Where associations go wrong with CX and how to fix it

Previously, we’ve explored the importance of delivering a memorable customer experience. Yet for many associations, the experience members actually get isn’t moving the needle. MCI’s Association Engagement Index: A 10-year retrospective, based on more than 40,000 members and customers across 119 associations, found that overall engagement has held at a “moderate” score of 88 for a full decade (AMI Magazine). This time, we’ll look at the specific challenges associations face when crafting digital experiences for their members, and what they can do to break that plateau.

The missteps associations make in their customer experience delivery

Associations can face several challenges in delivering a positive customer experience. Here are some areas where associations may go wrong:

• Lack of member-centric approach: Associations sometimes focus more on their internal processes and goals rather than understanding and meeting the needs of their members. Failing to adopt a member-centric approach can result in disconnected experiences, irrelevant communication, and a lack of personalization.
• Ineffective communication strategies: They may struggle with communication strategies that are either too generic or overwhelming. Members may receive excessive emails or notifications that do not resonate with their interests or preferences. Poorly targeted communication can lead to member disengagement and dissatisfaction.
• Complex or outdated technology platforms: Associations that rely on legacy or complex technology platforms may provide a subpar digital experience for their members. Clunky interfaces, difficult navigation, and limited functionality can frustrate members and hinder their ability to access resources, participate in events, or interact with the association.
• Insufficient member engagement opportunities: Associations need to create meaningful engagement opportunities for their members to foster a sense of community and value. Failure to provide relevant and engaging content, networking opportunities, and member involvement can result in decreased participation and lower satisfaction levels.  
• Lack of personalization and customization: Associations that fail to personalize their interactions and offerings for their members miss out on the opportunity to provide tailored experiences. Generic content, events, or services may not resonate with individual member interests or professional needs, leading to a diminished customer experience.
• Inadequate feedback mechanisms: Associations may overlook the importance of actively seeking feedback from their members. Without feedback channels or mechanisms to gather insights, associations may miss valuable input on member needs, preferences, and areas for improvement.

To improve customer experience, associations should adopt a member-centric mindset, invest in user-friendly and integrated technology platforms, implement personalized communication strategies, provide relevant engagement opportunities, actively seek member feedback, and continuously assess and refine their customer experience strategies. By addressing these areas, associations can enhance member satisfaction, strengthen loyalty, and drive overall success.
 

How can DXPs help fix common membership problems?

A digital experience platform (DXP) provides associations with a comprehensive and integrated solution that enhances member engagement, personalization, and communication. By allowing them to gather and analyze member data, it helps them to better understand member preferences, behaviors, and needs so they can create personalized experiences, deliver targeted content, and tailor communications based on member interests and preferences. 

It can help them recommend relevant resources or events, customize the user interface based on member preferences, and ensure that each member receives a tailored experience. It also provides tools for managing and automating member communication across multiple channels, allowing associations to segment their member base, send relevant and timely messages, and utilize personalization features to improve the effectiveness of their communications.

Offering an integrated backend experience across various systems and technologies, such as content management, membership databases, event management, and e-commerce platforms, DXPs can streamline operations and eliminate data silos. This helps associations provide a consistent experience for members across touchpoints, enabling them to access resources, register for events, and engage with the association through one unified platform.

Allowing for the creation of enhanced member engagement opportunities, a DXP supports associations in building online communities, providing self-service portals, offering personalized recommendations, and facilitating networking opportunities, all of which promote member engagement and a sense of belonging. Take the World Travel & Tourism Council, for example. They increased engagement time per user by 22% after migrating to Xperience by Kentico. The council also grew unique active users by 11.5% and page views by 6.8%.

A DXP will often include features for collecting member feedback, such as surveys, polls, and ratings which associations can use to actively seek member input, understand their needs, and identify areas for improvement. Such feedback can inform decision-making and drive continuous enhancements to the customer experience.

7 ways DXPs support associations

Member data analytics turns everyday interactions, from page visits to event sign-ups, into a clear picture of what your members need. When associations put that data to work, they can deliver value at every stage of the member journey.

• Member data analytics
• Personalized experiences 
• Multichannel consistency 
• Builds community 
• Enables self-service 
• Automated communication 
• Member feedback 

Together, these capabilities help associations move from generic outreach to meaningful, relevant engagement that members notice. Each insight you gather makes the next interaction more useful, which strengthens loyalty and supports renewals. The associations that act on their member data today will be best positioned to grow and retain their membership long after tomorrow.

As easy as D-X-P

To improve customer experience, associations should adopt a member-centric mindset, invest in integrated technology platforms, and implement personalized communication strategies. By leveraging the capabilities of a DXP, associations can streamline operations, improve communication, and foster engagement, leading to a unified and personalized digital experience for members. This approach enhances member satisfaction, strengthens loyalty, and drives overall success.

Learn more about why Kentico is the right fit for membership organizations.