Case Study - How the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade Built a Flexible, Integrated AMS with Membri
- Groupe Vendere
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, one of the leading business networks in Canada, was looking to modernize its technology infrastructure to better support its growing operations and evolving needs.
At the center of this transformation was the implementation of Membri, an association management software (AMS) built on Microsoft Power Apps, designed to centralize data, streamline processes, and enable faster innovation.
The following insights and outcomes are shared by:
Mark CosgroveSenior Manager, Information Technology Services Greater Vancouver Board of Trade
The Challenge
A System That Couldn’t Keep Up with Growth
Before implementing Membri, the organization utilized a locally hosted all-in-one system. While functional, it was increasingly limiting their ability to evolve.
Mark explains:
“It worked well for the most part, but it wasn’t nearly as flexible as what we needed. As our requirements evolved, we found that making changes or building integrations took more time and effort than we were comfortable with.”
The Board of Trade wasn’t facing a system failure — but a scalability ceiling.
Over time, the limitations became more apparent:
slower development cycles
limited flexibility for customization
challenges integrating with modern tools and workflows
“We needed something that gave us a better framework to build on — not just a system that worked, but one that could evolve with us.”
The Goal
A Strong, Secure, Scalable Foundation
The organization wasn’t just replacing a system — it was resetting its foundation.
Their objectives were clear:
maintain core functionality across teams
improve internal processes
enable integrations with existing tools
modernize their technology stack
Mark describes the direction:
“We were really looking for a solid foundation — something secure, structured, and capable of supporting integrations with the Microsoft ecosystem we were already using. Membri, with its Microsoft Dynamics base, aligned almost perfectly with that vision.”
Why They Chose Membri
After evaluating multiple solutions, Membri stood out — not because it did everything, but because it did the right things well.
A focused, high-value solution
“What we liked about Membri is that it didn’t come with a lot of unnecessary features. It was focused, offered good value, and gave us exactly what we needed without adding complexity.”
Seamless Microsoft integration
A major factor in selecting Membri was its native integration with Microsoft 365, helping the organization leverage the tools it already uses every day. The integration with Microsoft 365 and Power Apps played a decisive role:
“The integration with our existing Microsoft Office tools was a big advantage. On top of that, working with Power Apps gave us flexibility, and licensing was more cost-effective compared to traditional Dynamics setups.”
Implementation
A Collaborative and Structured Approach
From the outset, implementation was approached as a true collaboration between internal teams and Vendere.
Mark was deeply involved throughout the process:
“I was part of the decision-making process from the beginning, and then took on project management internally. I also worked on the website integration, making sure everything connected properly.”
Cross-functional ownership
Each department had a designated lead responsible for understanding how Membri impacted their workflows:
“We made sure each department had someone responsible for their area. That helped ensure adoption and alignment across teams.”
Data Migration and Go-Live
Prepared, Verified, Seamless
A key success factor was the structured approach to data migration and testing.
“Data migration was very well handled. We had already validated everything in the sandbox environment before going live, so there were no surprises.”
Even the transition itself was smooth:
“When we switched over, users already had access to what they needed. From their perspective, it was uneventful — which is exactly what you want.”
Training and Adoption
Fast Learning Curve, Strong Autonomy
Training was tailored to each team’s needs, supported by documentation and session recordings.
“Staff were trained based on what they needed to use. We also had recordings to go back to, and the existing documentation was excellent.”
The system’s usability played an important role:
“The platform is intuitive. People didn’t struggle to get started, which makes a big difference during adoption.”
Mark himself received more advanced training:
“I was trained on customization and plugin development, which allowed us to really tailor the solution to our specific needs.”
Results
A System That Enables Speed and Innovation
Faster development cycles
One of the most impactful changes was the speed at which new solutions could be built.
“If we need something new now, development is much faster. For example, we built a canvas app for on-site event check-ins using tablets in just a couple of days. That would not have been feasible before.”
A fully connected ecosystem
Membri became the central hub for:
membership management
events and ticketing
CRM and pipeline tracking
program applications
financial workflows
“We use most of the system daily — from events and CRM to reporting and automation. It’s really become the backbone of our operations.”
Today, Membri serves as the organization's operational hub, supporting membership management, CRM, programs, and event operations. Teams can manage registrations, communications, and participant engagement from a single, connected platform.
Improved efficiency
With fewer manual processes and stronger automation:
“There’s been a noticeable improvement in how efficiently we can operate. Things that used to take time or workarounds are now built directly into the system.”
Challenges and Lessons Learned
While Membri performed well, the main challenge came from outside the platform.
Accounting integration complexity
“The biggest challenge wasn’t Membri — it was the accounting system we migrated to at the same time. Our previous system handled everything in one place, so adjusting to a separate setup required some adaptation.”
Even with a working integration:
“The sync application did what we needed, but there’s still room for improvement. That’s more about the ecosystem than the platform itself.”
Satisfaction and Long-Term Value
Overall satisfaction is high — not only with the product, but with the support.
“We’re very satisfied. One thing that really stands out is how quickly issues are addressed. In some cases, we’ve been notified of a fix before we even had time to report the issue ourselves.”
Vendor consistency
“During implementation, we worked consistently with Philippe, which helped a lot. After go-live, Thomas has been excellent in following up and guiding us through updates and new features.”
Would They Recommend Membri?
Without hesitation.
“Absolutely. Membri, combined with the Microsoft 365 infrastructure, has been an excellent fit for our needs.”
The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade needed an association management software (AMS) platform that could scale with its growth and seamlessly integrate with Microsoft technologies.
And the final comparison is telling:
“Having worked with other providers during implementation, the difference in service and support was like night and day. Vendere really sets a very high standard.”
Key Takeaways
For associations and chambers/board of trade evaluating an AMS:
Choose a platform, not just a tool
Prioritize integration capabilities
Ensure internal ownership during implementation
Invest in flexibility and scalability
Validate your entire ecosystem (especially accounting)
Looking to modernize your association’s operations?
