What is the most important factor in choosing a member management software? 

I hear it all the time... I LOVE my member management software... AND I hate my member management software. Whether you love yours or hate yours, I have some things for you to consider if you're thinking about switching. 

1. They are all 80 percent the same. It's the rest of the 20 percent that makes the big difference.

2. Half of that 20% is in the User Interface. If you love yours, it's because you know where to find the features you use regularly. If you hate yours, it's most likely because you haven't spent enough time to locate the reports or features you need. Prove me wrong while you roll your eyes at me... 

3. The other half of that 10% is in the customer service -- which comes in two forms. Proactive and reactive. Proactive customer service is when your member management software provider has anticipated your needs and questions for the most common applications. It should be easy to find instructions, links and videos explaining how to do something. Reactive customer service is a chat box or phone number. My "I hate my software" conversations end up with me asking, "Have you called customer support?" And the answer is almost always NO. Do your team a favor: Call the customer service number and get your problem solved so we can all prevent the hefty therapy bills.