Beacon Blog
How to Involve Staff in Your AMS Selection Process Without Slowing It Down
Choosing a new Association Management System (AMS) is one of the biggest projects your organization will take on.
It’s also one of the most disruptive projects you’ll ever do because it doesn’t just affect leadership or IT. It touches virtually every department, every staff member, and every corner of your operations.
That’s why the most common question we hear is:
“How can we make sure our staff is involved in the AMS selection process without slowing everything down or overburdening people?”
It’s a fair question. Staff input is critical. But staff time is also one of your most limited resources. If you lean too far in either direction, you risk stalling the project. Or worse, ending up with a system no one fully buys into.
So, for us at Beacon the answer isn’t “more involvement.” It’s smarter involvement.
Why Staff Involvement Matters More Than Ever
Your staff are the ones who live inside your AMS day in and day out. They’re the first to feel the pain of a clunky system and the first to know where it’s falling short. Ignoring their perspective almost guarantees trouble down the line.
Here’s food for thought:
- Missed requirements. If you don’t capture what membership or events staff actually need, you’ll discover gaps after you’ve already signed a contract.
- Low adoption. Staff who feel excluded during selection are far less motivated to embrace the new system.
- Hidden costs. Overlooked workflows lead to expensive customization, rework, or workarounds later.
Involving staff isn’t just about being nice or checking a box. It’s a safeguard against some of the most common AMS project issues.
The Risks of Getting It Wrong
Most associations slip into one of two extremes.
On one side is under-involvement where leadership makes the call with little staff input. It feels faster, but it almost always backfires.
Critical needs can get missed and staff can feel like a system was forced on them. By the time implementation comes around, you’re facing resistance and gaps that are expensive to fix.
On the other side is over-involvement by bringing too many people into every meeting and demo. What starts as inclusive turns into exhausting. Decisions stall, staff burn out, and the project loses momentum before it’s even off the ground.
Both paths lead to the same outcome: AMS project issues that drag on well past selection day.
The Myth of Consensus Equals Success
Here’s a hard truth: associations are built on consensus. But consensus doesn’t always serve you well in technology projects.
Too often, leaders think: “If everyone is in the room, we’ll get the right answer.”
What actually happens? Decision paralysis. Compromise solutions. Hours of discussion about edge cases that don’t matter to most members.
Inclusion doesn’t mean democracy. Staff don’t need a vote on every vendor detail. What they need is to be heard and to trust their input is shaping the decision.
A Smarter Approach to Staff Involvement
Start with a small, cross-functional project team of five to seven people who can keep the process moving. Then, bring in broader staff voices strategically: quick surveys, short workshops, or targeted demo invites when their workflows are being reviewed.
Respect staff bandwidth. Limit meetings, share concise updates, and give people ways to contribute asynchronously.
Most importantly, keep focus on progress, not perfection. You’re selecting a partner, not building a system from scratch.
This approach ensures staff feel heard without being overloaded and keeps your AMS project on track.
Callout: Balance Is the Goal
Too little staff involvement = blind spots.
Too much staff involvement = bottlenecks.
The right level = momentum with buy-in.
Signs You’re Balancing It Well
You’ll know you’re hitting the right rhythm when:
- Staff feel heard, but not overbooked.
- The project team has clarity to make real decisions.
- The process moves forward with visible momentum.
- Staff are curious and hopeful about what’s next and not exhausted before implementation even begins.
That balance doesn’t just keep the project moving, it builds confidence that the AMS you choose will actually work in practice.
How Beacon Helps Associations Find This Balance
Beacon Tech Research filters the noise and surfaces the best-fit AMS options for your association.
One way we do that is greatly shorten the discovery process. Staff won’t need to be as involved in general, because of how we’ve consolidated the process.
So, instead of months of DIY legwork, your staff can focus on the moments where their voice matters most like reviewing shortlists, weighing demos, and shaping the final decision.
The result is a smarter process, less staff burnout, and a stronger chance of getting it right the first time. Beacon ensures your team has a voice without carrying the burden of the entire project.
Conclusion
The AMS you select will shape your association’s operations for years to come. Getting staff involved is essential, but only if it’s done correctly.
Don’t confuse consensus with inclusion. Don’t overload your team with meetings. And don’t risk staff buy-in by leaving them out altogether.
The real answer lies in finding the balance.
That’s exactly what Beacon helps associations do.
Start Smart. Choose Wisely.
Get Started with Beacon Today.
Ready to get started?
(your association, society, or non-profit email). A Beacon team
member will contact you to answer any questions and provide
you with access to your initial intake questionnaire.
