Give your staff more freedom, not less
I often tell my clients, when it comes to data management, I'm a big liberal; I believe you should give as many staff as possible the ability to edit data within your data management system (with proper training, of course!). The point of a centralized data management system is not just to hold the data in one place, but to allow all staff to update that data when appropriate.
I've lost count of the number of organizations I've worked with where only one or two staff were allowed to update data within the AMS. If a staff person received a data change (e.g., new phone number, new title, new email) they would have to email the person who can update that data in the AMS. So the result is at least TWO people will have typed out (or at the very least cut-and-pasted) the same information (first the email, then into the database).
And I've seen a similar thing happen with editing the association's website. Often only one or two people are allowed to make edits, so any changes to the website have to go through these staff, which slows down the process and increases the opportunity for error.
My suggestion: train your staff and then trust them to do the work correctly. Isn't that why we pay staff?
![]()
Wes's Wednesday Wisdom Archives
Don’t be a hoarder!
Don’t be a hoarder! The simple truth is that it’s almost “free” to collect data. […]
With data analytics (as with most things), keep it simple!
With data analytics (as with most things), keep it simple! Over the past several years […]
Don’t forget about periodic maintenance
Don’t forget about periodic maintenance Just as most automobiles need periodic maintenance, keeping your data as […]
Users Groups are ALWAYS Valuable
Users Groups are ALWAYS Valuable I am a huge fan of users groups. (Here’s a […]
But will you DO anything with that data?
But will you DO anything with that data? I frequently exhort my clients to always answer […]
It’s not what happens, but how you react…
It’s not what happens, but how you react… “It’s not what happens to you, but […]
Saying it and doing it are two different things
Saying it and doing it are two different things When I work with my clients […]
Benefits downstream are difficult to implement
Benefits downstream are difficult to implement In my 25 years of consulting, one of the […]
Your first answer may NOT be the right answer!
Your first answer may NOT be the right answer! I’m a big believer in “go […]
You don’t have to automate EVERYTHING to be successful
You don’t have to automate EVERYTHING to be successful I was discussing a data management […]
