Blog: Wes’s thoughts, articles, and insights

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My most recent posts

Documentation is insurance

By Wes Trochlil | August 26, 2026

Documentation is insurance In a conversation with a client about their data management needs, the client pointed out that if they lost one or two key staff members, so much institutional knowledge would go with them that the association would have real difficulty managing their AMS. I recommended that they should document all of their key processes so […]

It all comes down to fundamentals

By Wes Trochlil | August 12, 2026

It all comes down to fundamentals I’m preparing for a webinar that I’m presenting in a couple of weeks, on using data to improve marketing and communications. This is a presentation (in one form or another) that I’ve made for nearly 20 years, and it includes an excellent case study of one association that dramatically improved their […]

Blog post themes over 20 years…

By Wes Trochlil | August 5, 2026

Blog post themes over 20 years… I’ve been writing blog posts for nearly 20 years now. WordPress tells me I’ve written over 1,200 posts. So I asked AI to analyze my 1,200+ posts and give me my top three themes. Here’s what it came up with: Data management and data quality – these posts emphasize that data management is […]

Lots of feedback is a GOOD thing!

By Wes Trochlil | July 29, 2026

Lots of feedback is a GOOD thing! A client in the middle of their AMS implementation said to me: “I’m getting a LOT of feedback from staff about what the system can and cannot do. Is that good or bad?” My response: “Feedback means they’re actually in the system and using it! That’s a good […]

Doing the reps…

By Wes Trochlil | July 22, 2026

Doing the reps… I’m helping a client with the implementation of a new AMS. During a recent call, their internal project manager said “I’m still not as familiar with the system as I’d like to be. I need to get in there more often and play around.” I responded: “That’s exactly right. I suggest you […]

Older Posts

Improvement is never linear

June 10, 2026

Improvement is never linear One of the many lessons one learns over a lifetime is that improvement, regardless of what […]

Don’t forget to take a “before” picture!

June 3, 2026

Don’t forget to take a “before” picture! Whenever I start on a big home clean up or renovation project, I […]

Are you being penny wise and pound foolish?

May 27, 2026

Are you being penny wise and pound foolish? Two quick customer service stories to illustrate a point: First story: I’ve […]

AMS Products are getting better – and what that means for you

May 20, 2026

AMS Products are getting better – and what that means for you I’ve been working in and with AMS products for […]

Using AI beyond content generation

May 13, 2026

Using AI beyond content generation Recent surveys by ASAE and others suggest nearly 90% of associations are using AI for some […]

If you’re training, PLEASE do this…

May 6, 2026

If you’re training, PLEASE do this… If you’re doing any kind of software training, or you have outside trainers coming […]

Don’t confuse motion with improvement

April 29, 2026

Don’t confuse motion with improvement I wrote recently how action can produce information. But an important corollary to that idea […]

Perfection is expensive (in fact, it’s not possible!)

April 22, 2026

Perfection is expensive (in fact, it’s not possible!) “Perfection is expensive. The last 5 percent of quality almost always costs […]

AI is a journey, not a destination

April 15, 2026

AI is a journey, not a destination Lately I’ve noticed a lot of associations talking about AI like it’s a […]

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