Association management software: Everything your association needs to know about an AMS platform
Association management software (AMS) provides professional and trade associations with the necessary features to run their organization. AMS is an acronym that may refer to association management software or association management system.
Association management software (AMS) can be invaluable for organizational leaders, helping you empower your entire organization. Whether you are small, medium, or large association, with AMS software, you can easily streamline organizational processes like member renewals, analytics reporting, revenue tracking, and more.
Association management software helps manage your membership pipeline, throughout the entire member journey. Here’s why member-based organizations chose association management software:
- Ensure consistent member communication
- Automate labor-intensive manual tasks
- Enhance member database with user-friendly reports and dashboards
- Boost member engagement with an online community platform
- Optimize sales and marketing efforts
- Streamline event organization
- Build effective boards and leadership committees
- A 360° view of member engagement
- And more
With association management software, you’ll get these key features and more. Small staff all the way up to enterprise level associations choose AMS platforms to optimize operations and provide superior member support. Association management software empowers organizations of all sizes to build lasting member relationships by creating a personalized experience.
What comes with association management software?
Association management software offers a variety of features and functionality meeting the needs of small staff all the way to enterprise level associations. Whatever your size or membership complexity, your organization can find the right fit with association management software.
Here’s what you’ll get with most AMS platforms:
- Membership database
At the core of all AMS software is the ability to manage information on individuals and organizations. Look for a robust database solution to empower staff as they work with complex membership structures. Give members access to manage constituent records, including contact information, demographics, certifications, and transaction history.
- Web-based member portal
Associations need to support members 24/7. With an AMS member portal, constituents can customize their member experience by updating their profile, paying dues, registering for conferences, purchasing products, viewing certification status, and more.
- Conference and event planning
Manage your upcoming event from start to finish, ensuring registration, payment collection, and event organization is streamlined. Your AMS should help you sell sponsorships and exhibitions, as well as manage attendee data.
- Dues and subscription management
Dues are the lifeblood of an association. Association management software assists with the critical task of dues billing and collection, empowering staff through automation. Most AMS systems accommodate a variety of types of billing including annual, anniversary, sliding scale, and pro-rating dues depending on when the member joins. AMS systems can also streamline the management and billing of subscriptions for newsletters, journals, and more.
- User-friendly reports and dashboards
Become a data-driven association with powerful analytics and user-friendly reports and dashboards. Leverage an AMS to visualize key business metrics and spot trends with pre-built reports and personalized dashboards.
- Financial features
Association management software operates as a sub-ledger to handle the billing, invoicing, and receipting of all transactions involving constituents. Look for an AMS that integrates with your bookkeeping tool to streamline your accounting processes.
- Mobile-first
Look for an AMS that is mobile responsive, ensuring your data is easily accessible across web-enabled devices. With a mobile-first AMS, both staff and members can connect whenever and wherever they want.
What should small-staff associations look for in an AMS platform?
Small-staff associations should select an all-in-one AMS platform to effectively manage all organizational priorities. With an all-in-one AMS platform, your small staff will gain these helpful tools to drive engagement and productivity:
- Membership management tools
Create easy member sign-up path and auto renewal.
- Event management tools
Create personalized registration paths and easily manage every aspect of your event.
- Website design and hosting
Connect members and prospects with a modern, branded website.
- Workflow automation
Accelerate staff productivity by automating manual tasks.
- Online community
Convert sporadic social media engagement into strong member connections.
- Accounting and payment processing
Make accounting and payment processing a breeze for your accountant.
- Dashboards and advanced reporting
Gain quick and in-depth insight into membership trends.
- E-Commerce and donations
Grow revenue with an online store and easy ways to donate.
What should enterprise level associations look for in an AMS platform?
Enterprise-level associations should look for the very best in their AMS software. If you are an enterprise level association, look for these additional features in your next AMS platform:
- Modern e-commerce
Diversify your organization’s revenue streams with a modern AMS that offers e-commerce solutions. Look for an AMS that helps you boost revenue with abandoned cart reminders and cross-sell opportunities. Make constituent payments easier with options like Apple Pay, One Payment, and Express Payment options.
- Committee organization
Association committees are key to proper governance. AMS systems enable staff to track committee and sub-committee members and boost committee communication by recording meeting minutes.
- Continuing education integration options
Choosing an innovative AMS ensures you’ll have many integration options with advanced learning management software (LMS). Advance your learning program with an LMS integration that makes it easy for members to enroll in courses and tracks continuing education credits and certification progress in an online member profile.
- AI and predictive analytics
Anticipate staff and member needs with AI-driven solutions, built for associations. Leverage your member data to uncover powerful insights and reach revenue, donation, events, and membership goals.
- Online community platform
Look for association management software that provides a built-in online member community to drive engagement. Boost member connection and retention with personalized digest feeds, networking opportunities, and unique member groups.
Trends in association management software
Staying up to date on industry news is essential to establishing your association’s credibility and expertise. Staying ahead of the curve as new technologies and methodologies develop will ensure your organization offers a superior member experience and meets its goals.
The following association management software trends point to innovative developments in the future:
- Continuous innovation
According to the latest Association Research Report, members who perceive their organizations as early technology adopters show dramatically higher loyalty metrics, with 85% satisfaction, 72% NPS, and 53% connection rates.
Innovative association management software offers worry-free, seamless updates and ensures you are offering the latest technology to your members. Getting routine software upgrades ensures your staff and members always have access to the latest technological advances. With regular updates, all users are guaranteed to be on the latest software version.
- Artificial intelligence and predictive analytics tools
Associations are using AI now more than ever, with 39% of organizations now using AI and 60% having established AI policies or being in the process of establishing them.
Advanced AMS systems offer AI and predictive analytics tools to make your association smarter. Use AI to deliver member predictions and recommendations, driving a superior member experience across your organization. Leverage predictive analytics in association management software to anticipate member behavior and guide staff actions. For example, your organization can use predictive analytics to uncover any at-risk members and act before they lapse.
- Integration and scalability
Compared to previous years, professional development requirements have increased substantially, with 72% of members required to take continuing education courses. Now more than ever, members are looking for opportunities to advance their careers and are turning to their organizations to complete their training.
Ensure your AMS has integration capabilities so you can sync with your learning management system and career centers and continue to scale with your members’ needs.
- Cloud-based software
Being in the cloud means that the association management system and its data are hosted online, versus a local server. Cloud-based software offers increased functionality, allowing vendors to release software quicker and easier. It also allows all software users to be on the latest version and take advantage of all of the latest features. Another perk of cloud-based software is the lower cost of ownership because vendors are responsible for updates, security, and performance monitoring.
- Data security
The latest association research trends study found that 69% of members have concerns about privacy and data security. By choosing an AMS hosted in the cloud, you can rest assured that your member data is backed up on a rotating schedule, so you never lose records.
An innovative AMS will prioritize best-in-class security practices and compliance and offer live status details on service. Look for an AMS provider that complies with data privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA, and PIPEDA) and offers an in-house security and compliance team.
How to research association management software
When determining the best option for your association, you’ll want to carefully compare AMS vendors. Consider your unique organizational needs and key criteria to find the association management software that best fits your requirements. Investigate AMS reviews to compare software capabilities.
Whether you need more flexibility or scalability, customization or specific features, keep a few points in mind:
- Costs
Research the AMS operating costs over time. To get a holistic picture of the long-term investment value, consider support fees, hardware costs, and customization expenses.
- Platform requirements
Work with your board to assess your organizational goals and determine your technological priorities and requirements to measure AMS options against your needs.
- Comprehensive offerings
Be aware of hidden system costs and choose a system that offers a comprehensive estimate of all required work. Search for an AMS vendor that provides an association resource center to guide your research process.
- Support and services
The relationship you have with your tech vendor is a long-term partnership. Consider the support your vendor offers during the implementation and after your AMS is up and running. Look at a vendor’s industry reputation to determine the best fit for your organization.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
- What is an association management system?
An association management system (AMS) is software associations use to manage member engagement and provide resources to grow new and existing member relationships. In today’s data-driven world, many associations have turned to AMS to act as a framework for membership growth and retention.
- What is association management software?
Association management software (AMS) is a system that provides professional and trade associations with the necessary features to run their organization, enhance the member experience, and boost ROI.
- What can association management software do?
Association management software can help associations manage constituents, track dues and subscriptions, organize and host conferences and virtual events, develop association committees, and provide continuing education and certification resource for members. An AMS offers advanced analytics and user-friendly reports to ensure stakeholders can make data-driven decisions.
- What does AMS stand for?
AMS is an acronym for association management software or association management system.
- What can an AMS do?
An innovative AMS helps associations manage the membership pipeline, throughout the entire member journey. With AI, predictive analytics, automation, user-friendly reports, and more, your association can enhance its member experience, exceed organizational goals, and boost ROI.
- What is an AMS built on Salesforce?
An AMS built on Salesforce is association management software built on the Salesforce Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform. Nimble AMS is built on Salesforce, allowing associations to leverage the powerful Salesforce data management and automation tools to better manage their associations.
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Learn more about association management software
Association management software is more than just a tool; it’s the backbone of a modern association. Whether you’re a small-staff organization looking for an all-in-one platform or an enterprise association requiring advanced integrations, predictive analytics, and robust member engagement features, the right AMS can transform the way you operate. By streamlining processes, empowering staff, and delivering personalized member experiences, AMS platforms help associations strengthen relationships, grow revenue, and achieve long-term success.
If your organization is ready to take the next step, now is the time to explore the AMS solutions that will elevate your member experience and drive measurable results.
