When my clients are working on implementing a new association management system, they often worry about how the members and customers will react to the new system.
For example, often when a system change is made, the username and/or password that customers were using in the past will have to be changed. So that change needs to be communicated to the members and customers. I always recommend that the message sent to customers starts with a note that the association is changing data management systems which will require some changes.
The thing to keep in mind is that every member of our associations is also a consumer. And as consumers, they’ve seen these kinds of messages before from their banks, their online shopping sites, their insurance companies, and so on. In other words, our customers are accustomed to these types of changes. Heck, chances are they’ve experienced system changes in their own organization! So they get it.
So don’t worry about how the customer will react; they get it. Just be sure to be as transparent as possible with them, letting them know when the change is occurring, and how it will impact them (if at all).