I’ve always been a HUGE advocate of software users groups. When I was on staff at an association and a daily user of my AMS, it was incredibly valuable to have a community of like-minded users for me to easily access when I had a challenge. Many (but not all) of the AMS vendors now hold annual users conferences where their clients can gather to learn more about the product and the company, as well as to learn from each other. These meetings are incredibly valuable and I always encourage my clients to attend them.
A nice trend that I’m seeing among the AMS vendors is the addition of quarterly “town hall” teleconferences. With these conference calls, the AMS vendor has an opportunity to present the latest information about the product and roadmap. It’s also an opportunity for the vendor to get direct feedback from their client base.
If your vendor is hosting quarterly town hall teleconferences, be sure to participate in them. And if your vendor isn’t offering them, find out why!