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

Do you know your member "sweetspot"?

January 25, 2017

When I talk with software vendors who are new to the association space (or at least new to me!), I […]

Don't be afraid to follow your gut when choosing software

January 24, 2017

Consulting guru Alan Weiss often says “Logic makes you think, emotion makes you act.” I’m reminded of this when I […]

Are you using all of your AMS's features? And should you?

January 23, 2017

I read today that Nielsen reports that the average household has 189 channels. They watch 17 of them. That means the […]

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 […]

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