expertise and resources.

Questions to Consider:

• Do you have an in-house IT team, or do you rely on external support?


• Are you equipped to manage on-premises software, or is a cloud-based solution more practical?

Security and Compliance Requirements: Ensure the AMS adheres to industry standards and regulations relevant to your organization.

Examples:

• Compliance with GDPR for member data protection.


• PCI DSS compliance for secure payment processing.

Budgetary Considerations

Understanding your financial parameters is essential for a realistic AMS selection process.

Initial Investment: Determine how much you can allocate for upfront costs, including software licenses, implementation fees, and potential hardware upgrades.

Example: Allocating funds for initial training to ensure staff are proficient with the new system.

Ongoing Costs: Account for recurring expenses such as subscription fees, maintenance costs, support services, and future upgrades.

Example: Knowing the annual cost of software updates and whether they’re included in your service agreement.

Cost-Benefit Analysis: Weigh the costs against the expected benefits, such as increased efficiency, revenue growth, or cost savings.

Example: Investing in an AMS that automates renewal reminders could significantly reduce member lapse rates, boosting revenue.

According to Cobalt, here is some generalized pricing baseline to consider: 

“If you outsource your AMS implementation, have 10-100 association staff members, and your business requirements fall into the light-to-medium range, you should expect to pay $150K – $300K for your AMS implementation, with ongoing monthly costs of $75 – $150 per user.” (Data for 2024).

Plan for Scalability and Future Growth

Your AMS should not only meet your current needs but also accommodate future expansion.

Scalability: Ensure the system can handle an increase in users, data volume, and transaction loads.

Example: If you plan to double your membership within the next five years, the AMS should support this growth without performance issues.

Customization and Flexibility: Choose a system that allows for configuration changes without extensive custom coding.

Example: The ability to modify member fields or create new event types as your offerings evolve.

Vendor’s Development Roadmap: Assess the provider’s commitment to innovation and regular updates.

Questions to Ask:

• Does the vendor invest in ongoing development?


• Are they responsive to customer feedback for new features?


• What is their roadmap for the future?

Engage Stakeholders Early and Often

Inclusive involvement ensures that the AMS selection considers all perspectives and garners organizational support. And it’s a cornerstone of change management, which is really what this project is about more than anything else. 

Form a Selection Committee: Include representatives from different departments, such as membership, events, finance, marketing, and IT.

The benefit of this is that you will get diverse insights leading to a more comprehensive understanding of needs. It also facilitates cross-departmental collaboration and buy-in.

Communicate Transparently: Keep stakeholders informed about the selection process, timelines, and decisions.

Example: Regular updates through meetings or newsletters to maintain engagement and manage expectations.

Solicit Feedback: Encourage open dialogue and feedback at each stage.

Example: Hosting workshops or demo sessions where staff can interact with potential AMS solutions and provide input.

Document Your AMS Requirements

Creating a detailed requirements document serves as a blueprint for evaluating AMS options. You’ll be happy that you took the time to do this one. v

Functional Requirements: Clearly specify the desired features and functionalities, categorized by priority levels.

Example: A spreadsheet listing each requirement with columns for “Must-Have,” “Nice-to-Have,” and “Future Need.” Technical Specifications: Outline necessary technical capabilities, integration needs, and compliance standards.

Example: Documenting the need for API access to integrate with your existing CRM.

Use Cases and Workflows: Provide scenarios and process flows that illustrate how the AMS should support your operations.

Example: A flowchart depicting the member renewal process from notification to payment confirmation.

Evaluation Criteria: Establish metrics and benchmarks for assessing potential AMS solutions.

Examples: User-friendliness scored on a scale of 1-5 and integration capability rating based on compatibility with existing systems.

Consider AMS Training and Support Needs

A new AMS is only as good as its adoption by your team and members. As stated before, in the end this is very much a change management exercise for your organization. 

Staff Training Requirements: Identify the level of training needed for staff to become proficient with the new membership database system.

Questions to Consider:

• Does the vendor offer comprehensive training programs?


• Are there resources for ongoing education as new features are released?

Member Onboarding: Plan how you will introduce the new system to your members.

Example: Creating tutorials or hosting webinars to guide members through the new portal.

Vendor Support Services: Evaluate the availability and quality of vendor support.

Questions to Ask:

• Is support available during your organization’s operating hours?


• What channels are available for support—phone, email, live chat?

Assess Potential Risks

Identifying and planning for risks can prevent surprises down the line. Your staff will thank you later. 

Data Migration Challenges: Understand the complexities involved in transferring existing data to the new AMS. Do you have an AMS already like Impexium, iMIS, or NetForum? If so, they should be able to provide help with your migration. 

Change Management: Anticipate resistance to change and develop strategies to address it.

Vendor Stability: Research the vendor’s financial health and market reputation.

By dedicating time and effort to thoroughly understand your organization’s needs, you’re laying a solid foundation for selecting an Association Management System (AMS) that truly supports your mission. 

This proactive approach minimizes the risk of investing in a system that falls short of expectations and maximizes the potential for enhanced efficiency, member satisfaction, and organizational growth.

Remember, the goal isn’t just to find any membership database but to find the right AMS. Find one that fits your organization like a glove and becomes a catalyst for achieving your strategic objectives. With a clear understanding of your needs, priorities, and goals, you’re well-equipped to navigate the selection process with confidence and clarity.