Blog: Wes’s thoughts, articles, and insights

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My most recent posts

Why bother with a consultant when I have AI?

By Wes Trochlil | October 14, 2026

Why bother with a consultant when I have AI? As AI becomes increasingly powerful, the value of using an AMS selection consultant (and many other types of consultants!) starts to come into question. After all, with very well-constructed prompts and responses, an association could develop a very solid needs analysis and RFP that could be used to […]

Guardrails can be helpful!

By Wes Trochlil | October 7, 2026

Guardrails can be helpful! When selecting a new AMS, I find my clients are often very tempted by custom software or “platform” systems (e.g., built on Salesforce or MS Dynamics) because these systems are infinitely configurable. After all, if I can make the system do anything I want, that’s a good thing, right? Well, maybe. In […]

“If you knew this information, what might you do differently?”

By Wes Trochlil | September 30, 2026

“If you knew this information, what might you do differently?” I had a conversation with a client recently about developing KPIs, reports, and queries from their forthcoming data warehouse. My client said: “We have a ton of requests for KPIs and reports. How do we determine which to focus on first?” My response: “When someone requests a dashboard […]

Showing is not teaching

By Wes Trochlil | September 23, 2026

Showing is not teaching In my experience, when new staff members are taught how to use their AMS (or LMS, CMS, FMS, etc.) they aren’t really taught how to use the system, they are shown how to use it. So what’s the difference? In a nutshell, showing only covers the “how” and “what.” But teaching […]

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 […]

Older Posts

Interview with Brian Choate of Timberlake Membership Software

February 1, 2012

This is the second in my 2012 series of podcast interviews that I’ve been conducting with CEOs from providers of association management […]

Why I don't recommend parallel processing

January 31, 2012

Every so often, a client of mine will ask me about parallel processing. Generally they’ll ask something like “How long […]

Interview with Richard Davis of Avectra

January 30, 2012

This is the first in my 2012 series of podcast interviews that I’ve been conducting with CEOs from providers of association management […]

Don't you know who I am?!?

January 27, 2012

I recently received an online survey from a free newsletter that I subscribe to. The very first question asked me […]

The challenge for Business Development managers using an AMS

January 25, 2012

One of the most common gripes I hear when I talk with business development staff within associations is that they […]

Attention vendors! Check your work! – A lesson we can all learn

January 24, 2012

I’m conducting a search for a new AMS on behalf of one of my clients. We requested responses, including pricing, […]

New Article Posted – Seven Steps for Selecting a New Association Management System

January 19, 2012

I’ve posted a new article on my website. Although every system selection process has its nuances (over the past dozen years […]

Things I heard at ASAE Tech Conference VII – Data you should NOT collect

January 12, 2012

At the session I presented at the ASAE Technology Conference last month, one of the points I made was that […]

Things I heard at ASAE Tech Conference VI – Training

January 11, 2012

A session attendee at the Tech Conference said (I paraphrase): “In all the proposals I’ve received from AMS vendors, the […]

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