Novi AMS

Yes, they get 5 stars for each of the categories, becasue they are really good. But my review is more about the people and culture of the company. The care and compasion they give goes beyond what is measured in stars per caterory. Never have I experience a company that offers to help you in time of need, in time of stress, in times of uncertanity the way they did this past year of Covid-19.  It wasn't about dollars and cents, it was about compasion, caring, and understanding the needs of a client.  It literally made me cry.  Thease are featured that are hard to quantify, but mean more than stars.  Novi is truly the best.

We are a 501-c-6 with around 425 members and 6,000 records. Novi is our third AMS in seven years; we outgrew the first and the second was basically a terrible experience. So when we read the reviews on this platform about how wonderful Novi is, we were a bit skeptical. We'd "been there, done that" and felt pretty realistic about what we could expect from an AMS system. As the ED I was particularly cautious as having to sell my Board on yet another AMS switch was not something I relished. We have now been with Novi for about a year and we are highly satisfied. In fact, our database manager jokingly says, "If Novi were a person, I'd marry it." Here are the things that have been the most beneficial to us:

• The team is really patient during the purchase process. They tell you the truth, and they don't disappear after you sign.
• Onboarding is simple. They handle a lot of it and help you problem-solve in real time. They don't leave you to your own devices or let you import garbage and then later throw up their hands because "it's a data problem." They help you get it right in the beginning.
• The front end of the website is impressive. We get compliments on it all the time.
• The entire platform (website, member portal, database) is intuitive and easy to use. The website in particular is truly WYSIWYG, and very stable, so that a non-designer/non-coder can easily update and maintain it.
• Reports are easy to build and access.
• When the occasional bug occurs (we've had maybe 2-3 in a year) the Novi team owns it and gets it fixed pretty much immediately. No more "it's a known issue" and then no progress for months, which is what we used to experience with other AMSs.
• Novi is always working on improvements and they actually do take feedback seriously. Importantly, when they roll out an update it generally does not make mysterious things happen to your website or data, which is something that was routine on our prior platforms.
• THEY ARE RESPONSIVE! If you have a problem, open a ticket, need to ask a question, etc, real human beings—that you might actually know—will help you solve the issue, often within a very short time frame. And, amazingly enough, they continue to do this after you are out of the sales/onboarding phase. They apparently treat all their customers as "kind of a big deal."

When we were shopping for the system and chose Novi, I somewhat wondered if the reviews on "Review My AMS" were paid, or maybe the owners' moms had written them because they were so gushing. But after 35 years in nonprofit management, this is hands-down the best software and best team I've ever worked with. So here I am, gushing also. And I am nobody's mom.

 

 

 

I wrote this review a few years ago and I thought I would comeback and re-review Novi. The product only gets better. The Novi team is always updating and improving the AMS. We are now running a trade association, a professional society and a 501-c3 school on Novi. I can not tell you how happy we are on Novi! my original review below

"We have used a several different systems over the last 9 years and have been disappointed with those products. We switched to Novi a few months ago and it has been great! The Novi team told us that the system was designed by both Association Executives and computer code writers. Well it feels like AE's where involved! The system is intuitive and simple to use by tech savvy team members and not so tech savvy team members. Did I mention that it syncs directly to Quickbooks online. Demo this product you will not be disappointed."

 

 

 

We decided to switch to Novi in March and we are now up and running!  The entire conversion process was excellent. The Novi staff is awesome and super responsive.  The integration with QBO is seamless and incredibly easy to convert.  Process changes were simple and have improved our overall workflow.  Before we decided to purchase Novi I spoke with another customer and he said "Adding Novi was like hiring another employee...".  This is 100% accurate but now that we have converted I would amend this to say, "Adding Novi was like hiring a team of employees!"

We love working with the Novi Team!  The product is outstanding, but what makes them is the team behind the product.  They are responsive, intelligent and easy to work with.  And they listen.  I can't recommend them enough.  Any company looking for an AMS absolutely cannot go wrong with Novi.  

Start with a product that actually works ... add a customer service team that responds almost before I answer the question, and finish it all off with a development team that wants to hear from us and follows through with the suggestions that we make. Simply amazing.

It was built by trade association execs, and you can FEEL that when navigating the admin side. It's just easy to use. Powerful, but easy. And the system has seen tons of updates and now works well for individual member societies as well. The admin section has a modern and sleek feel to it, which is a nice upgrade from so many that have an old school-clunky feel.

The QuickBooks connection is ... simply put ... the gold standard in the industry. NO ONE can compete with this integration. And it's not even close.

When you sign on with Novi you do not just start a new way to work, you start a new lifestyle.  The Novi community works more like a family, full of people who care about your success and are always ready to help when you have a question.  My journey with them started in the fall of 2016.  I have to admit to you that I am of an age to have grown to be a very skeptical person.  When I first learned about converting to Novi, I thought, "Oh, No!  Here is another thing to worry about" now, 3 years later, I say proudly, "You need Novi !"  Prior to Novi, I was used to other systems making incorrect entries into the QuickBooks records which caused me to spend countless extra hours cleaning up and correcting the financial data.  For the first 3 months we had Novi I would literally enter something in Novi and then immediately go into Quickbooks to see how it was recorded there.  I did this with about every transaction for those 3 months until I came to the conclusion that Novi was doing everything properly and that I really had nothing to worry about.  That was also the day I realized just how much time Novi would save me allowing me to handle other tasks that could use more time and focus.  Last fall I became a QB Certified Advanced Online ProAdvisor which then led my career to take another path that now allows me to work with multiple companies/associations who have signed on with Novi.  Due to that, I have extended experience seeing just how well Novi works.  It's faster, smarter, kinder, and an awesome way to work.  I would highly recommend for anyone considering which company to sign on with to join the Novi family.  

We have been so pleased with Novi from the very beginning.  We migrated from a differnt AMS in December of 2017.  Every step of the onboarding, training and migration process was exceptional.  They really made our team feel like we were their only customer.  The Novi team was fully accessable and extremly responsive.

Since migration - they demonstrate their commitment to continuous improvment and are constantly rolling out updates based on our needs.  They continue to be responsive to questions and issues as they arise.

In my time at our assocation (11.5 years) I have used 3 different AMS's.  In my opinion, what sets Novit apart (besides the obvious superiority of the system) is their customer service, incredible responsiveness and commitment to the user experience (both ours and our members).

The most intuitive software program I have ever used! This software has made us a better association since implementing. The Novi team is second to none and they just keep making the software better and better. To know of voice is heard and that this software program is tailored to OUR needs, is irreplaceable. Thanks Novi! You ROCK!

The transition from our old membership software to Novi AMS was very well planned out, timelines given and followed.  The team was great in the training sessions to educate us on how the software works and how best to utilize it.  It was totally the easiest transition I have ever been through in my career.  After onboarding, it is easy and quick to get answers on questions not thought to ask during training (or not put into my notes).  The Novi team is always helpful.

NOVI ams is a great platform. It has made the use of our website on the front end, much easier for our members. It has made the back end so organized and tidy and those in this office, don't feel like screaming at the operating platform the used to track out members, reports, invoices and everything else that an organization needs.

Our office transitioned to using Novi about six months ago.  We are very happy with options available on the administrative side as well as on the user side.  Below are some of the favorite features:

• We have it programmed so that membership benefits are based on company membership.  This means that once a company pays their membership dues, all individuals in that company are categorized as members and have member rights to view, purchase, etc. Our members can login and easily search the online directory, sign up for an event, purchase a sponsorship, and so much more. 
• Novi can also accomodate individual memberships.
• The seamless interface with QuickBooks online is fantastic. 
• Novi provides informative training before onboarding.  With this training, and with the online help documentation, Novi is easy to program and is easy to use.
• Ecommerce is easy to set up and easy to use.
• Events are easy to create with multiple ticketing options.
• Novi's customer service is excellent. 
• The online searchable member directory provides options including the ability to list all staff at an organization with complete contact info with or without head shots, easy to upload company logos, company descriptions, categories for searching, and so much more.

For reference, we are a trade association with over 600 member companies.  Our Novi system currently holds over 2,000 companies with over 7,000 individuals.  It is nice to know we can continue to grow and Novi will be able to accomodate our needs.

It is refreshing to see the straight forward, uncomplitated way that Novi is structured.  I highlighly recommend this platform.  

Novi is the fourth AMS that I've used during my time at one trade association. Off the top of my head, there are three ways Novi is different: 1) great customer service; 2) seamless QuickBooks integration and 3) ability to handle firm-based memberships and the associated relationships.

Customer Service: I'm continually impressed with Novi's communication and customer service model. There is a resource library of articles - but that's a given. The hands-on help in the chat is quick and useful. When a question requires more time/explanation, Novi has jumped onto web meetings to figure it all out. When a fluke comes up, the team is quick to add it to a feature request and provide communication when updates are rolled out. 

QuickBooks Integration: I was hesitant about switching to QuickBooks Online and the ability to integrate. The event registration system and its integration with QBO is fantastic. This has saved us so much time! For a small staff managing multiple events, this is huge. 

Trade Association Capable: The downside of our previous AMS was always the lack of functionality for organization-based membership. The Novi AMS accommodates these firm-based relationships in a clear, easy to follow way. Update records is straightforward. Very easy to use for staff and members. 

We switched to NOVI in January 2017 from Wild Apricot. We were seeking a more seamless experience for staff, especially on the financial side. The full integration with Quickbooks Online has made such a world of difference for us - a timesaver four times over. An unexpected bonus was the ease of use for our members. A true member account that tracks invoices, receipts, events, CE credits, and can be setup  to match our “parent/child” member relationships. The ability to have a team member to chat with at a moment’s notice gives us peace of mind, especially when we first switched. We had a great in-office training session with Jenn. She helped us with the dreaded data migration and really taught us the system. We didn’t have to read an online manual. The personal touch really made a difference. We are almost 2 years in with 900 members and couldn’t be happier.

Recently switched from Weblink to Novi. Implementation was fast and painless (this is our third time through this process and it's never been this easy). The AMS is powerful and I've yet to find something that can't be done in this system. One thing that really struck me about this AMS was their marketing slogan -- No Workarounds. From what I can tell, Novi treats "No Workarounds" as more of a mantra than a slogan. They really mean it! If there's something that you need the system to do, they'll find a way to make it happen for you. Other systems I've used encouraged me to repurpose this or that field, or have simply told me that "you can't do that on our system." Not Novi. Either they'll show you how you can accomplish your requested task using the system as it is built, or they'll put your request into development. And the response time on requests is out of this world -- often within hours! My entire team is just really, really pleased with this system.

NoviAMS is easy to use and easy to learn. Customer service gets back promptly most of the time within the hour.

Novi is really the easiest AMS around to use. The training was fantastic (Yes, they actually train you on the AMS-not just a FAQ and videos)! Easy transfer of data and quick setup to integrate with quickbooks online. I love that NOVI talks both ways with QBO and I am not doubling up efforts on our accounting. Our website is clean, simple to keep up to date and very user friendly. Best AMS I have seen.

I've been actively involved in several migrating to several different AMS platforms including migrating our data years ago that was still in Microsoft Access! I feel like after having been a noviAMS user for nearly a year that I won't ever need to go through that process again, and that is a truly amazing feeling. (It should be noted that migrating to novi was the easiest migration I'd ever been a part of, and most definitely the smoothest.) In a nutshell, we love our AMS. As a trade association we finally have a product that was built with wacky membership structures, crazy inheritance rules (our family tree branches a lot), makes the user (member) experience better, and most importantly makes my bookkeeper happy! (Say what???) I'll focus on some of the hot buttons below... Look/Feel: From the front end site to the admin areas - novi looks and functions great. I love that I can edit content areas from the admin (backend) and on the front end of the site. It's super easy to navigate, and it was obviously built to make association staff life easier. I haven't even been tempted to throw my computer out of the window and go "office space" on it! Accounting/AP: Didn't believe it until I saw it, but novi is truly integrated with QuickbooksOnline. The fact that it uses QBO for things like invoicing, payments, etc. but I am able to perform the functions in novi is truly amazing. My bookkeeper loves the program now and she's the person in the office who I had to pry Quickbooks Desktop away from. I feel much more confident knowing they have been vetted thoroughly by Inuit. (There is so much more awesome stuff on the accounting side, but that's probably boring.) Member Management: Our membership structure is really wonky, but novi manages it with ease. At any given time my upper dashboard (probably not the correct term) shows me how many of each type of membership we have active, how many people are inheriting benefits from them, how many have expired, AND shows me how many prospects we have. Additionally, seeing at a glance the member, parent, and grandchild is so awesome, and saves me a lot of time. Event Management: Our members are FINALLY registering themselves for classes and events!! (Are those angels singing?) I can spin up an event and registration in minutes, and it all syncs nicely with QBO. Moreover, when a member is logged in it can identify if they are part of a specific group (such as our education subscribers) and only display certain types of registrations or pricing to them. Yes, it's that smart. My members have commented that they love that with each event they see right away the member of my team who is the "point" person so they know who to ask questions of. So cool, and so personable. novi Team: There are myriad other features and functionality that make novi amazing, but the heart of novi is the team. They truly live by the mantra "No Workarounds" and couldn't be more customer centric. I am blessed to have really seen the inner workings and how "the sausage is made," and I really geek out when I get to tell people about it! What makes novi so awesome? They do. It's a great product, because when they built it they listened to their potential clients and made sure right out of the gate that it was going to alleviate pain points for AEs, their teams, and our members. Their team is genuine, transparent, (funny as heck), and perhaps most importantly they are accessible. There are a lot of choices out there, but novi is truly in a class all its own.

In the past 18 years I have been a user of 5 different AMS systems, and always thought that there must be a better way. As a trade association it has always felt like every system was designed for professional orgs with individual members and to make it work we had to employ those famous "workarounds" that we always hear about. What makes novi AMS different is that it was designed from the ground up by association executives who worked with the developers to make sure that the user interface makes sense and that the workflow takes fewer steps to accomplish any task. Whether you are a trade association, professional org, foundation or hybrid, novi was built to make it easy to use for both association staff and the members. The member portal is an awesome feature and our members have enjoyed the flexibility and ease of managing their company's records with us. The integration with QBO is what makes novi special, and the APIs with mailchimp and others are an added benefit without having to buy plug ins from a third party. The report writer covers all areas of the database, and they are working on making the user interface even smoother. One of my staff commented that switching to novi is like "Christmas everyday" and we can't imagine going back to where we were. Would I recommend novi AMS? Yes, to any association that wants to streamline how they manage their membership, events, e-commerce...and have a fully integrated accounting system with no downloads of batches to make your GL work.