"Is this normal?"
ne of the greatest parts about my job is that I get to work with so many different associations, which means I see all kinds of things that most of my clients never see. It also means I have a very deep perspective on how often something does or does not happen with associations and data management.
One of the most common questions I hear from my clients is: "Is what we're experiencing typical?" And very often, the answer is "Yes, what you're experiencing is very typical of what many or even most associations experience." Here are several examples off the top of my head:
- Duplicate records. Every single association struggles with this for many reasons, not the least of which is that members and customers themselves will often create duplicate records!
- Bad data/old data/accumulation of data. The older your system (or data) is, the more likely you'll have bad data or data you're no longer using.
- Poor or no documentation. Business rules change over time. Software interfaces change. Product lines come and go. All of which means documentation has to be updated.
- Exceptions are everywhere. No matter how hard you try, you can't avoid them entirely.
- Software vendors are having resourcing issues. It's a simple fact; most vendors have too much demand (too many customers with too many needs) and not enough supply (employees) to cover it.
And these are just a few off the top of my head.
My point is this: If you think you are experiencing something unique, test your belief by asking several of your colleagues or a consultant. You might find out that what you're experiencing is, in fact, very typical.
Wes's Wednesday Wisdom Archives
Data is for action
Data is for action When deciding whether or not to collect a piece of data, …
Have you shopped yourself?
Have you shopped yourself? I’ve always been fascinated by the “secret shopper” concept. (Maybe it’s …
To improve adoption, decrease the friction
To improve adoption, decrease the friction “Before you try to increase your willpower, try to …
Give your staff more freedom, not less
Give your staff more freedom, not less I often tell my clients, when it comes …
My advice? Stop doing that
My advice? Stop doing that! There is a classic TV sketch featuring Bob Newhart as …
Is a college degree really required?
Is a college degree really required? I saw a job listing last week for an …
Small actions become big wins
Small actions become big wins I’ve written before about how data accretes, the idea that …
Try not to OFFEND your members…
Try not to OFFEND your members… I recently received an email from an association where I’ve …
How will you use that data?
How will you use that data? One of the beauties of technology today is how easy …
Pennywise and pound foolish
Pennywise and pound foolish One definition of the phrase “pennywise and pound foolish” is to …