Not so long ago, people relied on paper — calendars, schedules, handwritten notes — and filing cabinets to keep their professional lives organized. Faster communication required face-to-face meetings or the trusty telephone, and finding specific information was like embarking on a treasure hunt. But thanks to computers and smartphones, information is now amazingly accessible from almost anywhere, and communication is almost instantaneous.
The leap from paper to smartphones required significant learning and investment. But, the payoff! The efficiency gains were immediate and profound.
Now, technology offers us a new tool with game-changing potential: artificial intelligence (AI). AI can be used in so many ways to provide better service to members, deliver faster information for decision-making, and ease the workload of your staff. For example, AI can:
- Enhance member engagement through newsletters with personalized content based on past behaviors and member segments,
- Improve member experience and reduce staff workload with chatbots that provide instant responses to member inquiries
- Predict members’ future behavior based on historical data and member attributes.
For associations that are ready to benefit from AI functionality, here are some suggestions to get started.
Quick AI Wins
Each of these three simple implementations requires participation of only one person and can typically be done in less than an hour.
#1 Webmasters: Instead of putting in a ticket to your web design company, get code snippets from ChatGPT. For example, ask for Javascript code to make simple updates to a RiSE website or format code for a responsive email that works well on mobile.
It’s important to note that this should be considered “starter code.” The webmaster needs to read the code, test it, and authenticate it before adding it to your website, but the starter code can cut more than 50% of the time needed to make a simple website update.
#2 Marketers: AI can make your marketing team more efficient. Use it to brainstorm marketing campaigns and provide first drafts of emails, blog posts, and PowerPoint presentations.
#3 Writers: Anytime someone needs a first draft ― whether it’s a grant proposal or a disaster recovery plan ― using an AI to create the first pass will save hours of research and give you a comprehensive starting point.
More AI Power Plays
These next four AI uses are more advanced. They will take more time and require some strategic thinking, but they can save considerable amounts of money and allow you to implement initiatives faster.
#1 Learning Management Systems: Many associations are implementing LMS’ now. The value to members is substantial, but it’s a significant effort to generate the content. AI can help you pull content from a variety of sources, organize it, and create the formats needed for your LMS.
#2 Website: Like most associations, you probably have a huge volume of information on your website and in your member portal. Members may find it challenging to locate what they need or even know what’s there. AI can consume an extremely large volume of information. You can add a bot to your website to help people find what they need. In fact, bots may be the future of websites!
#3 Personalized Newsletters: You can use AI to deliver a newsletter that is personalized for each member. As AI tracks which articles members read and adjusts content to match, the newsletter becomes increasingly valuable to each member. (ASI explains this in more detail in their webinar [see link below]).
#4 Customer Support: AI can provide 24/7 customer support at a fraction of the cost of humans, and while it will never be able to handle everything, it can resolve a surprising number of issues. Some organizations are seeing that AI can handle up to 70% of customer support calls.
AI Game Changers
As you grow into more advanced AI usage in your association, consider these initiatives:
- Train AI to respond to inquiries from executives and your board, so they can ask questions in plain English and get immediate answers.
- Create a “data lake” that combines all of your data from iMIS, your community, and every other place you have member, event, or product data. AI can then allow you to ask any question and get analytics that give you insights into member behavior and preferences that you couldn’t even imagine before.
- At the highest level, once you have a data lake in place, you can go beyond understanding past behavior to predicting what members will do and automating the delivery of what they want, so they have instant gratification.
AI Implementation Process
Because the opportunities are so vast, the road to AI can be challenging. Begin with small, practical steps:
- Conduct an assessment to determine your association’s readiness for AI.
- Start with smaller, manageable AI projects such as personalized newsletters or chatbots.
- Use AI predictive analytics to address specific challenges like event attendance or member retention.
Advanced Solutions International (ASI) recently hosted a webinar that focused on how associations can leverage AI to improve member engagement and organizational performance. The webinar dives deep into how associations can benefit from embracing data-driven decision-making, foster cross-departmental collaboration, and adopt a culture open to innovation. It’s worth a watch to learn about the big-picture transformation that can drive association growth and engagement.
Caution: AI Needs Humans
AI technology is not a magic wand or a standalone solution. Always remember:
- You can’t set and forget AI software, nor can you assume the results AI delivers are usable as is. Think of the AI as a student, and you are its teacher. You always have to review what the AI gives you. You can’t assume the information is accurate or realistic.
Additionally, prejudice can seep in — AIs are not yet good at diversity. Always read closely, validate, and confirm any answers. Then apply your own insights, experience, and intelligence.
- Don’t ask your employees to “go figure it out.” All organizations need policies and guidelines for AI usage. Employees need to know they can’t upload financial information, member lists, or anything that might be confidential.
As we look to the future, the potential for AI to revolutionize associations is clear. With tools that can transform member engagement, streamline operations, and drive innovation, embracing AI is the next leap forward for associations.
If you’re exploring AI usage and opportunities for your association, we’d like to have a collaborative discussion. We can share what we’re seeing in the industry and see what might be relevant for your association. Email info@isgsolutions.com to schedule your session.