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

Don't Forget: ASAE's Marketing & Membership Conference

June 14, 2007

I'll be speaking at ASAE's Marketing & Membership Conference in Baltimore next Wednesday, June 20. General information on the conference […]

Issue Tracking

June 13, 2007

As I mention in this post, having an issue tracker is a key tool for managing all the different issues […]

Wilfing? "Now where was I…?"

June 11, 2007

Came across this article in PC Magazine discussing "wilfing," a term coined by the British marketing research firm YouGov, short […]

Is Your Customer Service Really That Good?

June 8, 2007

A recent survey by Accenture found that the level of customer service that companies think they are providing their customers […]

To Aptify's Credit…

June 7, 2007

I received a call from them today regarding this post. They assured me that all of their emails are quality-checked […]

This Doesn't Inspire Confidence

June 7, 2007

I received an email from Aptify inviting me to attend an upcoming demonstration. I clicked on the link provided and […]

The Importance of an Internal Project Manager

June 5, 2007

I was meeting with a potential client recently, discussing their need for a new association management system. During the conversation […]

Fix a Few Things at a Time

June 4, 2007

Consulting guru Alan Weiss frequently admonishes: "Move a few things a mile rather than a hundred things an inch." Simply […]

Baseline Reports

June 1, 2007

While attending a users group meeting yesterday, I asked how many people in the room were using the baseline reports […]

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