Would you describe your association as an early adopter of technology? According to the latest Association Trends Study, members who view their organization as an early adopter of technology are significantly more satisfied and connected than those who see their association as average or a laggard in technology adoption (81% vs. 40%).
The strong link between effective technology adoption and member loyalty is a good sign for associations, though many still feel unprepared for the future according to the latest research. However, with the right association management software (AMS), both your staff and members can thrive.
Read our blog to discover strategies to empower your team to work more efficiently, boost member satisfaction, and future-proof your organization with the right technology.
5 steps to improving member loyalty with modern technology
Now that you understand the critical role of technology in fostering stronger connections and loyalty with your members, it’s crucial to adopt the right association management software (AMS) to begin improving operational efficiency and enhancing your staff effectiveness.
Follow these five strategies to find the best technology to empower your staff and inspire member loyalty:
1. Focus on solving organizational problems
As you look to improve member loyalty and empower your staff with your AMS, you’ll want to determine which organizational issues you hope to address with your new technology. The latest Association Trends Study found 55% of association professionals prioritized enhancing the member experience with a technology purchase. Other important priorities included improving the efficiency of business processes, attracting new members, growing revenue, and improving efficiencies through automation.
When you focus on addressing the needs of your organization by leading with your goals and KPIs, you’re more likely to end up with AMS that works well for your members and staff. Take time to identify your organizational goals before deciding on the best technology to reach your KPIs.
2. Involve your IT department
As you work to determine which organizational goals and KPIs you hope to address with your new AMS, you might consider empowering your IT department as a strategic partner throughout the process. According to the latest research, associations have identified their top five greatest technology challenges as providing modern and user-friendly tools to members, sharing data across systems, implementing new technology, offering user-friendly tools for staff, and automating processes.
If you move forward without your IT team, you risk misalignment between your technology and your business objectives. Involving your IT department will also help you expediate your AMS integration and implementation ensuring you get helpful feedback and the necessary perspective to move forward.
3. Engage your stakeholders early and often
Just like involving your IT department will help you find the best AMS for your organization to meet your unique needs and enhance your member experience, engaging your stakeholders will ensure the best outcome for your new technology adoption. Keep communication open with your key stakeholders, board of directors, and staff by building accessible channels for collaboration and feedback.
Establishing a communication timeline could also be a helpful step to share important technology updates, keep your stakeholders updated, and staff engaged throughout your AMS adoption process. You can also consider how your communication timeline can involve your members. When do you want to update your members that your association will be switching to a new AMS? With a communication timeline you can iron out these details well in advance and anticipate any necessary changes before they impact your members.
4. Scale internally with new AMS
Research found that association professionals feel less technologically prepared for the future than they did in previous years. How does your association compare? To lead an effective AMS adoption at your organization, you’ll need to embrace a mindset of change management to meet your goals. It may take time for all your key stakeholders and staff to fully accept your new AMS. However, the outcome is well worth the effort.
So how can you embrace a change management mindset and encourage your staff and key stakeholders to embrace your new AMS? Start by scaling your new technology to meet your specific needs. Begin this scaling process by training your staff and stakeholders on your AMS whenever you can. The more your staff and stakeholders know about your AMS, the more empowered they’ll feel to leverage your technology, enabling self-sustaining innovation at your organization.
5. Continue your momentum throughout implementation
As you select the right AMS and partner with the best AMS vendor, your implementation team will feel energized and poised to lead your entire organization to successfully meet your goals and KPIs. Capture this momentum throughout implementation, and beyond, to effectively launch your new technology.
During the early technology go-live stages, take the next step in harnessing your momentum by highlighting your AMS wins quickly and widely to your stakeholders and staff. Be sure to emphasize the wider impact of your small gains to encourage buy-in across your organization. Finally, when appropriate, publish your technology wins externally to show your members you’re innovating with your new AMS and to highlight ongoing member value.
When you embrace the right association management software (AMS), both your staff and members can thrive. Follow the five steps in this blog to boost member loyalty, increase organizational efficiency, and reach your goals and KPIs.
