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

Centralized vs. decentralized data entry

August 26, 2008

There was a discussion on a users group listserver a few days ago about the pros and cons of centralized […]

Changing from a staff-centric to customer-centric view

August 21, 2008

One of the most significant changes to occur over the past couple of years in database management is the idea […]

Get your IT people on the team

August 19, 2008

By show of hands, how many of you have an “IT” person on your senior management team? Is the most […]

Check your metrics

August 14, 2008

When I work with my clients on the implementation of a new database, there is a tendency to focus on […]

When you compromise, no one is happy

August 12, 2008

I recently traded emails with an association colleague of mine, an executive director of a small association, asking him how […]

ARC Solutions Demo

August 7, 2008

I had the opportunity to sit through a lengthy demo of the Polaris product from ARC Solutions. Overall I was […]

Take my one question survey

August 5, 2008

If you are an association staffer or executive, I’d appreciate it if you could answer my one question survey. It […]

Swimming with your clothes on (When it's time for a staff change)

July 31, 2008

Let’s face it, sometimes there is a mismatch between a person’s abilities or attitude, and the needs of the job. […]

New Article Posted

July 29, 2008

I’ve posted a new article on my website, entitled “Establishing a Contact Tracking Policy.” Of course, if you’re already on […]

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