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

ARC Solutions Secures $2 Million in Funding

August 20, 2007

ARC Solutions is one of the many AMS vendors that I track (full disclosure: one of my clients uses them […]

Some ASAE Annual Meeting Thoughts

August 15, 2007

Just got back from Chicago and the ASAE Annual Meeting. I think ASAE outdid themselves once again with this meeting. […]

ASAE's Annual Meeting

August 10, 2007

I'm off to ASAE's Annual Meeting in Chicago. I serve on the ASAE Technology Section Council, so I'll be in […]

How far we've come…

August 9, 2007

In the storage room of my house is a box from a printer that reads "Data Processing Forms." The picture […]

It just keeps happening…

August 8, 2007

A colleague of mine tells me that his hard drive on his laptop has crashed, and it’s unlikely he’ll be […]

"We" vs. "They"

August 7, 2007

I was on the phone today with a hotel, confirming my reservations. The reservations agent asked me for my name […]

Everyone's experience is the same (Or, It's just as bad everywhere else)

August 3, 2007

After nearly 20 years of working with associations on their databases, I’ve come to one conclusion: No one loves their […]

What's bugging associations?

August 2, 2007

I recently conducted an unscientific poll of my clients and contacts, asking them one simple question: What database issue are […]

Desktop Search

August 1, 2007

I've been a long-time user of X1 Technologies desktop search (more here). There used to be a free version of […]

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