
Five Things Your Association Can Automate Right Now
The concept of “automation” can seem somewhat intimidating. Even in today’s tech-driven world, it can prompt people to ask: “Is a computer going to take over my job?”
But to deliver a great member experience, there’s always more to do. Automation reduces the burden of manual tasks – saving association staff time and effort that can be directed toward higher-value work.
It’s time to embrace automation. Here’s how you can start today. Get ready to work more efficiently and have more time to deliver a great member experience. Here are five things your association can automate now:
1. Email Communications To Members
Automate email communications 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 of their membership, which includes a receipt of payment.
Another example: Your organization can create a welcome campaign that’s automatically triggered when a new member joins. The campaign can help familiarize new members with your organization and encourage them to take advantage of the benefits offered by your association immediately.
2. Membership Renewals
The Momentive Software Member Loyalty Study found that 13 percent of lapsed members simply forgot to renew their membership. A simple yet powerful way to address this issue is to offer an option to automatically renew membership, with the membership fee charged to the member’s credit card.
3. Member Guidance
Your members’ needs and expectations evolve as they move through their careers and their membership with your organization. Support their needs throughout the member journey by guiding the member experience through intelligent chatbots, suggested next steps, and products.
For example, much like the familiar Amazon-like shopping experience, you can recommend new product purchases based on past behaviors and “what other members like you purchased”. This has the added benefit of increasing your non-dues revenues.
4. Member Service
Chatbots have begun to capture the attention of associations as a means to provide member services more efficiently. You’ve probably come across chatbots multiple times on websites when a box pops up and asks if you need help.
Using chatbots, you can automate aspects of member service, such as answering/assisting with common questions to provide immediate response 24/7 and free up staff time. With chatbots intercepting and answering more straightforward questions, the more complex inquiries can be passed to a live agent, who can take time to assist the member and ensure an exceptional experience.
Another way to provide excellent member service more efficiently is by automating other routine, manual tasks. With workflow automation technology, you set up business rules in software that automatically route data and files between people and systems, streamlining processes and improving efficiency. Your staff can work more efficiently and spend more time creating a great experience throughout the member journey.
5. Tax Processing
Tax processing might not seem exciting when it comes to providing a great member experience. However, automating it allows you to process taxes more easily, reducing the manual burden, eliminating human error, and saving association staff time and effort that can be directed elsewhere toward serving members.
Take The Next Step
There are many ways automation can help your association. With the right technology, your organization can become more efficient and deliver a better member experience.


