Membership management software allows Canadian organizations to gather, store and manage information related to the membership of associations, communities, clubs, nonprofits, and several other membership-based organizations. Often, these solutions will primarily function as membership database software, allowing an organization to store information about members and manage individual member records. However, most solutions will go further, allowing organizations to manage renewals, communicate with members, share resources, and process payments.

Membership management or club membership software will also allow organizations across Canada to provide member-only services. This will typically be achieved through the provision of a membership portal, where active members can utilize self-service options to make payments, update personal information, access member-only online features, view exclusive content, and interact with the organization in other ways. Membership management software may also allow the organization and its members to share resources.

There are several possible reasons why a membership-based organization may invest in dedicated membership management software. These solutions make it easier to access important information about members and allow for the information to be organized logically and kept in one place. As a result, many administrative tasks can be made more efficient. Beyond this, the software can improve the membership experience, provide members with important information, and provide automation options so predictable tasks can be handled without direct human involvement.

Examples of organizations that may utilize membership management software include gyms, clubs, membership-focused businesses, nonprofit organizations, charities, and political parties. The software can also be used by businesses to manage online subscription services, customer loyalty programmes, and similar membership schemes.

In general, membership software of this kind can be categorized alongside other management-related software solutions, such as club management software and association management software. Additionally, it can perform similar functions to industry-specific software, like charity software or yoga studio software packages.

Features contained within the software of this kind can vary, as some solutions can be described as membership database software or membership CRM software, and others may function primarily as membership subscription software. Nevertheless, many of the membership management packages available are comprehensive options with a wide range of features, and some of the most common features will allow users to:

• Gather, store, manage, and access personal data about individual members
• Process membership applications and payments from new or existing members
• Communicate with members, share resources, and target members with marketing messages
• Provide members with access to a member portal, complete with exclusive, member-only features

What is membership management software?

Membership management software is the name given to software solutions designed for implementation by membership-based organizations across Canada looking to manage information related to their membership schemes. Also known as club membership software, these solutions allow organizations to keep information relevant to members in one easy-to-access location while also providing members with access to a members-only portal, where they can access exclusive services. This can help boost the efficiency of administrative tasks while enhancing the member experience.

Although many solutions of this kind will primarily function as a type of membership database software, where personal information and membership details can be stored, these packages will often have more advanced features, such as automation tools and payment processing. These can enable, for instance, membership renewals to be carried out automatically, without the need for human intervention. The precise options included within the members-only portal will depend on the software in question and the type of organization using it. However, it is common to be able to amend personal details, make payments, or cancel membership through the use of self-service options.

Membership management software can be utilized by several types of organizations, including gyms, leisure centres, associations, clubs, nonprofit organizations, political parties, and businesses offering subscription services, customer loyalty programmes, or other membership schemes. The software can allow these organizations to communicate more effectively with members, share resources, promote events, products, or services, and collect membership fees.

What are the benefits of membership management software?

The benefits of membership management software depend on its ability to help Canadian organizations manage an abundance of member data by storing it in one place and organizing it in logical ways. This means the organization can find the information they need easily and perform tasks more efficiently. Buyers must be aware of some of the specific benefits related to acquiring membership software and some of the specific ways it can be advantageous to use. Some of the main plus points include:

• Easy access to member data: One of the main benefits associated with the acquisition of membership software is the ability to access members' data quickly and easily. This occurs because most solutions include membership databases with individual entries for each member. Such a database will usually be fully searchable and contain contact details, personal information, and relevant data related to each membership itself, such as the membership tier and payment details. The ability for organizations to access information from a single place can help to minimize unnecessary data duplication and make it easier for employees to know precisely where to find information.
• Enhanced membership experience: Membership subscription software can help bring organizations or associations and their members closer together, ultimately resulting in a superior experience for those members. In particular, the software can provide members with access to a portal to access exclusive features or content and update their details. Moreover, members can often communicate with the organization or association they are a member of and access other resources. All of this provides greater transparency and insight into the organization and means members can understand precisely what information the organization has on them.
• Automated workflows: Many membership-based organizations can benefit substantially from the automation options contained within membership management software solutions. One of the best examples of this is the ability to automatically renew memberships once they expire if a member provides permission for that automatic renewal to occur. However, automation technology can also automatically send reminders stating renewal is due or automatically target specific members with specific services or marketing messages based on their circumstances. Ultimately, automation of repetitive, predictable or simple tasks can allow organizations and their employees to free up more time to spend on the more complicated activities.
• Greater efficiency and accuracy: The use of automation and the centralisation of member data can help boost efficiency within member-based organizations because many processes can be completed without human involvement, while the process of actually finding information is greatly sped up. This can also help organizations provide swifter and more clear answers to questions from members, subscribers, or customers because the information they need will be easier to find. In addition, automated data entry is less cumbersome than manual data entry, and it can also be more accurate. This results in greater data accuracy and fewer mistakes.

What are the features of membership management software?

The features of membership management software depend on its ability to function as a database, containing valuable information about individual members. There are a variety of core features—which help to define this particular software category and common features that are visible in most products of this kind. With this in mind, the most popular and most valuable features are outlined below:

• Member database: Create and maintain a database with individual entries for all members of a club, association, community, or organization. Each entry within the database will usually contain names, contact details, personal information, and data related to the membership itself. This membership data may include the type of membership, when the membership began, how long the membership is active, or when the membership should be renewed. Having all of this information available in a single location makes it easier for an organization to find specific data. Often, new database entries can be created automatically once a new member has their application approved. Organizations may also opt to delete database entries when membership expires or they may opt to retain the data so that a continuation of services can be delivered if a member rejoins at a later date.
• Member communication: Communicate with members, share important news, information, and resources, and receive inbound communications from members. Using membership management software, it will typically be possible to store communications from individual members to be referred back to in the future. This can be especially important for member organizations that need to deliver customer service or support because issues can be picked up again quickly and seamlessly. Effective communication with members is vital for small businesses. For Canadian businesses not using a CRM tool, membership management solutions can serve a similar role, removing the need to invest in a dedicated CRM solution while providing many of the same benefits.
• Application management: Provide the option for individuals to apply for membership and work through membership applications, gathering all relevant information to approve or decline the application. Depending on the nature of the membership-based organization, approval could also be carried out automatically—once the relevant information has been submitted and a payment method has been validated. Most application management options will allow users to view an application, see all of the details, view the current status of the application, and advance the application to the next stage of the process. This feature will also allow users to cancel applications at the request of applicants or refuse applications if the approval criteria are not met. Again, refusals can potentially be fully automated. Emails can also be sent to applicants, confirming approval or explaining the refusal.
• Member portal: Provide members with access to a members-only portal, complete with a variety of self-service options. Depending on the nature of the member organization, club or association, these self-service options may include updating personal information and contact details, changing membership type, communicating with the organization, communicating with other members, making payments, and accessing exclusive members-only features and content. The member portal will usually require login credentials, such as a username and password. Generally speaking, when a user cancels their membership or fails to renew it, their access to the member portal will either be cut off or restricted so that members-only services and content cannot be accessed.
• Payment processing: Process payments from members or applicants, and record all of the relevant information linked to those payments. Several payment methods can often be accepted, including credit card payments, debit card payments, and payments made using digital or mobile wallets. The best solutions will also automatically generate invoices and create a digital record of all financial transactions to be referred to in the future. Often, the software can automatically send out payment reminders too. Increasingly, payment processing also needs to factor in cryptocurrency, as this is likely to become more crucial in the years to come.
• Membership renewals: Process membership renewal requests and handles all other administrative tasks related to membership renewals. The best membership management software packages will include automation options here, allowing renewals to automatically occur at the end of a membership cycle, as long as the member has opted into this service. Members should also have the option to manually renew memberships, allowing them to renew before the end of their subscription period or after their previous membership expires. Part of the renewal process will also be communicating with members approaching the end of their current membership cycle to encourage them to renew their subscriptions. Most solutions will also allow organizations to offer different renewal terms, allowing for monthly or annual renewals, depending on the preferences of each member.
• Email marketing: Integrate email marketing campaigns with wider membership management practices. This feature will generally allow software users to send email marketing materials to all members or target members on a more individual basis. In many cases, marketing campaigns can be fully automated, targeting members if they meet certain criteria, such as if their membership is active for a certain period. Members may also be targeted with marketing materials based on their preferences, activity, location, age, gender, or similar factors. Furthermore, members approaching the end of their current membership period can be targeted with marketing materials designed to encourage them to renew their membership.

Capterra's membership management software directory provides options to filter the available applications based on the features included. This means a buyer can begin their search for membership software by focusing on the options that are most likely to be suitable while eliminating the options that will not be viable due to lacking crucial features. As a result, the entire search for software becomes more convenient and efficient.

What should be considered when purchasing membership management software?

When purchasing a membership management solution, several considerations need to be focused on. In general, buyers need to ask themselves some key questions, which will help them understand which software package is likely to be the most suitable option for their specific needs and help them ascertain precisely what those needs are. In particular, the following are good questions to ask:

• How much does membership management software cost? One of the most important considerations when exploring different membership management solutions is the cost of each software package. It is important to note that the issue of cost can be greatly affected by the type of software. For instance, cloud-based solutions are often delivered on a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) basis, with the user paying a regular subscription fee, whereas on-premise software will usually be paid for upfront via a one-off fee. However, the issue of cost needs to be considered on a more in-depth level than this, and organizations should contemplate the total cost of ownership and use. This will mean factoring in any expense associated with setting the software up, storing the membership data, keeping data secure, training employees to use the software, and accessing technical support. The issue of cost can be crucial for those acquiring membership software for nonprofits.
• How can members’ data be kept secure? Gathering data from members is vital for many organizations, especially for member portal software, where members need to access self-service features. However, customers, subscribers, and members of organizations are increasingly concerned with the safety of their data being in the hands of third parties and want to know that their information is secure. Of course, organizations have concerns beyond this too. Legislation makes it essential that they are transparent with customer data and they take appropriate steps to protect it. This means that there are obligations beyond simply keeping members happy. Therefore, any acquisition of membership management software needs to prioritize data security and checking for security features is a major consideration.
• What is the best software deployment method? The issue of which deployment method to use for membership management software also needs to be weighed up carefully. The two approaches here are on-premise deployment, which is a more traditional method, and cloud-based deployment, which utilizes modern cloud technology. The former approach provides a greater sense of control, although startup costs can be significantly higher. With this method, an organization purchases the software licence and is then responsible for installing it on company systems and storing relevant data. Security is primarily handled in-house, but accessibility is less flexible than the alternative. With the cloud-based approach, startup costs are extremely low, although the long-term costs may end up higher due to ongoing subscription fees. Responsibility for deploying the software and handling data and security are all taken on by a third-party service provider. Although it does involve surrendering some level of control to third-party, cloud-based software has major advantages in terms of remote accessibility and compatibility with several internet-enabled devices. Researching the pros and cons and arriving at a conclusion about the best approach for an organization's specific needs is a vital part of acquiring modern software.
• Can membership software contend with growth? Finally, it is crucial to consider whether a chosen membership software package will be able to contend with the growth of a member-based organization over time. As more members successfully apply or subscribe, an organization may wish to expand its range of offerings or even introduce different membership tiers or different types of membership. Even without this, growth is going to mean successfully handling more members' data, complete with all of the obligations to keep that information safe and secure. Successfully achieving all of this will require robust and flexible software, which is fully scalable, and will allow for such growth to occur without causing any unexpected issues.
• Is the membership management software mobile compatible? For both employees and members alike, mobile accessibility is a key issue. More and more employees utilize mobile devices either within the workplace or when working remotely, and this is a good argument in favour of utilizing cloud-based software, as this is typically more mobile-friendly. With that being said, some on-premise solutions also offer mobile apps, allowing employees to carry out the most crucial tasks using a mobile phone or tablet. It can also be vital to make the member portal mobile accessible and optimize the interface so that it can be used effectively on a smaller mobile screen.

What are the most relevant membership management software trends?

The most relevant membership management software trends need to be carefully considered before purchasing. The best software packages will be designed with an awareness of current, emerging, and possible future trends, and this will help to make those packages more viable for long-term use. By contrast, software solutions that do not give ample consideration to the major trends may become less viable after a relatively short period, making them a worse long-term investment. Some of the most notable trends in this area include:

• Increased prevalence of remote work: A variety of factors, ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to the increased reliability of cloud computing, have helped increase the prevalence of remote work across a wide range of industries and apply to member-based organizations. However, organizations must understand the challenges related to remote and hybrid work models, and this is especially true concerning security. For instance, Capterra's 2021 research on the subject found that despite 74% of remote workers wanting to stay in the same job having been working from home, and despite organizations' increased tendency to provide remote or hybrid work options, just 16% of remote workers had received IT security training. In addition to outlining the importance of resolving this problem, such research helps to highlight the value of finding membership management software and other software solutions which have in-built security features. It may also be another solid argument in favour of cloud-based solutions, where a third-party service provider can help oversee a reliable security strategy.
• Artificial intelligence for retention: The final membership management software trend that buyers need to be aware of before making a purchasing decision is related to artificial intelligence. This technology is disrupting most software categories, but it can be especially beneficial within membership solutions because it can be deployed for membership retention purposes. In simple terms, artificial intelligence technology can help identify trends among members who cancel their membership or among members who fail to renew, and this can be done much faster than with human involvement. Once trends have been identified, organizations can begin to consider whether actions can be taken to reduce member turnover. At the same time, AI may predict which members are most likely to renew, and organizations can use this to strategically target these members.
• Growth of cryptocurrencies: Many organizations, associations, and clubs across Canada require payment in exchange for membership, and it can be crucial to try to meet a member or subscriber's demands in this area. In recent times, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have emerged as more viable mainstream payment methods. In fact, 1 in 4 respondents of Capterra’s 2022 cryptocurrency report are currently using digital coins, and there are plus points associated with the use of these currencies, which may appeal to members of some organizations. With this in mind, it is worth exploring whether or not membership management software will allow crypto payments to be accepted.

Sources:

The features highlighted were identified based on their relevance and the percentage of products in Capterra's directory that offer them. The following sources were used for this document:

1. Productivity when working from home: 7 insights from Canadian employees - Capterra Canada Blog (Date accessed: Monday, December 5, 2022)

2. The top crypto trends in Canada: 62% open to cryptocurrency salaries - Capterra Canada Blog (Date accessed: Monday, December 5, 2022)