When selecting and implementing an Association Management Software (AMS) system, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. From choosing the right platform to ensuring smooth adoption, several obstacles can hinder success. If you’re feeling unsure about how to make the most of your AMS investment, you’re not alone. Here are some common pitfalls along the AMS journey and practical solutions to avoid them.
1. Pitfall: Choosing the Wrong AMS Platform
Solution: Match Your Needs with the Right Platform
Selecting your organization’s “perfect” AMS is daunting. With so many options available it’s tempting to go with the most popular choice, but what’s popular may not be best for your organization’s strategy. One of the most significant mistakes organizations make: choosing a platform that doesn’t align with their needs, leading to wasted resources and frustration.
From our data, we find the average AMS utilization rate is 71%. However, we’ve seen clients with a utilization rate as low as 37%.
Tip: Invest time upfront to clearly define your organization’s requirements. Work with technology experts to match your needs with the right features. Consider a technology and/or staff assessment help you prioritize your needs, assess options, consider and trade-offs. A tailored, step-by-step evaluation ensures you choose a platform that enhances your workflow, rather than complicating it.
2. Pitfall: Insufficient Training & Onboarding
Solution: Comprehensive Training and Support
Don’t underestimate the importance of comprehensive training. Many organizations invest in an AMS system but fail to properly train their staff. This leads to confusion, inefficiencies, and low adoption rates.
Most staff are not very confident using their AMS. From our research, we know that 49% of respondents report feeling “somewhat to not confident at all” using their AMS. If you’re uncomfortable with a tool, you don’t use it or only use it in limited applications.
Tip: Invest in tailored onboarding and ongoing training. Ensure everyone: leadership, power users, and staff, are comfortable with the system. Partnering with AMS experts for personalized guidance during the adoption process can make a significant difference.
3. Pitfall: Lack of Integration with Existing Systems
Solution: Streamline Processes with Integration
Integrating your AMS with existing systems can be frustrating. Without proper integration, you risk creating siloed data and inefficient workflows. Often staff don’t realize which existing systems already integrate so when trying to streamline, it’s important to create awareness around – and focus energy on – improving those integrations. We’ve seen membership organizations who struggled with data discrepancies between their AMS and CRM system, leading to errors in billing and member communication.
Currently, 34% of respondents don’t know the tools that do integrate with their systems. Their most wanted integrations? Email marketing (47%), learning management (44%), event registration (35%), e-commerce (29%), content management (25%), community (25%). However, nearly a quarter (23%) aren’t sure what integrations would be helpful.
Tip: Work with AMS experts who understand your tech stack to guide you through a seamless integration process. This will help identify your most needed integrations, avoid duplicate data entry, improve decision-making, and enhance the user experience. Additionally, once the integrations are available, inform staff and train them in how to incorporate it into their existing workflows.
4. Pitfall: Not Managing Change Effectively
Solution: Use Change Management Strategies
Transitioning to any new AMS platform is a significant change. Without proper change management strategies, even the best teams can fail. Many organizations see users revert to old habits or “shadow systems” because they don’t manage the shift effectively.
You likely have more tools than you realize. Most organizations have people or departments that keep “their” information in a separate “shadow system.”
Shadow systems occur when staff:
- Feel others are gatekeeping information
- Mistrust the information in the official database
- Don’t know how to use the “enterprise” tool
- Can’t access an “enterprise” tool
- Believe the current tool is outdated
Over a third of survey respondents in a KPMG study characterize their organization’s culture as “risk averse.” This partly explains why in our research 54% of respondents say “most to a lot” of their organization’s member-related data is in spreadsheets.
Tip: Employ change management strategies, including clear communication, phased rollouts, and continuous feedback loops. Get a picture of how much data is in spreadsheets, who’s responsible for data management, and other headwinds. Paint a picture for staff of how the AMS will help them work smarter and not harder (currently only 27% moderately to strongly agree their AMS does that). This approach ensures smoother transitions and minimizes resistance.
The Bottom Line: AMS Success Requires a Holistic Approach
Successful AMS implementation can significantly improve your organization’s efficiency, but success requires more than just installing the software. By avoiding these common pitfalls and embracing a tailored support strategy — focusing on the right platform, comprehensive training, integration, change management, and continuous optimization — you can maximize your ROI and ensure long-term AMS success.
To learn more about how our AMS Success experts will guide you through the process and ensure smooth, efficient adoption schedule a call with Molly Ahearn.