Is it time for a new association management system (AMS)?
Choosing the right AMS is more than just a technology decision — it’s a strategic investment in your association’s future. A well-selected AMS enhances operational efficiency, improves member engagement and provides valuable insights through robust data management, ultimately supporting growth and innovation.
On the other hand, a poor AMS choice can lead to inefficiencies, frustrated staff, disengaged members and costly workarounds that drain resources. In some cases, it may even force an early and expensive system replacement.
Understanding best practices for AMS selection — and recognizing red flags along the way — can help ensure your organization makes a smart, future-proof decision.
We’ve collected ten best practices to ensure a successful AMS selection process, as well as five red flags and suggestions for spotting them.
Let’s start with best practices to ensure you choose the right AMS vendor.
[Related: Understanding the Difference: AMS vs. CRM for Associations]
Best Practice #1: Define Clear Goals and Requirements
Before exploring vendors, identify what your association needs.
Best practices:
• Engage key stakeholders (membership, events, finance, IT) to list essential features.
• Prioritize requirements (must-have vs. nice-to-have).
• Consider future scalability — will it grow with your association?
[Related: Aligning Technology With Organizational Goals Beyond the IT Department]
Best Practice #2: Develop a Detailed Request for Proposal
A structured request for proposal (RFP) ensures vendors provide comparable proposals, which is essential when trying to evaluate them.
Best practices:
• Outline your needs, member structure and pain points.
• Request pricing details, implementation timelines and case studies.
• Require vendors to demonstrate security, compliance and data ownership policies.
[Related: How to Protect Your Association in a Digital World]
Best Practice #3: Evaluate Integration and Customization Options
Your AMS must work seamlessly with other systems — rigid solutions create long-term headaches.
Best practices:
• Verify open API access and standard integrations.
• Ask whether common integrations (finance, event management, learning management, email and more) require extra costs.
• Assess flexibility — can staff make changes without additional consulting fees?
[Related: Preparing for a Technology Transition: A Change Management Playbook for Associations]
Best Practice #4: Research Customer Support and Vendor Reliability
Support and long-term partnership matter as much as the technology itself.
Best practices:
• Explore the vendor’s self-service documentation.
• Ask for response times, support hours and service-level agreements (SLA).
• Talk to current customers about their support experience.
[Related: The Hidden Costs of Poor Technology Integrations]
Best Practice #5: Analyze Pricing Transparency, Cost Over Time and Hidden Fees
Many AMS vendors have hidden costs beyond the base subscription fee.
Best practices:
• Get a full breakdown of pricing (implementation, customization, licenses, support, training, maintenance and more).
• Ask about transaction fees, data export fees and long-term contract commitments.
• Clarify your AMS’s renewal terms.
[Related: 7 Questions to Ask Before You Hire Any Association Technology Vendor]
Best Practice #6: Watch Their System Demo – Then Request Demos with Your Data
A vendor’s sales pitch isn’t enough. Ask the vendor for a demo with their data, which is your introduction to the functionality of the AMS. Then ask to see the system in action with your data.
Testing the system with your data is often called proof of concept and demonstrates that the vendor’s solution will work for your association.
Best practices:
• Provide real association workflows (event registration, dues renewal, reporting and more).
• Have staff test usability — can they complete tasks efficiently?
• Assess mobile-friendliness and overall user experience.
[Related: Maximizing Technology Purchases: All-in-One vs. Best-in-Class Solutions]
Best Practice #7: Check References and Industry Reputation
Call your vendor’s references, but examine other reviews from clients, former clients, professional organizations and online sources.
Best practices:
• Ask references about onboarding experiences, system reliability and unexpected costs.
• Read independent reviews on ASAE Collaborate and participate in forums like AMSFest and ReviewMyAMS.
• Carefully evaluate vendors that experience frequent executive turnover or lack long-term clients.
• Assess vendor’s financial stability. Request a financial statement. Ask about long-term stability, investors and the prospect of outside investors.
[Related: ASAE Annual Meeting 2024 Recap — We Are Learning New Tech So You Don’t Have To]
Best Practice #8: Confirm the Vendor’s Data Security and Compliance Standards
Your stakeholders depend on you to keep their personal information secure while protecting the association from greater liability in its online activities. When you work with a vendor, you can increase your exposure to malicious actors if the vendor’s security protocols are not effective.
Best practices:
• Confirm details for data ownership standards. Who owns your data after the vendor imports it?
• Request protocols for ensuring your association’s data security.
• Ask how the system maintains compliance with regulations such as the CAN-SPAM Act and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
[Related: Data Governance 101: The Basics of Creating Your Associations Data Policies and Procedures]
Best Practice #9: Examine Technical Expertise — Theirs and Yours
Not every association is ready to work with developers to build an integration or maintain a smooth flow of information between systems. They may also not be ready to make sure the transfers are accurate — but others are.
You must determine the level of complexity your team can handle and your comfort level long before you start searching for a new system. Carefully evaluate the vendor’s capabilities and identify the expertise already resident in your staff.
Best practices:
• Ask about the vendor team’s qualifications, certifications and experience in delivering the services you need.
• Query your staff about “hidden” technical expertise they might have.
• Compare your staff’s experience and training to the vendor’s. Identify areas of complementary skills, as well as gaps that need to be filled.
[Related: Technology Trends and Predictions for Your Association’s Future]
Best Practice #10: Negotiate Clear Service-Level Agreements
Define clear SLAs that outline a vendor’s support commitments regarding performance and availability.
Best practices:
• Straightforward SLAs ensure both parties understand expectations.
• SLAs provide a basis for measuring a vendor’s performance.
[Related: How Personalization and Technology Enhance the Future of Member Experience]
Red Flags, Hidden Costs and How to Spot Them
Although best practices give you a framework for evaluating an AMS vendor, they are only half of the equation. You must also watch for warning signs that indicate either the vendor or the product may not be a good fit for your organization.
Knowing where to look during the selection process will help you uncover hidden issues. Here are five red flags that should disqualify an AMS vendor and how to reveal them.
Red Flag #1: Lack of Transparent Pricing and Hidden Fees
Why it’s a problem: If the vendor is reluctant to provide clear pricing, including implementation, licensing and ongoing costs, you could be in for budget surprises later.
What to look for: Unclear contract terms, excessive add-on costs for essential features or required professional services for routine tasks. Also beware of high-pressure sales tactics. You shouldn’t feel compelled to make a quick decision or risk special pricing.
[Related: Now You Have Your Budget — Time for Implementation]
Red Flag #2: Limited or Rigid Integration Capabilities
Why it’s a problem: Associations rely on multiple systems (event platforms, email marketing, finance tools and more). An AMS that doesn’t integrate well — or charges exorbitant fees for application programming interfaces (API) — can cause inefficiencies and extra costs.
What to look for: No APIs, limited native integrations or a vendor that insists everything must be done within their ecosystem.
Red Flag #3: Poor Customer Support and Vendor Responsiveness
Why it’s a problem: If the vendor struggles to provide timely, effective support during the sales process, expect it to be worse post-implementation.
What to look for: Long response times, lack of self-service documentation or complaints from current users about poor support.
[Related: 9 Ways to Vet Technology Vendors]
Red Flag #4: Outdated or Rigid Technology
Why it’s a problem: Some AMS platforms are built on legacy technology that is difficult to configure, slow to evolve or not cloud-based. This can lead to security risks and an inability to adapt to your needs.
What to look for: Clunky user interface, no regular updates, no cloud-based options or excessive reliance on vendor-specific customization.
[Related: How to Deliberately Create Space for Innovation in Your Association]
Red Flag #5: Bad Industry Reputation and High Client Turnover
Why it’s a problem: If associations frequently leave this AMS, there’s a reason. Poor implementation experiences, frequent executive turnover or lawsuits can all indicate deeper problems.
What to look for: Negative reviews from other associations, lack of long-term clients, frequent leadership changes that suggest instability.
[Related: Does Your Association Really Need an AMS?]
Make Your AMS Vendor Selection
An AMS vendor selection has many moving parts and often requires you to compare disparate features in two or more systems. Having a strong understanding about your goals and what you need from an AMS will help you during the evaluation.
We’ll share some of our experiences in making the selection in an upcoming blog and newsletter.
[Related: Will Your Next Tech Implementation Be a Success or a Struggle?]
Dennison & Associates Can Help You Select an AMS
In the meantime, if you’re considering a large tech project and want some assistance evaluating it, Dennison & Associates can help.
We’d love to discuss your situation and lend a hand with advice or an assessment. We work with most AMS vendors, so don’t hesitate to contact us to request a conversation or consultation.
