DigitalNow: Association Leadership in the Digital Age

Protech Business Solutions - made up of CRM for Members, Web Portal for Members and SharePoint for Members - deliver comprehensive association management functionality for member-based organizations. With CRM for Members (built within Microsoft Dynamics CRM), users obtain critical association management functionality including automated dues billing, chapter management, subscription management, meeting and event management, product sales, list and committee management, fundraising, and professional development and certification.

With direct integration to financial applications like Microsoft Dynamics GP and SL, associations gain a comprehensive view of their association and can make informed, strategic decisions. Web Portal for Members facilities real-time member self-service via the web, and SharePoint for Members (built on MOSS 2007) helps associations optimize their member relationships by empowering them to build a powerful online community, participate in discussion groups, interact with chapters and committees, and manage their membership information.

Solution description
Protech Associates, Inc. provides association management software and services for member-based organizations throughout North America. Protech Business Solutions - made up of CRM for Members, Web Portal for Members, and SharePoint for Members - help associations streamline operations, empower employees, and facilitate superior member service.

CRM for Members is the only association management solution delivered completely within Microsoft Dynamics CRM, featuring consistent navigation, functionality, and an identical user interface. Users obtain critical association management functionality including membership management, automated dues billing, chapter management, subscription management, meeting and event management, product sales and inventory, list and committee management, speaker and facility management, program and donor development (fundraising), exhibit sales and contracts, advertising sales and contracts, professional development and certification, dues deferral, and integration with financial management (accounts receivable) through Microsoft Dynamics GP or SL.

Member-centric activities occur and are recorded within each member's record in Microsoft Dynamics CRM, ensuring organization-wide access to critical member history and information, and empowering associations' staff members to deliver optimized member service.

Web Portal for Members enhances member relationships by providing comprehensive member activity management via the association's website. Web Portal securely links information from the CRM for Members database to the website, customizing and personalizing each member's experience. It also sends the information members enter on the website directly into their member histories and the accounting system. And because the flow of information between Web Portal and the CRM for Members database happens in real time, associations' staff always has immediate access to members' most up-to-date information and transactions, without having to re-key the data.

SharePoint for Members utilizes Microsoft Office Sharepoint Server (MOSS 2007) to enable associations to build a vibrant online member community. Members are empowered to interact with each other and the association by participating in discussion groups, wikis and blogs, joining special interest groups, and managing committee and chapter involvement. Integration with the CRM for Members database means that activities that take place within the member community are automatically tracked and easily analyzed for quick, informed decision-making.

Case Study: North American Spine Society

Eager to forge closer ties with spine-care professionals and increase attendance at courses and special events, the North American Spine Society (NASS) replaced its outdated, slow, and clumsy association management system with Protech Business Solutions... helping them boost event attendance, improve data integrity, and enhance targeted marketing efforts.

Record-setting attendance Protech Business Solutions have helped NASS vastly improve its event marketing and registration efforts-an improvement Brad Repsold, Director of Information Technology, calls "exponential." Using the system to create personalized, attention-grabbing email invitations and allowing quick and easy online registrations, NASS increased annual meeting attendance by 22%. Brad estimates that by automating the registration process, NASS also reduced processing times by at least 50%.

Improved Data Integrity In the past, information in the NASS database was often out-of-date and incomplete. Using Protech Business Solutions, NASS has been able to collect better membership information via Web Portal for Members. "We've been able to get a handle on what data we had and significantly clean up our database," says Frank Kocich, Director of Marketing and Communications.

Increased Relevance of Marketing Efforts
Previously, NASS marketing staff had no way to target its email blasts. That meant, for instance, that members who weren't eligible to take a specific course would nevertheless receive an invitation to it. Protech Business Solutions allows NASS to improve data, segment its membership and better target specialties within the organization. Now, only those members who qualify to attend a particular course receive the invitation.

According to Repsold, "By using Protech Business Solutions, we've been able to bring everything that touches our members online. That's been a huge benefit to NASS and to our members."