Key Services
Association Management Company Advantage
A Valuable, Efficient Partner for Associations
Once an association reaches a certain size and scope, managing the organization becomes too time-consuming for volunteers. At that time, the choice for effective association management generally boils down to two options: 1) an employed, “captive” association staff and a stand-alone office facility, or 2) an association management company (AMC).
More than 3,000 associations, with combined annual budgets totaling more than $2 billion, are managed by AMCs. The reason: professional management companies frequently provide more value for associations than a
captive staff.
Added Value: Productive Use of Leaders’ Time
Time volunteered by association leaders is a precious commodity. With an AMC, association officers and boards of directors do not deal with administrative tasks such as staff turnover, payroll, benefits, insurance, capital expenditures and leases. Relieved of this burden, elected leaders can focus their energies on vision, policy, strategy and leadership.
Added Value: High-Caliber Executive Leadership
Management firms are fast-paced, dynamic organizations that attract high-caliber professionals from a wide range of fields. The results can be dynamic, aggressive management. Further, management company executives work for a for-profit enterprise whose success and growth is largely dependent on the success and growth of its clients. Consequently, they manage associations like a business, with a sharp eye for opportunities and a keen sense for the bottom line.
AMCs manage associations like a business, with a sharp eye for opportunities and a keen sense for the bottom line.
Salaries and benefits for top association executives can be very expensive and out of reach for many associations. Top quality management is far more obtainable through AMCs where the chief staff executive can devote full attention to executive management issues and, unlike at many captive organizations, delegate lesser priorities to other staff. AMC clients routinely benefit from the insight, experience and leadership of a seasoned executive director, who works closely with a management support team.
Added Value: Expert, Efficient Support for Programs & Services
Many associations cannot attract, afford or keep staff with experience in all key areas of association management. An AMC-managed association can access experts to fill specific needs…but the association pays only for the time those experts are needed.
At the top association management companies, specialists in meetings and exhibitions management, public relations, government affairs, communications, Internet services, membership recruitment and retention, and other association functions are available to clients on a full-time basis - without burdening the association with managing full-time employees.
Specialists are available to clients on a full-time basis - without burdening the association with managing full-time employees.
Added Value: Flexibility & Adaptability
Just as successful companies evolve to meet changing customer needs, associations must constantly change to meet the needs of the industries and professions they represent. The depth and breadth of resources that can be available through a management firm eliminates barriers to change that are common with “captive” associations. Reacting to new policies, programs and market factors, AMC-managed associations can staff-up or scale-down on short notice without the association wasting time and resources to hire, fire or search for personnel or outsourced services.
AMC-managed associations can staff-up or scale-down on short notice without the association wasting time and resources to hire, fire or search for personnel or outsourced services.
Associations also benefit from the continuity afforded by the depth of management at top association management companies. For example, when an executive leaves an association, disruptions and significant downtime are common. This problem is minimized and even eliminated by those AMCs where backup executives are assigned to associations. In the event of management staff turnover, a new, informed executive director can step in virtually at a moment’s notice.
Synergies with AMCs
Executive Input. Executives at the top, accredited management firms do not work in a vacuum. They are stimulated by a continuous flow of ideas and perspectives from their executive colleagues at the company. Association clients benefit from the experience of their own chief executive, as well as that of a team of seasoned association executives.
Professional Staff Support. In addition, an AMC can offer associations a broad-based repository of knowledge and creativity through its professional staff, which translates into well-conceived, tested products and programs for association members.
Relationships. AMC association clients can benefit from the company’s contacts and relationships within government, media and third-party organizations established as part of activity for other client associations.
Specialized Services. AMC clients often share the costs of valuable services (e.g., information retrieval, media and government monitoring) that otherwise might not be affordable.
Buying Power. Management companies use their clients’ collective buying power to negotiate the best possible rates with hotel properties, printers, speakers and other vendors.
Facilities. The top, accredited management firms invest heavily in the latest technology and equipment. Association clients benefit from state-of-the-art communications systems, computer networks, information systems, Internet services, etc., which otherwise would be beyond an association’s financial reach. Typically, client associations can save money on overhead costs (e.g., for office equipment, space and furniture) because the costs are shared among clients and covered as part of the AMC’s management fees.
Frequently Asked Questions about AMCs
How Can an AMC Executive be as Accessible as a “Full-Time” Executive?
Should an association require it, AMCs can and do assign executives and other staff on a 100% basis. However, in many cases this is neither required nor best for the association. At the top AMCs, executives and staff are available on a full-time basis although they also may have other responsibilities for other associations. When managed properly, staff responsiveness and overall service to the association is enhanced by an AMC.
How Can an Association Maintain a Sense of Identity When Managed by an AMC?
Management companies go to great lengths to ensure an association’s individual identity, including the use of association-specific letterhead, business cards, Web sites, individual directory listings and, if needed, dedicated phone lines. External audiences that contact AMC clients rarely are aware that the association is being managed by a company. As for members, they typically are pleased that their organization's management and programs are in the hands of a substantial, experienced management firm.
Can an AMC Provide the Same Dedication as a Captive Staff?
AMC executives are no less dedicated than their “captive” counterparts. It is common for AMC executives to become publicly recognized experts and spokespersons on issues related to the associations they manage. At the top management companies, these dedicated professionals become industry leaders who effect changes (e.g., regulations, legislation, industry professionalism, market development and public opinion) that enhance members’ ability to succeed.
Can AMCs Effectively Manage Larger Associations?
AMCs’ ability to successfully manage associations of different sizes is limited only by the extent of a management firm’s available resources. AMCs effectively manage associations with annual budgets as high as $5 million or more.
Do AMCs Cost Less than Captive Management?
A quality association management company generally is not a cheaper alternative to a “captive” staff. More often, however, AMCs are a cost-effective alternative, delivering higher quality service for the resources available.
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