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The 4 Best Practice Tips for Implementing Technology in your Organization

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Is your association considering implementing a technology integration to streamline chapter operations? Increase cross-functional visibility? Automate administrative processes? Innovations and technological advancements have made it easier than ever to boost productivity and automate away mindless busywork. Let’s examine how to find the right technology for your multi-chapter organization, whether by finding something new or adding to your existing solution.

By migrating critical systems into a core CRM tool and integrating other tech platforms, an association can increase coordination across its organization with centralized contacts, improved fundraising capacity, better event management, and more robust marketing and reporting processes. Find out best practices for developing and managing such an IT overhaul.

Is your association considering implementing a new piece of technology to…?

  • Streamline operations
  • Increase cross-functional visibility & efficiency
  • Automate manual processes
  • Bring new programs or strategic initiatives to life

 

GAP ANALYSIS: WHERE ARE YOU FEELING THE PAIN?

First things first, you need to identify gaps in your current processes, whether they’re technology-powered or not. Next, figure out precisely what void you need to fill and if technology can supplement it. Then when identifying the gap, ask yourself what has made that void so painful. These essential elements help you narrow down your pain points and give valuable insight into optimizing efficiency.

  • Have your staff been complaining about manual tasks that don’t allow them to focus on their primary job?
  • Has manual data entry made you prone to errors that require hours of costly clean-up?
  • Has data security been a concern?

The more specific you can pinpoint your pain points, the better your solution.

TIMING: WHEN IS IT RIGHT FOR YOUR ASSOCIATION

Once you’ve identified the specific voids you need to fill, you can consider if the timing is right to implement a solution. Ask yourself:

  • Does the pain your association is experiencing outweigh the costs?
  • How much is the pain costing your association? Keep in mind that this pain may be actual dollar amounts, bad member experiences, or your association’s reputation.
  • Do you have other implementations/large projects going on? If so, will you have enough resources to dedicate to finding and implementing a solution?

SELECTION: FINDING THE RIGHT PARTNER

After deciding to move forward with a solution to ease the pain, it’s time to find a partner, not a vendor. A vendor will provide a solution and say go. A partner will give a solution, ensure it’s a good fit, help you through the implementation process, and provide post-implementation support. Consider this:

  • Is there another association that has faced a similar challenge? How did they solve it? Could they provide a reference?
  • Does the new technology play nicely with your current systems, or does it add another system to manage?
  • Have you thought about change management? How will the partner help you through it?

IMPLEMENTING: MEASURING PROGRESS AND STAYING ON TRACK

You’ve picked the perfect partner, but how do you keep the project on track? These three things can keep you on the road to success:

  • What are your key metrics? What does success look like to you? Be specific.
  • Do all parties agree upon those metrics? Include milestones and timelines.

And most importantly, accountability. Specific tasks should be assigned to a single champion responsible for making sure that milestones are hit and providing status checks along the way. This allows all parties to manage road bumps as they arise (because they will).

BEYOND THE LAUNCH

Yay, you made it to the finish line! Next, you need to determine if the new technology accomplishes what it’s supposed to do.

  • Did it address the pain points you identified?
  • Are users adopting it?
  • Is it benefiting (or taxing) areas of your association that you hadn’t anticipated?

THE 4 BEST-PRACTICE TECHNOLOGY TIPS FOR IMPLEMENTING SOLUTIONS IN YOUR ORGANIZATION

 

Associations are not immune to ever-changing technology, so it’s always good to have a few best practices in your back pocket.

  1. Align with strategic objectives
  2. Take inventory of your systems
  3. Identify resources
  4. Research and identify the solution

 

1. ALIGN WITH STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

In addition to the typical goals of the solution saving your association, time and costs, how does the project align with your association’s long-term strategic objectives?

  • Will it provide higher membership satisfaction?
  • Will it allow you the tools to focus more of the organization on member benefits and value?
  • Will it empower your volunteers and staff?

 

2. TAKE INVENTORY OF YOUR SYSTEMS

What are you currently using, and how are you utilizing them?

  • How are they working for the organization?
  • Where are there process gaps?
  • How does information flow from one place to another?

 

3. IDENTIFY RESOURCES

Who will champion the project, ensure success, and keep the timeline on track?

  • Who in your organization will need to be involved?
  • Who is the champion at your partner organization?
  • How are you tracking accountability?

 

4. RESEARCH & IDENTIFY A SOLUTION

Select your partner and start the discovery process to uncover specific needs for your organization. Then roadmap, design, and develop the solution.

  • Do you need to phase the project? There is nothing wrong with building and launching a core solution in Phase 1 and then adding the ‘nice-to-have’ features and functionality in Phase 2.
  • How will you train key staff and administrators/users?
  • How will you implement and roll out the solution?

 

Chapter volunteer leaders aren’t technology experts. One of the most complex parts of implementing new chapter technology is getting buy-in from your chapter leaders. Learn how Billhighway can help make rolling out new technology to your chapters a breeze.

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About the author

Mark is known for his success in helping empower non-profit organizations across the U.S. and around the world to do more, multiply their impact, and grow. He regularly walks organizations through discovery processes that uncover internal obstacles, helping them identify and implement ways to more effectively run chapter-based organizations through process improvements and the use of innovative technologies. As a sought-after industry thought leader, he often speaks at leadership conferences, and regularly hosts educational roundtables and workshops in the non-profit sector. Mark has an unrelenting passion in helping solve problems for mission-based organizations so they can better focus on their mission and expand their impact across the nation and around the world.