A Comprehensive Guide

Choosing the right Software as a Service (SaaS) platform is a crucial decision for any association. Whether you are looking to streamline operations, enhance member engagement, or improve your overall efficiency, choosing the right SaaS platform can be a significant change. However, with countless options available, selecting the perfect one can be a daunting task. We have put together a short guide to help you navigate this crucial decision.

The first step in choosing the right SaaS platform is to clearly define your association’s needs. We would recommend considering the following questions:

• What are the key challenges you want to address with this platform?

• What features are essential for your daily operations?

• What is your budget for a SaaS solution?

• How will this SaaS product benefit your organisation?

By understanding your specific requirements, you can narrow down your options and focus on platforms that cater specifically to your unique needs.

Once you understand your needs, the next step is to evaluate your desired features to the core offerings of potential SaaS platforms. It’s important to note how the features being offered will benefit your organisation and if they will be both useful and impactful for you. From our personal experience these are the common features most member-based associations consider:

• Member Management: Does the platform offer robust tools for managing member data, renewals, and communications? This feature will replace all manual capturing and will allow your organisation to efficiently manage member data with automated renewals and all member data stored and continuously backed up to the cloud.

• Event Management: Can the platform handle event registration, ticketing, and communication? Having this feature will enhance your member engagement by providing a seamless experience from registration to participation, ensuring your events run smoothly and are well-attended.

• Member Portal Management: Does it provide easy-to-use tools for publishing and managing content on your member portal? This feature simplifies the process of updating content, ensuring that your portal remains a relevant and valuable resource for members, whilst also giving them access to update their personal information and access their certificates at any time.

• Analytics and Reporting: Are there comprehensive reporting tools to track your association’s performance and make data-driven decisions? By analysing trends and outcomes, you can identify areas for improvement, optimise operations, and strategically plan for the future, leading to better overall organisational success.

Be sure to prioritise platforms that offer a comprehensive set of features aligned with your needs.

Most of the organisations we partner with often rely on multiple software tools for various functions. Therefore, it’s crucial to ensure that the SaaS platform you select integrates seamlessly with your existing systems, for example your organisations payment gateways or accounting software. Having integration capabilities will save your organisation time and prevent the hassle of managing disparate systems.

A SaaS platform’s usability is critical for its success. It is important that the platform you choose is easy to navigate so that your members and administrators do not get lost navigating through different processes. Therefore, evaluating the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) and making sure it is easy to follow is essential. Additionally, consider the platform’s accessibility features to accommodate all users, including those with disabilities.

Another important aspect to consider is the platforms’ ability to scale their product according to your needs. As your organisation grows, your SaaS platform should be able to scale with you. We recommend double checking if the platform can accommodate an increasing number of members, events, and data without compromising performance. Scalability ensures that you will not outgrow the platform as your association expands.

Data security is also paramount, especially when handling sensitive member information. This is why ensuring that the SaaS platform you choose follows industry-standard security practices, such as data encryption, regular backups, and secure user authentication are of the utmost importance. Additionally, the platform you choose should comply with the relevant regulations.

It is important to have a dependable customer support team available to assist with any platform-related queries during and after onboarding. This ensures clear communication and helps you navigate any challenges that may arise while learning the new software. We would advise reviewing the support options offered by the provider, such as email or phone support. Additionally, you could also check if the provider offers resources like knowledge bases or tutorials to help you troubleshoot issues independently.

Lastly before making a final decision, read reviews from other organisations that have used the platform and be on the lookout for any testimonials for a reflection of the various experiences they have had. By reading reviews or testimonials, your organisation can gain valuable insights into the platform’s strengths and weaknesses which will help you make a more informed decision by learning from the experiences of others who have used the platform. Additionally, request demos or trials from your shortlisted providers to get hands-on experience with the platform. During the demo, we also advise asking as many questions as you can about any concerns you may have.

Implementing a new SaaS platform could be a momentous change for your organisation. To ensure a smooth transition, develop a clear implementation plan that includes timelines, training for your team and communication with your members. Consider starting with a phased rollout to address any issues before fully migrating to the new platform and if you are feeling a little concerned about this process, feel free to ask your shortlisted providers about how they suggest rolling out this new change, chances are they have done this many times before and will be able to advise you accordingly.

Choosing the right SaaS platform for your association is a critical decision that requires careful consideration. By understanding your needs, evaluating features, and considering factors like integration, scalability, and security, you can select a platform that will support your organisations goals and help you serve your members more effectively.

Take your time to research, test, and plan for the implementation to ensure that you make the best choice for your organisations future success.

If you are looking for a membership management SaaS platform to ease the admin burden of managing your members, then please feel free to contact us.