When it comes to your members’ financial information, you really can never be too careful. And with so many technology options for associations out there, it’s difficult to know how to start narrowing down your list.

However, there is one common characteristic every vendor you’re considering should have: PCI Compliance.

Choosing a vendor that has met all six standards for PCI Compliance is the safest way to ensure that all financial information that goes through your database remains as secure as possible.

What does it mean, exactly, to be PCI Compliant? Payment Card Industry Compliance requires vendors to meet six standards:

• Build and maintain a secure network
• Protect cardholder data
• Maintain a vulnerability management program
• Implement strong access control measures
• Regularly monitor and test networks
• Maintain an information security policy

There’s no way to be partially compliant; it’s an all-or-nothing deal.

How did PCI Compliance come about?

Basically, the major credit card companies all agreed on the above set of standards, and they have the power to fine vendors or organizations who aren’t compliant. If your technology vendor isn’t compliant, neither is your organization.

We want to encourage every organization to consider PCI Compliance when choosing a vendor. Even if MemberClicks isn’t the right fit for your organization, it’s crucial to protect your and your members’ financial information by choosing a secure vendor.

For more information on PCI Compliance, click here.

Image credit

How organized is your data?

I was reading Wes Trochlil’s latest article, Why Benchmarks Matter, and it struck a chord with me.

For one thing, you can’t improve your data management system if you have no set benchmarks. There has to be something already started if you want to improve upon it. Wes gives a few great starting points for keeping track of actions within your database.

For another thing, how organized is your database currently? What do you keep track of? More data isn’t necessarily better, but the more useful the data you track is, the better.

Do you keep track of those members who are active in listservs? Those who consistently volunteer? The amount of time it takes to process new memberships?

My two cents?

Know who your most active members are. Who participates in studies or focus groups? Who are the active volunteers and leaders? These people can be the evangelists to other members. They can be the ones to step up and help the organization institute changes.

Use your data and implement changes based on your findings. There’s no point in all this data collection unless you actually do something with the information.

Stop collecting data you don’t use. It’s a waste of space and a waste of time. Do you need to know how long someone’s been in their current job or the size of the company they’re with. Perhaps. But be sure there’s a clear reason for your data collection.

Technology can help you keep track of many things, but having a disorganized database is definitely not ideal. The technology can only help you so much – you have to be able to put it to good use.

Photo credit: Flickr

Since the 2010 Technology Conference and Expo is next week, I wanted to introduce everyone to the MemberClicks team members who will be in Washington DC. Last week, I introduced you to Solution Adviser Hannae Berhanu. This week? Customer Maximization Lead Duncan McCreery.

Duncan has worked at MemberClicks for two years now, and just recently moved into the Maximization Team Leader position. Prior to that, he was a solution adviser, and helped implement more than 50 small-staff associations during his time in that role.

Last fall, we developed the Customer Maximization Program to ensure that we always stay engaged with our customers and be certain our solution meets their ever-changing technology needs. As Customer Maximization Lead, Duncan trains our organizations’ administrators each month to help them put their data to better use and get the most from their MemberClicks solution. He focuses on enhancing our customers’ knowledge and use of the MemberClicks solution through trainings, consultations and optimizations.

Because we serve so many different organizations and their purposes and missions run the gamut, Duncan enjoys the change that comes with his role each day. Prior to joining MemberClicks, Duncan was an English teacher in Russia, which is a huge asset as he assists and trains customers. And his interest in the ever-expanding world of technology doesn’t hurt, either!

When he’s not helping our customers offer amazing membership experiences, the Cleveland native (and huge Browns fan) likes to read fiction and newspapers, and also brush up on his Russian. He’s looking forward to meeting with as many small-staff association staffers as possible, and is always ready to chat about technology solutions, whether MemberClicks is the right fit for you or not.

For more information, feel free to e-mail Duncan at duncan@memberclicks.com, or reach out to him on his LinkedIn page. And please stop by booth 326 next week at the Technology Conference and Expo!

Rumors had been swirling among tech geeks for months (nay, years!) and Wednesday, their suspicions were confirmed with the announcement of Apple’s iPad, a hybrid iPod Touch/laptop. Although it doesn’t have the iPhone’s ability to make phone calls, it  has a ton of other capabilities, and could rival Amazon’s Kindle with its iBooks application and through contracts with publishers.

There have been mixed reactions about the iPad. Some are enthralled; some don’t quite understand the purpose. “It’s a bigger iPhone that can’t make calls,” I’ve heard.

However, keep in mind this is just the first version of the iPad, and if the product takes off, there will surely be many more versions to come. Apple is setting the stage for a very different type of computing experience.

I think the iPad could truly have some amazing implications for small-staff associations down the road (and so does our Director of Product Experience Kevin Patrick!).

I’ve written before about cloud computing, and this product could take that to a whole new level – especially because it syncs perfectly with Macs, PCs, iPhones, and iPod Touches through Apple’s MobileMe Storage. As technology moves to Web-only, devices such as the iPad will become even more mainstream because, as Jobs said, you’re literally “holding the Internet in your hands.”

The iPad and its subsequent versions could be extremely beneficial for small-staff associations. The amount of hardware needed at events would drastically diminish. For smaller meetings, all check-ins could be done instantly just by passing the device around the room.

I’d be willing to bet than many association management software companies are in the midst of developing iPhone and other smartphone apps for their products, especially amidst the buzz about mobile technology for associations in 2010.

But the iPad will also have access to Apple’s App Store, and will be able to run about 140,000 of them right away. Apps can also be synced with the iPhone or iPod touch, which could greatly streamline communication among staffers.

Although the iPad clearly won’t replace laptops (at least for awhile), the possibilities are still numerous. People who travel constantly and prefer not to carry their laptops could greatly benefit from owning an iPad, and I think the iPad dock, which includes a keyboard, is pretty spiffy.

In all honesty, I think the real “magic” (to quote Steve Jobs) of the iPad will come later, especially once developers begin creating apps for it. Additionally, I’d love to see Apple add a camera and video-chat capabilities (which would be amazing for small associations working remotely), as well as multitasking.

The release of the iPad is just the beginning. Right now, I think the device would be most beneficial at events – no matter how big or small. Exhibitors could easily run demos with iPads. It would make blogging-on-the-go a snap. Multimedia could be used in presentations more easily, and attendees could use iPads for receiving event updates and news.

Samuel J. Smith wrote an excellent post about the iPad for events and I agree with many of his points. Be sure to check it out – I especially love his idea for creating e-versions of meeting newsletters and exhibitor guides. Multimedia could be included in those, as well.

How would your association use an iPad? What are your initial thoughts about the device?

(All iPad images via Engadget.)

Organizations change over time. So does technology. With these realities in mind, MemberClicks, a leading provider of association management software for small-staff associations, is proud to launch the MemberClicks Maximization program. The program is designed to ensure that the expanding product capabilities are customized to meet customers’ evolving needs.

The initiative begins with a one-on-one consultation to understand the real needs of the organization, followed by tailored application and training to best meet those needs. By working with more than 1,400 organizations, MemberClicks will leverage best practices of associations in the areas of database structure, membership management, event registration and web design.

The Maximization initiative is designed to increase the level of engagement through extensive needs analysis, custom training programs, solution tune-ups, web site overhauls and more. The goal is for organizations to leverage the software’s appropriate functionality relative to their unique and changing needs.

One component of the program, the MemberClicks University group webinar series, covers a new training topic monthly.  It allows for highly interactive opportunities to learn best practices and exciting new capabilities of the solution with other MemberClicks customers.

“We’re excited to connect with our customers on a more personal level,” Maximization Lead Duncan McCreery said.  “We understand how much time and money organizations devote to updating the Web site and keeping the member database current, and we understand how difficult it is to accomplish this in an evolving and dynamic environment.”

“We never want to be satisfied with simply gaining a customer,” President Thomas Howard said.  “What really matters is that our solution truly meets their needs, and not just initially, but over the course of time as the landscape changes.”

For more information about the MemberClicks Maximization initiative, click here or e-mail max@memberclicks.com.