The Digital Era has brought along significant change to member services in the association community. Use these tips to better serve your members:
1. Identify your Member:
Who is this person that is requesting your help? Once you know who they are you can start your communication whether its via phone, email or chat.
2. Engage your Member:
Make your member feel important. Address them by name so they feel valued and appreciated.
3. Clear Communication:
Avoid miscommunications. Repeat back what they have requested or asked of you to do. This shows that you have been attentive.
4. Care for your Member:
Respond to their request as soon as possible. It might not be a priority for you but it is a priority to them.
5. Identify the Issue:
If a member has informed you of an issue or problem, remember that no business is perfect, mistakes can happen and systems glitch. Apologize sincerely and do everything in your power to rectify the mistake. If you do not understand the issue, ask key questions to help identify the real cause of the problem.
6. Respect your Member:
Never make your member feel bad or embarrassed. No question is a bad question. Make sure to address all questions asked. Never argue with your member. Careful with your tone. You might think that because you are communicating via email, text or chat it is not rude or disrespectful. A little advice: When sending a written notice, read it twice because you can only send it once.
7. Help your Member:
Depending on your organization, your membership is comprised of many age groups and backgrounds. Not everyone has adapted to the digital ways. If your member does not feel comfortable making a payment online and they would like to make a payment with a person on the phone, facilitate that for them. They will forever be grateful, and you will have a happy member.
8. Be Reliable:
Let them know that you are "here to help.” This goes a long way but it lets a member know that you are available to answer their call and will address their issue.
9. Provide Time Frame:
If you know you cannot address their need immediately, provide a time frame. If the time passes, communicate back with a new time frame.
10. Thank Your Member:
It is important to thank your member. People are often terribly busy. Therefore, even if you are providing a service, it is very courteous to thank them. It is polite to acknowledge a person and show them that you have appreciated their valuable time.
To learn more about AMC Source's commitment to partnering with our clients in this area, speak with someone from our team today. If you're interested in implementing an Association Management System but don't know where to start, contact us! We'd love to assist.
This post is the eighth in AMC Source's "Quick Tips for Association Management" series, highlighting 10 quick tips for various functional areas within association management. Be sure to take a look at the other posts in this series today!
ROSIE RIVERA
Association Executive
Rosie serves as Association Executive for AMC Source, with an emphasis on membership development, customer service, marketing, and public relations. Rosie is bilingual and has several years experience working with the media in marketing and sales with a focus on Latinx markets. Learn more about Rosie and the amazing AMC Source team on the Our Team page of our website.