I recently spoke with an association of ten staff that was struggling with their current AMS. One of the primary reasons they were struggling is because this particular AMS is very, very powerful, but also requires a lot of care and feeding to really make the system work. With only 10 staff, and no dedicated IT, the association was not getting great value from this system, especially given its relatively high cost.

Unfortunately, I see this scenario play out too often. In a nutshell, the association bought far more technology than they could ever effectively use. They "overbought."

Why is overbuying a problem? Here is what I've seen as a result of overbuying:

• The association is paying for a ton of functionality they're likely to never use.
• Staff gets quickly frustrated with the system and stops using it, because it's "too difficult."
• The relationship between the association and the vendor quickly becomes strained because staff isn't perceiving the value for such a "big" system.

You can see how this situation can quickly devolve into a cycle of doom.

So when purchasing new software, whether an AMS or any other product, make sure you're not overbuying. Yes, you want room to grow, but if you're a size 2, don't buy a size 14. You won't be happy!