Blog: Wes’s thoughts, articles, and insights

My most recent posts

Data integrity reports

By Wes Trochlil | July 9, 2025

Data integrity reports I speak and write a lot about data integrity reports. So I was pleased to see a post recently on ASAE’s Collaborate from Shaun Holloway, Director of Information Technology, at the American Motorcyclist Association, outlining a list of what he called “data hygiene checks.” As a reminder, the purpose of a data integrity […]

The most important training tip

By Wes Trochlil | June 25, 2025

The most important training tip I’ve been sitting in a lot of database training sessions recently, and I’ve been reminded of the following: whether you are doing the training yourself, or you use your vendor or a third-party for training, when you’re teaching a process… Tell them what you’re going to do Do it Tell […]

Be careful about getting tangled

By Wes Trochlil | June 18, 2025

Be careful about getting tangled “We had done a lot to tangle ourselves up.” – Bridget Walsh, Chief Operating Officer at Emergency Nurses Association In a discussion at AMS Fest this week, this is how Bridget Walsh characterized what their AMS of 17+ years looked like as they worked to move from their legacy system to a […]

Discipline. Always discipline.

By Wes Trochlil | June 11, 2025

Discipline. Always discipline. I’ve been producing a newsletter in some form for over 25 years now. I’ve found that certain topics are evergreen; they come up all the time and I feel compelled to write about them again and again. One of those topics is discipline. A quick search of my blog posts shows I’ve […]

Simpler is better

By Wes Trochlil | June 4, 2025

Simpler is better Recently, a client of mine was discussing how they manage membership reinstatements. For example, if a member doesn’t renew within the grace period, is dropped from membership, and then rejoins in less than a year from dropping, are they called a new member, a renewed member, or a reinstatement? After several minutes […]

Older Posts

Consumer demands change and technology changes

October 2, 2024

Consumer demands change and technology changes When I work with clients on the selection of a new AMS, I’ll often […]

Why I write

September 25, 2024

Why I write Thirty years ago, I started a new job as director of membership for a small trade association. It […]

DAN – The Data Analytics Network

September 18, 2024

DAN – The Data Analytics Network I’m a huge fan of users groups (both internal and external!). After all, users […]

Process before technology

September 11, 2024

Process before technology In a conversation with a client recently, I was reminded (yet again) of how important people and […]

Opting out and communication preferences

September 4, 2024

Opting out and communication preferences Last week’s newsletter discussed the need for associations to collect mobile phone numbers for use in […]

Are you collecting mobile phone numbers? You should be.

August 28, 2024

Are you collecting mobile phone numbers? You should be. Are you collecting (and using) the mobile phone numbers of your […]

Spend less time on data management and more on higher value activities

August 21, 2024

Spend less time on data management and more on higher value activities Data management is very often tedious work. It’s important, […]

Change anything you want, except your name!

August 7, 2024

Change anything you want, except your name! This is an oldy but a goody, but since it came up with […]

If you don’t trust your vendor…

July 24, 2024

If you don’t trust your vendor… When I start an AMS selection project with a client, one of the first […]

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