From Spreadsheets to Success

The Hidden Costs of Outdated Systems: Why Associations Need Modern Technology

Juggling member data across multiple spreadsheets, managing separate email platforms, or struggling with membership renewals and event registrations? If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. Many professional associations rely on these tools. But while they might feel comfortable, staying with the status quo could be holding your association back and creating hidden risks.

At Membes, we understand your unique challenges. We've seen countless teams waste time on repetitive tasks, wrestle with inconsistent data, and worry about security. This isn't just inefficient and costly; it's a barrier to achieving your association's full potential and delivering the best experience to your members.

Here, we'll explore the real cost of clinging to outdated systems and discover how a purpose-built Association Management System (AMS) can elevate your operations.

The Pitfalls & Risks of Relying on Spreadsheets

While spreadsheets are handy for simple data, they quickly become a liability for complex association management. Here’s how separate tools and passing data around between them often cause more problems than they solve:

• Time-Consuming Duplication: Every member update means repeating the same task manually across multiple spreadsheets. This eats staff time and increases the risk of inconsistent records.
• No Single Source of Truth: When member data lives in multiple places, you lose confidence in which version is correct, leading to confusion and errors.
  Increased Operating Costs: All that manual work, fixing inconsistencies, and double-checking adds up, increasing overheads and diverting resources from strategic, growth-focused activities.
• Data Security Risks of Off-System Data: Spreadsheets often leave your data exposed. Sending an XLSX file via email means your member list travels unencrypted. Shared drives can be accessed by current or past employees. Weak spreadsheet passwords can be cracked in seconds. When sensitive personal information keeps moving around, you're far more vulnerable to costly data breaches and reputational damage.

The Power of an Association Management System (AMS)

An Association Management System (AMS) is modern software designed specifically for associations. It’s a central hub that brings together all critical functions – your member database, website, communications, events, finance, reporting, and more – into one streamlined platform.
By having everything connected, an AMS directly solves your spreadsheet problems:

• True Single Source of Truth: A member updates their profile in your portal, and that change instantly reflects across your entire system. Your team always has accurate, current data for reliable decision-making.
• Effortless Efficiency & Time Savings: Simple, time-consuming tasks like renewal notices or event reminders become automated. Your team is freed from manual admin to focus on engaging members and strategic planning.
• Enhanced Member Experience: Members can access and update their own profile via a secure portal, making interactions seamless. Forms like event registrations auto-fill, saving them time.
• Meaningful Data & Insights: Reporting becomes simple and comprehensive. An AMS makes it easy to pull accurate, integrated reports, giving your Board a clear picture to set future direction.
• Unrivalled Data Security: All sensitive data stays securely within one system, or flows via robust, maintained, and secure APIs. This significantly reduces human error-related data breach risks.

What's Holding Associations Back?

Some of the common barriers we’ve observed are: 

1. Lack of Knowledge: "We don't know what else is out there."
2. Affordability: "It's too expensive, we don't have the resources."
3. Resourcing: “We don’t have the skills within our team”, “Staff are resistant to change”.
4. Capacity: "We don't have the resources for new system implementation."

These worries are understandable. You might think sticking with current tools is a necessity due to limited resources. 

But is this a false economy? Are your current tools costing you more in terms of excessive manual administration, errors, and, crucially, lost opportunities to grow your association, deliver more member value, and boost retention and acquisition?

How Associations Can Overcome These Barriers

Lack of Knowledge of Alternatives: 

We encourage associations to avoid making assumptions about what’s out there or drawing on outdated perceptions. Modern solutions, especially those delivered via the SaaS (Software as a Service) model, are designed with common barriers in mind.

Take time to research. Understand the pros and cons of custom-built vs. modern SaaS AMS solutions. Find out about the fundamental differences between a CRM and a purpose-built AMS, specifically what association-specific features are built-in vs. costly add-ons. Look for features most valuable to your association.

Affordability

Custom-built solutions can involve very high upfront costs, long lead times, and quickly become outdated. And a CRM with some exciting surface level features might do well at data management but lack the integrated, association-specific functionality you need - meaning you'd still rely on separate systems and face many of the same inefficiencies and frustrations.

When evaluating affordability, ask providers about their pricing model:

• a predictable subscription via the SaaS model or large upfront fees of a custom build
• what's included?  are updates and new features, such as AI functionality to ensure customers won’t be left behind, and core data security protections part of the package, or are they extra costs? 

With the rapid pace of technological change, including AI and increasing cybersecurity risks, the real question for all associations is:

Can we afford NOT to invest in a modern, secure system that keeps pace with these changes?

Resourcing

When exploring options, consider: How intuitive is the system? What training and customer support are available? Choose a system that ensures your team will be supported. Remember, many modern AMS platforms can be implemented in stages, letting you start small and gradually adopt more features.

Consider whether an upfront investment in training and getting to know a new system is time lost, or time gained in the long run through immense time savings, and a reduction in onerous manual workloads. 

Capacity for Implementation

Ask providers about their implementation support options, typical timelines, and what resources will be required from your team. Will you have a dedicated project manager or support contact? Understanding this support can significantly reduce the burden.

Ready to Move Beyond Spreadsheets?

Switching from spreadsheets to a dedicated AMS isn’t just a technology upgrade—it’s a strategic move that frees your team, secures your data, and delivers better experiences for your members. 

Hear from other associations who've made the leap to Membes AMS and transformed their operations.

Membes Association Management System (AMS) is a SaaS solution designed specifically for associations. It’s an all-in-one solution to manage your member data, website, stakeholder communications, events, CPD, eCommerce, reporting and more – all in one streamlined, secure platform.

Find out more: membes.com