CASE STUDY
Key Points
ASA transitioned from iMIS to cloud-based Upbeat Association Management software.
The transition to Upbeat empowered 16 staff with role-based access and data insights into their area of operations.
Detailed member segmentation has helped ASA personalise communications for the various membership levels and tailor content to the members’ needs.
As part of the transition to Upbeat, ASA also updated their member portal. Members now benefit from a more personalised experience based on their membership category.
The team has access to data insights with Power BI over the Upbeat data, enabling regular review of member engagement.
Throughout the project, ASA has built a strong partnership with Professional Advantage, one that continues to evolve through ongoing support and innovation.
“Members want different things out of their membership. With Upbeat, we’re able to segment a lot more easily, which works well within events and membership, and flows through to our marketing.”
Suzanne, Operations Manager, Australian Society of Anaesthetists (ASA)
The Organisation:
The Australian Society of Anaesthetists (ASA) is a not-for-profit, member-funded organisation that supports over 4,500 members, primarily anaesthetists and trainee doctors studying to become anaesthetists. The organisation is dedicated to supporting, representing and educating anaesthetists to ensure the safest possible anaesthesia for the community.
The Challenge:
After nearly two decades on a legacy membership management database, the organisation needed to modernise. The legacy system presented challenges that hindered ASA’s ability to operate efficiently and deliver a personalised member experience tailored to individual needs.
“We were using an old version of the software. It was very limiting and restricted to only one person being able to make necessary changes and run processes.”
The system was clunky, on-premise, and lacked the flexibility needed for a modern, distributed team. Suzanne, who had prior experience implementing Upbeat at another organisation, saw this as an opportunity that would help lead ASA into a new era.
The Turning Point:
The decision to implement Upbeat, a cloud-based CRM system that runs on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (CRM), marked a strategic shift. It wasn’t just about replacing an outdated system; it was about modernising how the organisation worked.
“My role is overseeing our membership and Marcoms teams, as well as managing internal projects like setting up Upbeat. What we have in place with Upbeat is great. We need to learn to use it to its full advantage.”
With Upbeat, ASA unlocked multi-user access, enabling staff across departments to manage memberships, events, and marketing activities without bottlenecks.
“The real benefit is the fact that you've got more than one team member able to manage the day-to-day workflows, which allows for the business to continue. We’re not relying on one person to run a process.”
A More Personalised Member Experience:
One of the most impactful changes was the ability to segment and personalise member communications. Using ClickDimensions, a marketing automation solution built to integrate with Microsoft Dynamics 365, the marketing team could tailor email campaigns to different member categories, including four levels of trainees.
“Members want different things out of their membership. With Upbeat, we’re able to segment a lot more easily, which works well within events and membership, and flows through to our marketing.”
The website experience has also improved. Members logging in to the portal now see only what’s relevant to their category, creating a cleaner, more intuitive experience.
“When members log in to the portal, they only see what is relevant to their member category, and that’s been noticed and commented on.”
Data-Driven Decisions:
With Power BI integrated into their reporting workflow, ASA began producing monthly engagement reports shared with staff and the board. These insights are now shaping future communications and strategy.
“We’ve got all these great stats. Let’s do something with them. Each team is starting to analyse their own stats and feed that back to marketing.”
A Trusted Partnership:
Throughout the transformation, ASA leaned on its partnership with Professional Advantage (PA).
“I love PA. They’re fantastic and very responsive. I really enjoy working with the team.”
Having led multiple projects, including the Upbeat implementation, website upgrade, and a SharePoint-based committees’ hub, Suzanne is now focused on deepening adoption and stabilising operations.
“I wouldn’t be looking at adding anything different or more than what we have, at least for another good 12 months. We need to learn to use what we have to its full advantage.”
The ASA’s journey is a testament to how strong client leadership, combined with the right technology and a trusted partner, can unlock new levels of efficiency, engagement, and growth.