Blog: Wes’s thoughts, articles, and insights

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My most recent posts

Guardrails can be helpful!

By Wes Trochlil | October 7, 2026

Guardrails can be helpful! When selecting a new AMS, I find my clients are often very tempted by custom software or “platform” systems (e.g., built on Salesforce or MS Dynamics) because these systems are infinitely configurable. After all, if I can make the system do anything I want, that’s a good thing, right? Well, maybe. In […]

“If you knew this information, what might you do differently?”

By Wes Trochlil | September 30, 2026

“If you knew this information, what might you do differently?” I had a conversation with a client recently about developing KPIs, reports, and queries from their forthcoming data warehouse. My client said: “We have a ton of requests for KPIs and reports. How do we determine which to focus on first?” My response: “When someone requests a dashboard […]

Showing is not teaching

By Wes Trochlil | September 23, 2026

Showing is not teaching In my experience, when new staff members are taught how to use their AMS (or LMS, CMS, FMS, etc.) they aren’t really taught how to use the system, they are shown how to use it. So what’s the difference? In a nutshell, showing only covers the “how” and “what.” But teaching […]

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 […]

Older Posts

New Book Released!

March 24, 2009

I’m very pleased to announce the release of my new book, Putting Your Data to Work: 52 Tips and Techniques […]

Protech Begins Offering Hosted Solution for Smaller Associations

March 17, 2009

I’ve always thought the CRM for Members product that Protech Associates has built on top of the MSCRM product was […]

New White Paper Released: Nine Keys to AMS Success

March 12, 2009

I’ve posted a new white paper on my website, entitled “Nine Keys to Long Term Success of Your Association Management […]

When Vendors Go Bad

March 10, 2009

Last week while speaking at the Canadian Society of Association Executives, I had ocassion to meet two women from an […]

Reminder: Teleseminar on Training

February 26, 2009

There is still time to register for my upcoming teleseminar on database training, March 5, 2009, from noon to 10pm […]

Blindly Sending RFPs

February 24, 2009

I sometimes receive RFPs from associations actually looking for association management software (which I do not produce). If you’ve ever […]

NTEN is Looking for Your Help

February 20, 2009

The Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN) is a great resource for, well, technology in the nonprofit sector. If you’re not familiar […]

InformationWeek Survey has Surprising Results

February 17, 2009

In the January 26, 2009, issue of InformationWeek magazine, the cover story is about “vendor satisfaction.” They surveyed some 345 […]

Calculate the total cost of training

February 13, 2009

Too often when we calculate training costs, we only consider the direct costs, e.g., trainer’s fee, room rental, food, a/v […]

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