NetForum is association management software (AMS) built for medium to large associations.
Here are some of the top reasons why associations turn to NetForum for their AMS solution.
For 20 years, NetForum has been meeting the needs of mid-to-large sized associations. It’s a modern association management software (AMS) solution that offers unmatched out-of-the-box functionality, limitless flexibility, and modern enterprise architecture. NetForum provides the tools, information, and inspiration your organization needs to achieve sustainable growth and deliver great member experiences.
Let’s take a look at 15 reasons why associations turn to NetForum every day for their AMS solution:
1. Built for associations
NetForum was built intentionally to support associations more than 20 years ago by current NetForum General Manager, Tim Ward. “We decided we were going to create a brand new AMS platform from the ground-up for the web.” According to Tim, “What’s happened with the product and community is beyond anything we could have imagined, in a good way.” Due to being built for associations, NetForum includes extensive functionality to help you manage everything from memberships and marketing to fundraising and accounting.
Here are some of the available features and functionalities:
- Abstract management
- Accounting (financial management)
- Accreditation management
- Administration
- Advertising management
- Awards management
- Case management
- Certification management/Continuing education
- Chapter management
- Content management system (CMS)
- Committee management
- Conflict of Interest (COI) management
- Credentialing engine
- Customer relationship management (CRM)
- Discussion groups
- eCommerce
- eMarketing
- Event registration
- Events
- Exhibit management
- Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- Fundraising
- Grants management
- Grassroots management
- Inventory
- Job board
- Member directory
- Member Portal (self-service)
- Membership management
- Moves management
- My transactions
- Profile management
- Reports
- Sales
- Subscriptions
- Time and billing management
- Toolkit
- Website request management
2. Flexible customization options
When you have complex processes and unique needs that can’t be addressed through software configuration alone, flexibility, scalability, and customization are major benefits of NetForum. With NetForum, the underlying Microsoft technology platform allows your developers to go down to the .NET base code to tailor the system to your exact needs. Your internal developer team or our team of in-house professionals can build custom solutions, when needed.
3. Boundless integration potential
NetForum employs open APIs to integrate with leading service and application providers to provide best-of-breed technologies for everything your organization needs – from social media and digital marketing to accounting and finance solutions. Partners appreciate NetForum’s straightforward certification process and complete XML integration library, while clients appreciate the diversity of products and services available.
4. Proven Microsoft technology platform
NetForum Cloud was created in partnership with Microsoft. Our research team collaborated with Microsoft to review architecture, offer guidance and help us to navigate NetForum’s place in the Azure Marketplace. This allows NetForum Cloud to bring cutting-edge technology to our customers faster and more reliably. Here are some of the benefits of of our Microsoft Partnership:
- Best-in-class security and reliability
- 1 TB of Azure document storage
- Global Azure disaster recovery
- A broad range of training and education options
5. Modern cloud architecture
NetForum brings you cutting-edge cloud capabilities built on the Microsoft Azure cloud computing platform for enhanced data security and governance, powerful scalability, and optimal performance. Benefits include
- No more weekly maintenance or patches, giving you more time for your IT team to focus on organizational goals
- Improved reliability on par with Salesforce, with 99.9 – 99.99 uptime
- Self-healing infrastructure that responds to higher workloads and be adjusted
- No versions, as all NetForum Cloud customers, users, and their members will be on the same version
- Automatic updates that are seamlessly rolled out four times per year
6. Optional automatic updates (your choice!)
With NetForum, you can schedule product updates, or they can happen automatically while your organization sleeps – based on your location anywhere in the world – with no added charge. So, even if you opt for the convenience of automation, there’s no need to worry about budgeting for it.
7. Predictable costs
Your association must be careful with budgets and control future costs as best as possible. The NetForum fee structure supports your bottom line with a fixed-cost structure, no charge for quarterly product updates, and no charge for external customer relationship management (CRM) software, as NetForum includes built-in CRM functionality
8. Fast implementation option
NetForum offers an optimized implementation with pre-configured modules for when you need a faster, budget-friendly alternative to customized implementation. You can get up-and-running in a flash
9. Easy process automation
NetForum allows you to simplify and streamline your day-to-day operations by automating common tasks using a graphical workflow builder. You can define the automation as a specific response to an activity, such as sending a welcome email, or by building a combination of action items to create a complete set of actions, such as processing a product return
10. Advanced member engagement scoring
NetForum’s proprietary A-Score™ technology measures the engagement of your members based on your organization’s unique needs. You can determine the interactions most meaningful to your organization, and then weight their value and analyze member history to see which individuals are most involved. This type of insight helps you make smarter, faster decisions when it comes to connecting with your members
11. Powerful reporting
NetForum provides 300 standard reports for visibility into the health of your organization. It also allows you to quickly modify standard reports without the need for IT help. And NetForum includes configurable dashboards for a quick view of key data. In just a few clicks, you can drill into a graph or chart to view the data behind it, and then drill down further to obtain a list
12. Support when you need it
The NetForum support team consists of experienced technical professionals who are ready to help. Customer support is available by phone, email, and online via the NetForum Support web portal, where you can log requests, which are then given tracking numbers for easy reference. Plus, you have a Customer Account Manager and a Customer Success Manager to help.
13. Self-service when you want it
When you want to help yourself, NetForum end-user documentation, including the entire user manual, is accessible online. In addition, you have access to technical and new release documentation as well as documentation for data structures, reporting tools, developer’s toolkit, and content management system (CMS). This information is supplemented with customer comments and code samples.
14. Robust user community
The NetForum Users’ Group is an active, independent group with about 700 members. The group facilitates communication among users of NetForum and provides a unified point of view in discussions with the NetForum team. The group focuses on solution sharing by pooling resources and information, and also promotes the long-term success of the product by providing support for the NetForum team through market research and product testing, among other initiatives.
15. The power of the Community Brands family
NetForum is part of Community Brands’ connected network of solutions for associations, including solutions for learning management, career center, events, fundraising, and fund accounting. The products work even better together to help your team operate efficiently and effectively while driving membership growth, engagement, and revenue, as well as enhancing member value.
Here are two NetForum integrations that are part of Community Brands solutions that you can benefit from:
Next-level data analytics – Nucleus, the first data analytics solution developed specifically for associations, can be added to NetForum. It works with NetForum to provide association staff, leadership, chapters, members, and boards with the insights they need to make more informed business decisions – no training needed to get started!
The career resources your members want – YM Careers job board software and career solutions can help you generate thousands in non-dues revenue and attract new members year-round. You can easily build an online career center that enhances the member experience by providing the career development resources members continually seek.
Learn more
NetForum is a long-term solution that future-proofs your technology investment. Our team has included everything you need to support your organization now and as you continue to grow.
See firsthand why your association will love NetForum: Request a NetForum demo.
