The Difference Between AMS vs CRM for Associations

However, it may not be practical to implement an AMS with very specialized capabilities if your organization doesn’t have many of the usual functions. With the growth of enterprise CRM systems and related applications, some associations are https://www.xcritical.com/ finding enterprise CRM solutions as a viable alternative to an AMS. Many organizations turn to digital solutions to analyze data and generate reports.

Glue Up’s Approach: CRM-Based AMS for Associations

It handles membership applications, renewals, event registrations, dues processing, broker vs exchange and communication blasts. This is also the reason we built our AMS system, Cobalt’s Engagement Dynamics, on top of the Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM platform. The integration of our refined tools for associations with the strength of Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform as the driving engine for your core software stack is a tremendous asset for organizations. If the vendor you are talking to has proprietary CRM modules, spend extra time looking at the feature sets and interface and test-driving the usability. You can do free trials of all the commercial CRM platforms, so you can test drive the basics to get a sense of the baseline even before you contact a potential partner. Apparently, I’m not alone in this line of thinking, which is why more and more AMS vendors are touting and/or working to develop at least some basic CRM functionality in their offering.

Insights from CRM Data to Improve Product Offerings

If you are actively shopping for an AMS system or new CRM system take a copy of our 2023 Association Management Software Buying Guide with you today. We packed it with insider tips and best practices that will help you at every stage of the vetting and vendor selection process. Spending just a little time with that resource will help you generate some great questions to ask as you are making your decision. There are some compelling reasons you should treat your association like a business, at least from an infrastructure and operations management standpoint. Both systems collect and store data, but the heart of a meaningful CRM vs AMS distinction is what data they collect … and why.

• This is the primary reason we believe that CRM systems can be a better fit for most associations.
• CRM, on the other hand, uses member data to analyze leads and score them accordingly.
• First, it can save you a lot of money in the long run by compiling the functions of multiple different systems into a single unit.
• It continues to be a hot topic because more organizations see the need for software solutions that align with their unique business needs and organizational goals.
• Some of the organizations we connect with that are shopping around for an AMS don’t see the need for a CRM or its functionality.

What is an AMS System (vs CRM vs ERP systems)?

AMS can also send reminders to members when their subscription fees are due and flag lapsed subscriptions so that the sales team can act promptly. Assessing these factors helps an association determine whether AMS, CRM, or both are needed to effectively meet its unique requirements. The unique needs of an association determine whether they require AMS, CRM, or both.

In addition, a CRM creates a profile of each customer, allowing you to save individual email conversations and calls. Some CRM systems even have a smart list contact feature that allows you to easily access this data without having to manually filter through it. This can be a time-saver when trying to find a particular member or information on a particular member.

When you know precisely what your requirements are, you can drive the conversations with potential vendors. Having a crystal clear vision for what you need will help prevent you from being swept away by exciting features during a sales pitch. When you can ask how a solution maps to your requirements, you’re much more likely to end up with the perfect solution for your organization.

There are many AMS solutions on the market, but we’re especially proud of Cobalt’s Engagement Dynamics. It’s built for growing and mid-sized associations who need more than what the entry-tier AMS providers offer. If you had to describe the difference between a customer relationship management (CRM) system and association management software (AMS), what would you say?

Additionally, your association can maximize non-dues revenue through Fonteva’s eCommerce tools and the ability to customize join and renewal workflows. Because we offer a CRM-based AMS, choosing Protech allows your organization to leverage both the data-tracking benefits of a CRM and the association-specific tools in an AMS. Today’s associations are complex organizations whose primary goals center on serving their mission and their members. Goals that require collection, tracking and reporting on relevant data about members, programs and finances. Your selection of customer relationship manager software,  known as a CRM, or an association management system, known as an AMS, is critically important both now and later. A great decision now will help make data collection, management and reporting easier from now on.

It’s not an easy question to answer for a lot of people, even experts that have used both for years. This might not seem like a big deal, but if you don’t understand some of the CRM vs AMS differences, it could lead to some serious headaches for your association. While a company’s ERP solution may contain essential data for managing your company’s operations, it might not have detailed information about your products themselves. That’s where Product Information Management comes in, providing a solution for storing rich product information, including digital assets such as images, media, and product descriptions that will be seen by customers. Storing this data in a central repository allows it to be accessed by your website or used in other marketing materials, such as print catalogs.

Figuring out which route you should take may seem daunting, but it really comes down to matching your needs with the capabilities offered by each type of solution. To do that you need to identify your organization’s functions and learn about the offerings in the market. Once you know your must-haves, you’ll be able to eliminate any options that don’t have the capabilities to meet your needs. If you still aren’t sure about what type of software would be best suited for your association, but are leaning more towards an AMS for your association’s needs, feel free to download our AMS Selection Guide. This comprehensive and helpful resource will guide you through the process of choosing the right Association Management System AMS for your association. A CRM system will also offer analytics and reporting, often appearing on a database.

In fact, they would have you believe that, as an association exec, you can choose either type of system — it really doesn’t matter. As you can see, there are many ways to establish the business ecosystem to support your organization’s needs. While there are advantages to using an enterprise CRM platform instead of an AMS, there are good reasons why your organization may need an AMS.

Collecting and interpreting data about your members and anyone who might have an impact in your industry are two of the essential functions of an AMS system or CRM platform. Since 2009, we’ve spent more than 100,000 development hours crafting and refining our association software that hundreds of associations trust. That means Cobalt can offer a true and sophisticated AMS built on and integrated seamlessly with one of the best CRM platforms in the world. From our perspective, we can see what this struggle is like from the other side. Many AMS providers aren’t built on Microsoft Dynamics 365 or Salesforce, and they are trying to play catch up in their development to build their own proprietary CRM system.

Although AMS and CRM systems serve different purposes, integrating the two provides your association with a more comprehensive view of all your interactions. For starters, CRM software is the fastest-growing software for digital marketing, with revenue reaching $48.7 billion in 2021. Read on to learn more about how the right association software systems can strengthen your own organization. With a core mission of enabling and enriching relationships among communities through digitalization, Glue Up is much more than software. Besides, this careful and deliberate approach verifies that you choose a solution that meets your needs and effectively supports your organization’s goals. Red flag #1 arises when the vendor or service provider claims that the AMS is equipped with CRM features but is reluctant to demonstrate these features or show how they work in practice.

While it is designed primarily for nonprofits, it has powerful interaction- and relationship-tracking tools that can be useful for associations. Leverage tools for events management, membership management, fundraising, marketing, volunteer management, and financial data tracking. These features aim to alleviate administrative burdens for staff while building a loyal, dedicated community. On the other hand, association management software (AMS) is designed specifically for associations and helps association leaders manage day-to-day operations. Because this type of software serves a more niche audience, it isn’t used by other types of organizations. CRM systems were originally designed to create better customer relationships with a focus on creating opportunities for organizations to grow.

Dynamics 365 has specific sales and marketing functionality to make this even easier, with intuitive, bleeding-edge functionality (and AI-driven features). It’s designed to help organizations increase their member engagement and revenue growth. The choice between an AMS and CRM depends on your budget, requirements, and existing software landscape. While AMS delivers purpose-built association management tools, a CRM offers flexible contact management. For many membership-based groups, an AMS checks more boxes in managing members and governance needs. While not tailored specifically to associations, CRMs provide robust constituent relationship management capabilities that can also benefit many membership-based groups.