When to Switch Your Church ChMS?
I talk to church leaders every day. Many of them experience the same frustration: Their church management software isn't serving their needs anymore.
Sometimes it feels easier to stick with what's familiar than make a necessary change. So how do you know when it's time to switch to a new church management software?
Let's talk about when it's time to change church management software platforms and what to do about it.
Limitations Make You Feel Constrained
At first, the limitations were okay. The church didn't need anything very robust. But your church has grown and so have your needs.
A big sign that your church management software isn't meeting your needs is when you start adding other software platforms to cover what the ChMS doesn't do. Isn't an all-in-one platform supposed to save you from juggling multiple tools?
If your current ChMS can't keep up with the growing needs of your church, it's time to look for a new solution.
What to Do about It
Find ChMS church management that has all the core features you need in one package.
If the platform offers features a la carte, you may want to look elsewhere. That approach is great when your church only needs a directory and giving records. But this approach tends to cost more money long term.
A software that bundles all the features you need for one affordable price is ideal.
User-Unfriendliness Makes Tasks a Chore
If there's one sign it's time to move to greener ChMS pastures, it's poor user experience.
User-friendliness is key for any software. It's not worth using a program if it leaves you pulling your hair out in frustration.
The software could be FREE, and it still wouldn't be worth the cost of your sanity.
What to Do about It
Choose a church management system that is highly-rated, with reviews mentioning how easy it is to get started and use.
Also, choose a platform that has an active user community. If possible, ask those users what their experience has been like. If you get positive feedback, that's a great sign.
Lackluster Support
There's nothing worse than having a question with nowhere to turn for help.
The best church management organizations will stand behind their work by offering human support and thorough documentation. Bonus if there are plenty of free videos illustrating how to use their features.
What to Do about It
First, leave a review for the software platform you're currently using so other churches don't get stuck.
Second, look for a ChMS software that has taken the time to make lots of videos to help users navigate the software. If they've invested the time and resources to go the extra mile, then you can be confident they take support seriously.
Also, read reviews! Checking user reviews is best way to know what your experience will be like.
When Was the Church Management Software Last Updated?
Unfortunately, some church management companies lose their momentum.
The result is that updates come slowly, if at all. I've talked to church leaders who complain that their current system feels ancient compared to other programs they use.
This ties back to user-unfriendliness. A lack of updates means you're missing out on innovations and improvements that would make your experience better.
If their user design is outdated, everything else is outdated, too. That includes their security measures. Yikes!
What to Do about It
Security has to be the top priority for both your church and the church database you choose.
Most church management orgs will share their security protocols and privacy policy. Before making a decision about a software, check their website or reach out to their support team for information about updates and security.
Pro tip: If you can't find the info on their website, that's already a sign you should probably look elsewhere.
The ChMS Doesn't Grow with Your Church
As churches grow, their needs change. A ChMS that cannot scale with your church’s growth or adapt to new requirements can become a bottleneck.
If your church software doesn't let you add more users without a fee, makes you pay more as you use the features more frequently, or doesn't let you contact support unless you choose the highest priced tier, it's not a program that can grow with you.
What to Do about It
If your current software limits the number of users or lacks flexibility in managing different groups, it may be time to migrate to a more flexible software that can grow with your church.
The Cost Increases But the Value Doesn't
I once used an app to track the maintenance work on my vehicles and I loved it. But after a couple of years, I noticed that certain features I was using weren't available. After a few minutes of research, I learned that they had moved those features to a higher-priced tier. They also increased their prices 25% every year for multiple years in a row.
In other words, they increased their prices and decreased the app's value. Needless to say, I don't use that app anymore.
What to Do about It
This one's pretty simple. If your ChMS software keeps charging you more and more, but the value doesn't increase along with the cost, it's time to jump ship.
Look for software that has increased prices relatively slowly. This suggests that the company is taking care NOT to price gouge.
Though I mentioned it already, also look for a company that is updating regularly. If a ChMS software is updating regularly but increasing prices slowly, then you can be confident that the cost will always match the value.
Choose the Right ChMS Software for Your Church
Making a change can be tough. There's lots of work to do when moving to a new church software platform. But the pain and frustration of staying the same will cost you more.
If you're feeling the pain with your ChMS software, it's time for a change.