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

Is data an afterthought at your organization?

June 28, 2017

I was working with a client recently and discussing how data is currently managed in their organization. During the course […]

Before choosing a new AMS vendor, ask yourself THIS question…

June 26, 2017

Before you sign up with a new AMS vendor, ask yourself this question: “Can I spend the next 7-10 years […]

Don't let the exception drive the rule

June 23, 2017

I’ve written many times about managing exceptions and being careful not to design rules around exceptions. As a general rule […]

What efforts are you making to maintain the relationship with your vendor?

June 21, 2017

As has been noted elsewhere, the AMS market has experienced significant changes over the past year. As one simple but […]

Technology improvements lead to higher customer expectations

June 19, 2017

The irony of improving technology to better serve customers is that the better technology leads to…greater expectations of customer service. […]

New Article Posted – The Data Friendly Association

May 23, 2017

For the past 18 years, I’ve been consulting with associations of all sizes on their data management issues. One thing […]

When it comes to data management, what makes your association different?

May 16, 2017

If you’re looking for a new AMS, that’s one of the most important questions you can ask. What makes your […]

Your members "get it" when you tell them there's a system change

May 12, 2017

When my clients are working on implementing a new association management system, they often worry about how the members and customers will […]

Where does implementation fail? User acceptance testing

May 10, 2017

I’m often asked by my clients, “What’s the single most important success factor during system implementation?” That answer is easy: user […]

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