What is Association Management Software (AMS)
Association management software will help you operate and save you money.
Q: What is association management software?
A: Association Management Software (AMS) is a broad term for software that provides functionality to help your association operate and can contain a broad range of features.
Q: What are the typical features provided through AMS?
A: A typical AMS will have features like a full website, online invoicing and payments, and member and company directories. Here at SilkStart, we provide one of the broadest ranges of features, with modules including event management, a job board, and multi-branch management built right into our AMS.
Q: Does my association need association management software?
A: Yes! In our opinion, every association needs association management software of some kind. While it might be hard to justify the cost for the smallest association, we see it as a cost of doing business. The sooner you start leveraging AMS the sooner you can free up time and resources to focus on other areas of your organization. As a result, it can easily pay for itself.
Q: How can association management software help my association?
A: Well, we can think of at least 5 ways:
1. They simplify association management: Using multiple applications complicates things. Association Management Software lets you bypass these problems, helps streamline your operations, and frees up your time so you can focus on acquiring, engaging, and retaining your members.
2. They innovate for you: Adoption of the latest technology and continuous improvement in existing features as well as the addition of new features, improves association management software over time, ensuring an up-to-date and optimal user experience.
3. They are an appreciating asset: Your AMS grows with the trends, leading to a more robust and increasingly functional system, unlike custom developed software that depreciates over time and requires ongoing investment to maintain.
4. They are there for you: In-house customer and technical support teams are there to remove any technical hurdles that might pop up, so you can quickly and easily reap the benefits of the platform.
5. They give you confidence when budgeting: With association management software, you can count on having a low and predictable cost model. You’ll never be surprised by hidden fees.
Q: What about custom software development?
A: Custom developed software is a depreciating asset, like a used car. The longer it is there, the more it costs to maintain and enhance. We don’t recommend spending money on custom software. It would take hundreds of thousands of dollars to recreate what we’ve built and countless more dollars to maintain.
Q: Can’t I just use multiple applications?
A: Multiple applications can complicate operations and slow down your workflow. Applications, such as Excel or even a CRM like Salesforce, for example, were not designed for association management. In addition, they are not connected to your website or communication tools. Cobbling together a system invariably winds up costing you money and time, as employees work to manage applications and keep all the systems working together.
Q: What should I look for in great association management software?
A: Four things top the scale - 1) features/functionality, 2) ease of use, 3) a fair price, and 4) great support. We created a page to help you determine what to look for in great association management software.
Q: How do I decide between an integration and building a new website?
A: If you’ve invested in a new website and are now looking for tools to help with operations, it may be difficult to decide between integrating an AMS with your current site, or. building a completely new one. To help make the decision making process easier for you, we’ve outlined whether an integration or a full website is right for you.
Ready to make the smart choice?
We know picking association management software is a big decision – that’s why we’re here to help you every step of the way, from your initial interest to getting you set-up – and we always provide ongoing support.
To learn more about how SilkStart can help your organization, sign up for a trial account or get in touch. We’re happy to hop on the phone and learn more about your needs, provide you with a demo of our modern platform, and even provide a trial account for you to test drive.
Want a Copy of This Info?
We've created an e-book to explain what Association Management Software (AMS) is and how it can benefit your organization.