I had the opportunity to view a demo of the Computility AMS recently. For very small associations, I think the system is worth consideration. Here are the highlights:
- CRM tool. The system includes a neat area for tracking contacts and follow ups with companies and individuals, and even allows for assigning follow up to other staff members.
- “Process” tab. Computility will work with the association to identify any “repeatable” tasks (e.g., membership sales and follow up) and set these up under the Process tab for easier tracking. It’s a sort of workflow tool that I’ve not seen in many other AMS products.
- Pricing. Computility has very aggressive pricing for implementation and sell their product as an SaaS tool. This means a monthly fee per named user, which Computility has set very low, at least for now.
Weaknesses:
- e-commerce tools are still under development. For example, there is no utility currently for a member directory driven from the database (this is coming in the Fall, I’m told).
- Membership is tracked by a checkbox. I’m not a fan of systems that track membership this way. Membership should be tracked based on invoices so that no one “accidentally” adds or deletes members with a simple check of a box.
- Reporting. The query tool was good, but the reports tend to be simple queries, rather than full-fledged printable reports.
Overall the system holds promise. Even though the database itself is five years old, I think it still needs development in key areas (particularly e-commerce). Time will tell.
Full disclosure: EDM is an independent third-party consulting firm. This means we have no financial relationship with any of the vendors mentioned in this blog. We provide unbiased opinions on what we see.