Introduction
The word itself — integration — can put some association leaders on edge. It can be a challenge to keep up with technology and streamline our systems. However, if your organization’s learning management system (LMS) is supported by the right platform, you can discover the value and reap the benefits of a successful association management software (AMS) + LMS integration.
With any luck, this blog will help your association understand the value of these AMS + LMS integrations, particularly for their potential to streamline project management and boost your organization’s bottom line. Continue reading to learn more.
An introduction to AMS + LMS integrations
Let’s start with the basics. Association management software (AMS) typically houses most contact information of your association’s members, along with data like when membership began and renewal date. Your association more than likely relies on more than one type of software system. Integrating your AMS and LMS allows the information you’ve stored to be shared between platforms, which eliminates issues like duplicate or inaccurate records tied to your members.
While this certainly cleans up data and streamlines processes for your association, the real benefit from an AMS + LMS integration comes from putting yourself in your member’s shoes.
Here are eight ways your AMS + LMS integration should enhance the member and learner experience:
1. Support customer convenience with Single Sign-On (SSO)
Most of us would agree that we have too many accounts and logins to keep up with — from online banking to multiple email accounts, rewards programs, and retailers. It’s easy to forget passwords and feel frustrated when trying to simply access whatever information you need.
So, from a consumer perspective, an AMS + LMS integration removes some of these headaches by ensuring that all pertinent information is accessible via a single sign-on or SSO. Whether a learner is trying to access your website, content catalog, or online courses, they can do so with an LMS like Freestone, which seamlessly syncs with the user data in your AMS.
2. Simplify e-commerce and registration by syncing member orders
You’ve taken the time to create a compelling catalog of courses and educational opportunities available for download or purchase. Now, you need to ensure purchases made through your LMS communicate with your AMS, so you’ll have updated and accurate records about your members, like the types of courses purchased and the credits they have earned to date.
By managing your association’s e-commerce and registration information with a single system, you can establish whichever storefront supports your learners and your association’s LMS. The best storefront, depending on your association’s goals, might be your AMS, a CMS, or Freestone’s award-winning platform.
3. Give credit where it’s due
Credit tracking is particularly important for learners pursuing various continuing education credits, accreditations, certifications, or licensing. Integrating your association LMS and AMS allows both your association and individual learners to track progress and ensure credit is recorded for courses completed.
Integration can also share more detailed information captured by the LMS, like scores, duration devoted to completing certain tasks or modules, which is useful data to include in the AMS member record. By tracking learner progress, including performance on assessments like quizzes and even more basic information, such as attendance, your LMS can communicate with your AMS on larger points like required course completion for credits.
4. Automatically update your content catalog
Given that your association makes money through content creation and the sale of that content, it’s imperative that the content is updated consistently to offer optimal value to your learners. For this reason, your AMS and LMS should be integrated so that course updates made in your AMS are automatically realized in your LMS, which saves time associated with data entry.
5. Increase efficiency and convenience for your learners and staff
By integrating your AMS with an LMS like Freestone, you will save time and deliver a better experience for your learners, certainly, but also your staff. What’s more, by streamlining your systems, accessing member information, content, downloads, and purchases will be much more convenient for your members and learners, which will make your association shine.
“Speedy and accommodating turnaround on contract updates so we could meet the needs of our members. Pleasant, knowledgeable, professional, and on-the-ball support for our live programs.” — Freestone LMS customer
6. Inspire learner and member engagement
A seamless integration between your LMS and AMS can increase the value of your memberships and make connections easier in support of stronger networks.
“Helpful for launching a new online conference.” — Freestone LMS customer
7. Communicate clearly and quickly
Once your AMS and LMS are integrated, your staff will be able to reach out to members easily, which will help with your marketing efforts. For example, you can create custom email contact lists to connect more meaningfully with specific members about suggested or requested content. Ultimately, this can lead to more course content purchases.
“I like the simple authoring tools. It makes it easy to create surveys, add materials and create learning.” —Freestone LMS customer
8. Grow faster as an organization
By reviewing the insights inherent in your AMS + LMS integration, you will have the knowledge to make better decisions on behalf of your organization, which should support faster, strategic growth, ensuring you hit your goals.
“Really, I can’t say enough about how much I appreciate the team and the Freestone product. It’s a great feeling to know I’m in good hands with them in every aspect of our LMS use.” —Freestone LMS customer
Industries that can benefit from an AMS + LMS integration
It’s hard to imagine an industry that wouldn’t benefit from an LMS + AMS integration. At Freestone, our expertise includes a diverse portfolio of clients from the nonprofit, law, accounting, engineering, insurance, real estate, and software and technology sectors.