One of the toughest things about system implementation is simply how long it takes to complete one. And so keeping momentum and staff interest in the project is paramount. By month six of implementation, staff can be pretty burned out. I always recommend to my clients that throughout implementation they look for and celebrate “small wins.” …
While it may sound flippant, when helping a client make a decision I’ll often ask “What’s the worst that can happen?” Because the reality is, for many decisions, the worst thing that can happen is really not that bad, and making no decision at all can actually be worse (i.e., maintaining the status quo). For example, …
I’ve written before about how your relationship with your vendor is much like a marriage. Can you imagine if you only talked to your significant other when there is a problem? Yet that’s exactly how most associations treat their relationship with their AMS vendor. The vast majority of associations only talk to their vendor when …
The phrase is a bit trite, but nonetheless true. What we give attention to (i.e., praise or rewards), especially as managers, gets done again. And so it is with data management. What behaviors are you praising? Are you praising at all? Too often, like payroll, it is just assumed that data is being managed correctly, …
These were the words of one of my clients as we wrapped up the first stage of their process for selecting a new AMS and CMS. She was expressing succinctly what many of us feel when we embark on a big, new, and somewhat unknown project. Hope for what we might dramatically improve, and panic …
If you don’t MAKE the time to learn, you never WILL learn…
Back in the day (I mean WAY back), the standard practice when switching from one database system to another was to run both systems in parallel. That is, you continue to run the legacy system even as the new system is brought online. Typically this meant double data entry (i.e., the same data had to be …
Over my nearly 30 years in the association space, one of the things that always gives me a chuckle is when I hear an association executive say “I work at a small association.” Because I know in my mind that “small” most likely means something different to that person than it does to me. For …
I recently came across a one-question service from a service provider (I think it was some kind of online software…) that asked why I had discontinued my subscription to their service. Among the choices were “Too expensive” and “didn’t provide enough value.” I had to read it three times to make sure I was reading …
"Too expensive" and "Doesn't provide enough value" are the same thing Read More »
One of the more frustrating aspects of consulting is running into staff who are unwilling to speak up when speaking up is warranted. For example, during the implementation phase of a new AMS, many processes will be changed, either by design or by default. As processes change, staff needs to speak up and ask both …