Planning a switch of membership system can be a useful process for associations and organisations. It gives you the opportunity to review what you do today and how you do it. There may be processes that are unnecessary or complicated and should be reconsidered, or things you really need to start doing. Switching membership systems also provides a unique opportunity to tidy up, by reviewing all the data collected over several years and getting a better overview of your members. The whole process can generate interest in and focus on what matters, and on the opportunities you have to develop the association.
Here are some tips: what are your real needs, and what should you think about?
1. Choose a system with simple and secure payment solutions
We all want to feel safe when we shop online, because we want to be able to trust that payment is made securely in a way that protects our personal data.
The smoother the experience is for customers, the more likely it is that a purchase will be completed. By offering several payment methods and the option to save details, you will not lose purchases because of unnecessary complications. Not least, the invoice must be easily accessible, whether via email, My Page or the app, where members themselves can see what needs to be paid.
As an association, you often charge for membership fees, activities, registrations or other things that are an important source of income for the association. It is just as important to make it easy to invoice and keep track of what has been paid and what is unpaid. You can send out emails and reminders and check the status of payments at any time.
Struggling to collect membership fees? Read more here.
2. Communication
Communication is demanding – but it can be done efficiently. Communication is often the key to success. When you choose a membership system that gives you a good overview of all your members, you should also make sure you can communicate with them from the same system. With many members, it can be difficult to keep track and collect membership fees, and even harder to reach everyone with important information.
Good communication is crucial for an association to function well and efficiently – whether it concerns allocating shifts, running events, changing training times, course registrations, notices of meetings or recording payments. Problems are often simply down to poor communication – not having good enough tools to reach everyone. That is why it is important to have good communication tools such as email, SMS, direct messages and the option to send push notifications via an app.
One system – integrated with the membership system – right on your phone will radically improve communication for the vast majority of associations. Rubic's messaging system is powerful and simple. With just a few taps, you can easily reach all your members or individual members.
3. A membership system with a companion app
A membership system should be easy for users and easily accessible, ideally with everything in one place, right in your pocket on your phone. As an organisation, you need a system that works both for members of all ages and for the support staff. With an app, the threshold for getting involved, getting to grips with the features and using it every day is lower.
“Rubic Connect – one app for everything!”
Rubic was the first in Norway with both an app and a member register, and sees a great advantage in the app coming first. We have long experience, and a new generation of Rubic is arriving right now. This autumn we are launching a brand-new app, “Rubic Connect”, which will replace LagetMitt.
4. Tailor-made and adapted to each role
Rubic membership systems are used by sports clubs, event organisers and associations alike. They are also used by national federations such as Norsk selskap for fotografi (NSFF) and Norges Skytterforbund (NSF), which have very special and complex challenges. We recently launched a new system for the Oslo regional association of Norsk kolonihageforbund, with a specially developed waiting list system. My Page, invoicing and waiting lists are handled by Rubic's standard membership system.
Rubic is built to make customisation easy, and we see our long experience with tailor-made solutions for all kinds of associations as a great advantage. It also means we can offer good prices on customising the membership system. The system is developed in Norway and is therefore adapted to the reality and needs of Norwegian associations.
In an organisation, sports club or association, some people are paid while others work as volunteers. It is important to choose a system that is tailored to the different roles and positions you have. That frees up time. If you allocate training times, you do not need the same access as the finance function. In Rubic, the interface is adapted to each role, and all functions that are unnecessary for your role have been removed. When you log in as general manager, coach, volunteer coordinator or board member, you will have access to the functions that make your tasks easier.
5. Organise your volunteers systematically
The most important people in Norway's culture of volunteer work (dugnad) are the volunteers. Those who take on positions of trust and act as driving forces – they are the ones who spend their free time keeping the wheels turning. To keep these people, it is important to have tools that make things simpler. With simple, clear digital solutions, you eliminate the manual tasks. That frees up time for what matters and increases the desire to contribute. It also helps prevent high turnover in key roles.
For most event organisers, getting enough volunteers every year is the really big job. The recruitment process can be challenging, and after 2 years of the pandemic it has not become any easier for event organisers. Fortunately, there are always some enthusiasts who loyally turn up year after year, but you usually need far more than that. It then helps a lot if the event organiser has a well-functioning recruitment system that is easily accessible and makes it simple to sign up. We also see that it pays off, and is easy, to let volunteers choose their own shifts – see how Norway Cup has solved this.
An app for volunteers with a communication platform, an overview of shifts, accreditation and communication. The recently launched Rubic Connect app is actively used by both the event organisers and the volunteers. In the app, volunteers get an overview of their shifts with the related information. Those in charge can easily communicate via group messages and find the volunteers' contact details. There is also a news feed in the app, where you can easily post important messages and status updates and also upload photos.
6. Easily accessible support and advice
Are you thinking of switching from old to new? For every association, team and sports club, there comes a time when it is time to switch to a new system for member management. Taking on the responsibility for such a transition can, however, seem daunting for even the strongest leader. But you no longer need to worry. At Rubic, we guide you through the entire process and make sure you arrive safely with your new system. At Rubic, we place great emphasis on support from start to finish, and we are always available to our customers.
In addition to a good support department with help articles and personal support, we also offer a support agreement that we call Rubic Kompis. We created this agreement precisely because a lot of association work and work in other organisations is done on a voluntary basis. To make the work a little easier for you, we can take on some of the most time-consuming and tedious tasks. In short: we do the job for you!
Rubic makes membership and association work simple, efficient and fun!
Get in touch, and together we will look at what Rubic can do for your organisation.