Strategic research in new tech now can pay big dividends for your association down the road.
Don’t miss this chance to uncover opportunities for improvement and find a solution that better meets your organization’s needs.
You might know that it’s time for a new association management software (AMS) system for your organization. Maybe your current AMS is outdated. Maybe it just isn’t worth the cost and hassle anymore. Maybe your organization has outgrown it, and it’s time to move on.
But, as a CIO or IT leader, you might also be asking yourself, “Is this challenging time really the right moment to be looking for our next AMS?”
In truth, this can be the ideal time to research your next AMS. Financial crises in the past have shown that strategic investments during downturns can pay big dividends down the road. While it may not be a good time for the purchase itself, today represents a strategic opportunity to review your current association technology and start making moves toward a new AMS system that will serve your organization (and your members) better.
Here’s why now is the perfect time to find your next AMS
Fewer disruptions
Of course, like many businesses these days, your association might be dealing with changes in processes. However, your organization also likely cancelled or postponed most in-person events for the next several months.
You might find that there are fewer major organizational projects and distractions – giving you more time to research potential software, write and issue a strong request for proposal (RFP), and watch product demos.
The opportunity to become more resilient
When many businesses sent their employees to work from home earlier this year, IT organizations that had already moved most of their operations to the cloud spent less time worrying about application performance, capacity management, and disaster recovery than organizations with on-premises software and data centers.
Now is a good time to ask yourself if your organization could be more resilient to changing circumstances by accelerating your transition to a more modern cloud-based AMS.
A chance to re-examine software performance and security
Along the same lines, now is a good time for associations to examine their software’s performance and security. Outdated technology may seem relatively harmless, but it can leave you in a potentially damaging situation just when you need it the most – especially if you avoid product upgrades because they are painful and expensive, leaving you without the latest performance and security updates.
Are your organization’s current tools and practices adequate to protect your data and systems? It just might be time to move to more secure system.
A need to reduce inefficiencies
Working as efficiently as possible is always important. Even while working from home, your entire staff must continue to keep your organization moving forward while delivering a great experience that keeps members coming in and renewing.
Now is a good time to make sure you have an AMS system in place that allows your entire organization to work efficiently – in hard times and in “normal” times. Look for an easy-to-use interface and the ability to set up automated processes so staff can stay focused on what’s important without being distracted by clunky systems and processes.
Times are undeniably tough, but it may also be presenting an unusual opportunity to identify technology weaknesses and research new association software to help your organization succeed now and for years to come.
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