At first glance, a member might sound like just another word for customer. After all, both pay money and expect something in return, right? But being a member is very different from being a customer. And that difference is exactly why associations thrive when they use Association Management Software (AMS) rather than relying only on Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools.
So, what’s the difference?
Customers buy. Members belong.
A customer makes a purchase, takes home a product or service, and that’s often the end of the story.
A member, on the other hand, joins something bigger. Membership is about being part of a community, sharing a mission, and building a relationship that goes beyond a single transaction.
Customers come and go. Members stick around.
For customers, engagement usually ends once the sale is complete.
For members, the journey keeps going through renewals, events, networking, volunteering, voting, and staying connected year after year.
Customers get value. Members create value.
Customers receive the value of a product or service.
Members not only receive value through benefits, education, and opportunities, they also contribute to the strength of the community itself.
Why CRM Isn’t Quite Enough
CRM software is fantastic for sales-driven businesses. It helps track leads, opportunities, and customer support. But associations aren’t just selling widgets or services. They’re managing communities, and that’s a whole different ball game.
CRM is built around sales. AMS is built around people, relationships, and belonging.
Why Associations Choose AMS
Here’s where AMS really shines:
- Managing the membership journey: From first join to renewal (and even lapsed members who return), AMS keeps the cycle flowing.
- Delivering benefits and engagement: Member portals, event sign-ups, certifications, committees. It’s all built in.
- Building community: Members don’t just want to hear from the association, they want to connect with each other. AMS makes that possible.
- Handling diverse revenue: Membership dues, donations, sponsorships, events, education programs. AMS handles all of it without forcing you to bend a sales tool into something it wasn’t designed for.
Wrapping it up
- A customer buys a product.
- A member joins a community.
- A CRM helps you sell.
- An AMS helps you grow and support a community.
That’s why associations need more than a sales tool. They need software that understands the heart of membership and that’s what AMS is designed to do.