Blog: Wes’s thoughts, articles, and insights

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My most recent posts

Data management is improvisation

By Wes Trochlil | September 16, 2026

Data management is improvisation I was listening to a podcast recently featuring TV writer Rob Long. During the podcast he said (I’m paraphrasing) that, in order to be successful, one needs to learn to improvise, because nothing in life ever goes as planned. One of my favorite sayings is, “If you want to make God […]

Who own the AMS company is like the weather…

By Wes Trochlil | September 9, 2026

Who own the AMS company is like the weather… When I work with clients to find a new AMS, one of the most common questions I get is: “Is the software company owned by private equity or is it privately owned?” While I think this is a legitimate question to ask and have answered, it […]

“As good or better than me.”

By Wes Trochlil | September 2, 2026

“As good or better than me.” I was recently speaking with a software developer working on AI and we were discussing using natural language querying in an AMS. I told him, “The biggest challenge you face is that the first time the AI is wrong, staff will never use it again.” He agreed but then added: “The […]

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 […]

Older Posts

These are a few of my favorite tips…

May 13, 2009

With the recent release of my book, Put Your Data to Work: 52 Tips and Techniques for Effectively Managing Your […]

"That which no one owns, no one will care for"

May 12, 2009

I’ve seen this quote attributed to Aristotle, among others. Not sure who said it, but it rings true when it […]

Welcome to the 20th Century! Airlines discover CRM

May 8, 2009

I read in the Wall St. Journal that US airlines have finally begun adopting some CRM (customer relationship management) tools […]

Protech Users Conference 2009

May 7, 2009

I attended the Protech Users Conference last week in Washington DC. Here are some random thoughts on what I saw: […]

So many "leaders." Who do I follow?

May 5, 2009

I track nearly 40 different software companies that provide association management software of some form or another. And I chuckle […]

AMS Learning and Demo Days is Just Days Away

April 30, 2009

If you’re considering the search for a new association management system in the coming months, make sure you don’t miss […]

When should I hire full-time database help?

April 28, 2009

I get this question a lot from my clients, especially “smaller” clients (those under 25 staff). This issue becomes particularly […]

Paradigms shifting

April 23, 2009

I’m not a big fan of the phrase “paradigm shift,” but I recently experienced one first hand that I found […]

An amazing factoid

April 21, 2009

This information is two years old, but I suspect it hasn’t changed much. “The average middle manager spends about two […]

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