Blog: Wes’s thoughts, articles, and insights

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My most recent posts

Improvement is never linear

By Wes Trochlil | June 10, 2026

Improvement is never linear One of the many lessons one learns over a lifetime is that improvement, regardless of what you’re trying to improve, is never linear. That is, you’ll always have days where you’re better, and days where you don’t improve, or maybe even fall back. And so it is with data management. Even if you […]

Don’t forget to take a “before” picture!

By Wes Trochlil | June 3, 2026

Don’t forget to take a “before” picture! Whenever I start on a big home clean up or renovation project, I like to take a “before” picture, so that I can see the progress that was made when the project is complete. (Ironically, even though I’m the son of an award-winning amateur photographer, I often forget […]

Are you being penny wise and pound foolish?

By Wes Trochlil | May 27, 2026

Are you being penny wise and pound foolish? Two quick customer service stories to illustrate a point: First story: I’ve used the same email provider for more than 20 years. But for technical reasons, recently I needed to switch providers, so I canceled my service with them a few weeks in advance of my renewal. […]

AMS Products are getting better – and what that means for you

By Wes Trochlil | May 20, 2026

AMS Products are getting better – and what that means for you I’ve been working in and with AMS products for 36 years (27 years of consulting, nine years as an association staffer). And I can say with great confidence that the systems available today are much better than they were 36 years ago! (Shocking, I know.) But […]

Using AI beyond content generation

By Wes Trochlil | May 13, 2026

Using AI beyond content generation Recent surveys by ASAE and others suggest nearly 90% of associations are using AI for some type of content generation (e.g., creating blog posts, newsletter articles, “canned” responses to inquiries, etc.). That is great, but when it comes to data management, there are so many more opportunities for leveraging AI. Here are some ideas […]

Older Posts

Does your technology have a single point of failure?

January 20, 2017

If you read my work, you know that I have a strong bias for off-the-shelf (OTS) software for managing an […]

It's all about education, which for many associations means an LMS

January 18, 2017

One of the most significant trends that I’ve seen in the association market over the past two years is a […]

What do you think of your AMS? I'd love to know…

January 17, 2017

I’m conducting a brief survey on association’s opinions of their current AMS. I’ve already got over 100 participants and I’d […]

Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer

January 10, 2017

When I’m working with a new client on a project, for example, selection of a new AMS, they’ll often ask […]

Is anyone monitoring your "contact us" form?

January 9, 2017

I’ve written about this twice in the past year (here and here) so obviously some companies are not reading my blog! […]

How well are you managing your database?

January 4, 2017

Ever wonder how effectively you’re managing your database? This quiz I created, posted on the WildApricot blog, can help you figure […]

Have the courage of your convictions

December 7, 2016

To have the courage of your convictions means to do or say what you think is right no matter who […]

Are your business rules hurting your business?

December 5, 2016

I’ve written a LOT about business rules over the years. The reason I do is because business rules are generally […]

Credit card fees are a cost of doing business

December 2, 2016

Over the years, and even recently, I’ve had clients tell me they want to discourage their members and customers from […]

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