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

How much data is enough data?

June 13, 2011

A database manager recently asked me how to get her staff to enter more data into the database when collecting […]

You love me, you really LUV me!

May 24, 2011

I get high praise from my clients for the work I do, but this one takes the cake:

When calculating ROI, be sure to annualize the savings

May 23, 2011

We all know that ROI = return on investment. When considering any investment, we should consider what the return on […]

"Why do we need this position now?"

May 20, 2011

I was speaking to an association executive recently about the idea of adding a database manager to their staff (I […]

Compliance vs. Commitment

May 19, 2011

The difference between compliance and commitment is simple; compliance means one is doing something because they have to, for fear […]

Amazon continues to set the standard

May 17, 2011

I’ve owned a Kindle 3 since last October and have really enjoyed it. I don’t read it every day, but […]

New Article Posted – Get Lazy! Understanding Workflow Automation and Scheduled Tasks

May 17, 2011

I’ve posted a new article on my website. One of the reasons I’ve always been attracted to technology is because I’m […]

PayPal Pleasantly Surprises Me!

April 28, 2011

I recently had to process a refund through my PayPal account (first time ever!). The account I was refunding from […]

New Article Posted – "Why can't we just buy Access?"

April 18, 2011

I’ve posted a new article on my website. For any association staffer who has been through the process of trying to […]

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