At the AuSAE Demo Day, association professionals from across Australia and New Zealand gathered to explore the latest in Association Management Systems (AMS). Kicking off the event was a presentation by Tammy from Roundbox Consulting, who challenged attendees to think beyond feature lists and focus on what really matters when choosing an AMS or CRM.

Tammy’s core message was clear: “Most AMS platforms can meet your basic needs—but it’s the how, not the what, that defines the right fit for your association.” Her presentation outlined five critical areas of risk and opportunity that can make or break your system investment:

Confidence in the Vendor

Choosing a vendor is more than selecting software—it’s choosing a long term partner.. Tammy encouraged associations to look into vendor stability, local support availability, and long-term pricing transparency. "You’ll be working with this vendor for many years," she noted. “Make sure you feel confident picking up the phone and calling them.”

Futureproofing Your Solution

Associations evolve. So should your AMS. Tammy stressed the importance of selecting a platform that is configurable, integrates easily with other tools and systems, investment in ai and comes with a clear product roadmap. “What you need in the future could be very different to what you need today," she said. “Think about your strategic roadmap looks like and whether or not it aligns with their solution roadmap.” she reminded the association professionals.

Ease of Use

Tammy advised that a technically brilliant system won’t deliver value if it’s too complex to use. Assess the interface, training requirements, and how intuitively staff and members can navigate the platform. “A system that is hard to use simply won’t be used,” she mentioned.

Cybersecurity

In an era of increasing digital threats, Tammy encouraged associations not to gloss over cybersecurity. Her checklist included multifactor authentication, understand data storage locations (including backups) and requirements, recent penetration testing, and vetting of vendor staff. “Cybersecurity risks are often overlooked in the AMS selection process and that can be a costly mistake.”

Your Team’s Readiness

Tammy also placed the spotlight on internal project preparedness. From setting realistic timelines to ensuring your data is cleaned up in advance, she reminded attendees that successful implementations are just as dependent on the association’s readiness as the vendor’s.  “It’s your team’s readiness that will impact the schedule. It’s usually not the vendor causing delays.”

This presentation was a timely reminder that selecting the right AMS isn’t just about features—it’s about fit, flexibility, and future focus. Whether you’re about to start your search or deep into vendor demos, this is essential viewing.

Explore the full range of demos from iMIS, Causeis, Glue Up, Membes, ToucanTech, Klevr Members, and MemberConnex—plus tools and expert resources from AuSAE Demo Day: www.ausae.org.au/ams-demo-day