How to improve workflow automation with artificial intelligence
Workflow automation and artificial intelligence technologies can make associations more efficient and more in tune with what members want. Here’s more about these automation technologies, what they can do for your association, and how to start using them.
You’ve probably heard about workflow automation and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. They can make an organization smarter, more effective, and more efficient.
These automation technologies have started to catch the attention of associations. In fact, according to the 2019 Community Brands Digital Evolution Study, those working at professional member organizations (“Pros”) indicate that workflow automation and artificial intelligence are emerging areas for technology investment at the associations where they work. In fact, 24 percent say they plan to invest in workflow automation. Four percent say they have invested in AI technology, and 15 percent plan to invest.
But here’s something interesting: In the same study, only two percent of Pros said they use AI, compared with four percent from the Community Brands 2017 Digital Member Study. This might suggest that use of automation tools like AI is declining.
However, nine percent of Pros also indicate that they offer a virtual assistant. And since virtual assistants and chatbots are simple forms of AI, this suggests that organizations do not fully understand what AI is.
So maybe it’s time to take a closer look at what workflow automation and AI are, and what they can do for your association.
Workflow automation and associations
With the fast pace of digital communications in today’s evolving business world, workflow automation has taken on even more significance for associations. Efficiency means everything. It’s increasingly important to automate as many manual processes as possible so your staff can spend more time creating a great member experience.
What is workflow automation technology?
Workflow automation refers to technology that allows you to automate processes. You set up business rules in the software that automatically route data and files between people and systems. This allows you to save time by automating routine, manual tasks.
Getting started with workflow automation is easier than you might think
Nimble AMS leverages Salesforce Process Builder to allow associations to save valuable staff time by automating complex business processes. Without code, associations can specify process criteria to do things like automatically update or create new records, emails, and tasks or submit approval requests – all in a few simple steps.
How to use workflow automation for your association
Through using workflow automation for your association, you can reclaim the time your members previously spent manually managing tasks and let them get back to focusing on their work. An IDC study has found that data workers may waste up to 30 percent of their time on the job due to the inability to find or prepare the correct data. They also may spend up to 20 percent of their time duplicating work. Workflow automation allows your employees to save two to three hours of work a day on average.
Workflow automation also increases your efficiency and cost savings. At Nimble AMS, our customizable membership management software and artificial intelligence are ideal for saving time on everything from application processes and emails to memberships and reports. We also have features allowing you to automate complicated tasks like product recommendations, tax processing, and chatting with customers without putting the burden on your workers. Simply identify opportunities for automation and choose a strategy to increase your workforce’s power today.
Workflow automation technology allows your staff to save time and focus on higher-value work to advance your association. At Nimble AMS, our automation technology focuses on eliminating the tediousness of complicated routine membership tasks.
Here are a few examples of ways your association can use workflow automation technology:
Application processes: American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) uses Salesforce-based workflow functionality with Nimble AMS and their membership data to automate hundreds of processes, including their fellowship application process. The ASSH/Nimble AMS case study goes into more detail about how the organization is creating new efficiencies by automating processes.
Email communications to members: Automate email communications to members based on members’ actions, such as registering for an event or paying membership dues. For example, when members join your organization and pay their annual dues, they can receive an automated email confirmation for joining that includes a receipt of payment. The action that triggers this workflow is a new member joining and paying the annual membership dues.
Membership renewal: The Community Brands Member Loyalty Study found that 13 percent of lapsed members simply forgot to renew. One of the best ways to address this issue is to offer an option to automatically renew membership, with the membership fee charged to the member’s credit card. Your technology should allow you to set up this option, with corresponding automated emails that notify members when their membership has been renewed.
Reports: Schedule important, timely membership reports to send automatically via email to yourself or executive management. For example, set up a workflow to automatically send a monthly membership summary to your executive director and board of directors.
Artificial intelligence and associations
AI is changing the way we interact with technology in our everyday lives. Leading companies like Netflix and Amazon use AI to connect with consumers and provide the personalized experiences we’ve all come to expect.
Salesforce’s State of the Connected Customer report points to the significance of artificial intelligence for businesses. It found that a majority of customers (51 percent) say their expectations are already impacted by AI. In addition, the study found that 59 percent of customers are open to companies using AI to improve their experiences.
As for-profit companies provide increasingly personalized experiences using AI to meet consumer expectations, your members will expect the same in more areas of their lives ― including their experience with your association.
What is AI technology?
Simply put, AI is technology that simulates human intelligence. This technology essentially mimics human “thinking” using complex algorithms, or sets of rules that are followed in calculations and other problem-solving operations.
Getting started with AI technology is well within reach for associations
Using Salesforce platform-based Nimble AMS, which leverages the Salesforce Einstein AI technology, associations can become smarter, more predictive, and more in tune with what members need, want, and expect. Many Nimble AMS customers are already piloting Salesforce Prediction Builder, which enables true point-and-click AI.
These organizations can ask Einstein to give guidance and make predictions and then empower staff with tools to act upon what it finds. An example: It can create a call down list for your membership director of high value members that are most likely not to renew.
How to leverage AI for your association
AI automation is a versatile tool that gives your workers back precious time so they can focus on higher-value work. Through AI automation, you can improve everything from product recommendations to communications while still providing your members with excellent service. Today’s sophisticated artificial intelligence can give incredibly human communications and suggestions. When your members need a human’s help instead, they can easily reach your live agents. AI takes care of simple queries so your workers can focus on the complex ones.
Nimble AMS helps you increase your association’s efficiency and cost-effectiveness while giving your members their valuable time back. Our AI automation solutions offer a seamless user experience across various versions and provide you with straightforward support for any problems that may arise. We’re continuously improving our AI to expand on our capabilities and give you automation solutions of the future.
Here are some examples of ways your association could use AI automation with Nimble AMS:
Create Amazon-like shopping experiences
The familiarity and ease of use of an Amazon-like shopping experience will help your customers navigate your shopping section with ease. Nimble AMS allows you to guide your member experience using intelligent chatbots that can answer easy queries and take some of the workload off your sales agents. Our solutions allow you to automatically suggest next steps to customers and pique their interests in similar products.
After your members have completed a purchase, our predictive AI software will recommend new purchases based on their past buys to keep them coming back to your site and increase non-dues revenue.
Provide personalized content
Nimble AMS allows you to help members find answers through personalized content, predict the answers members are looking for, and provide that information proactively. Proactive and personalized content helps members remember your brand as attentive to their needs, and they’ll be tempted to go back to your association the next time they need assistance finding an answer. Through personalized content, your members will feel more connected with your association, and your company can glean important insight into its members’ behaviors and desires.
Our software helps you grab your members’ attention through their inboxes and remind them of what’s in the basket to help increase follow-through on purchases. Improve your association’s non-dues revenue when you keep your members’ attention with personalized content.
Engage members
Our solutions allow you to automate aspects of member service, such as answering/assisting with common questions or renewing a membership via a chatbot or digital assistant to provide immediate response 24/7 and free up staff time. The main way to increase member loyalty and engagement is by providing them quick and effective responses whenever issues arise. Digital assistants and chatbots allow your members to get satisfying answers at all times of day and make it easier to reach a representative with more complicated questions.
Nimble AMS leverages the Salesforce Einstein AI Technology to allow your association to take advantage of chatbots and digital assistants that are innovative and intuitive enough to provide your members with a convincingly human conversational experience. Show your members your association is always here to help with member engagement software from Nimble AMS.
Utilize predictive analysis for member retention
With Nimble AMS, you can use predictive analytics to determine which event location will bring in the highest number of registrations. Our approach uses your Salesforce and member data to analyze your members’ past behaviors and patterns so you can predict which moves they’ll make next with high accuracy. You can predict when a member is disengaged and unlikely to renew their membership. We automatically alert you and begin to intervene to prevent losing an at-risk membership.
By identifying at-risk members and reaching out to them before they leave, your association will increase member retention and prevent a fall in dues revenue.
Make your association more efficient with Nimble AMS
Nimble AMS is the most trusted member management software built on Salesforce and has a 94 percent customer satisfaction rate. We’re dedicated to being the best association management software on the market and are constantly innovating our AI solutions to improve your workforce automation capabilities. When you partner with Nimble AMS and leverage the Salesforce automation solutions, you’ll reap the rewards of continuous innovation and new upgrades three times a year.
In addition to our workforce automation and AI capabilities, our software also specializes in 360-degree member management, in-depth analytics, and personalized dashboards. Our software’s member management feature allows you to track account roles, managers, affiliations, contact information, and managers in an easily scalable interface. We handle simple and multi-tiered dues, including sliding scales, variable durations, and recurring payments. With our analytics features, you can proactively identify issues and find new opportunities by harnessing the power of the data you already have.
Unlike other Salesforce AMS solutions, Nimble AMS stands with you through every step of the membership management process. Our software solutions are highly customizable and come with all the features your association needs and nothing it doesn’t. You’ll always be on the cutting edge of AMS technology and hold advantages over your competitors, thanks to our tri-annual updates and dedicated commitment to innovation.
At Nimble AMS, we’re sure you can better retain your members and increase your non-dues revenue with our software. Take charge of your member management software and request a demo to see us in action today.
