Gentlemen start your. . .Training!

NEON training has begun for our team in the office. We spent yesterday in a couple of meetings that focused on giving us an overview of the system and how it will work for us. Emily our trainer set up a meeting on-line yesterday to provide us with a guided tour and first look at our test data in the database that they have set up for AGEHR.

While the day was a whirlwind tour it was fascinating. We began by looking at how we will now begin managing our national events. I know this may not sound all that exciting but rather than two databases that don’t communicate, we will now have just one. I know we have been saying this for months but to actually see it in front of us was very cool. This means that we as an office will be more productive and able to more efficiently serve all of our members. It also means that our entire team will have access to the event data and will be able to cross train in order to better assist our members with information regarding their event attendance. There also was this cool new feature that is going to let us. . . oh wait that is a surprise for next month! ;>)

In the afternoon we focused on general membership data management. How our current data will populate the new system, how we renew memberships and create new records for new members. The new system is more intuitive than our current system. It allows us to quickly and easily have access to the information in the system because it is powered by newer and faster technology than our current dinosaur. All of which will once again help our team to help you.

But all of that is behind the scenes and while some of you may be tech wonks who just find this as thrilling as I do, I am guessing most of you have a big “so what’s in it for me” going through your minds. So, here it is. We also got to check out the new user side of the web site. Members will log in and have access to their membership record like never before. With the ease of a dropdown box you will be able to do a variety of activities including create and review your profile (even upload a picture if you would like!), renew your membership, view your payments, change your password and the like. Simply, easily.

Just what you would want and expect from one of your favorite websites. The best part is that this functionality is being integrated within our web site and promises to be a seamless change over that will be the base of your membership experience with our website that will only get better and better as the plans of our New Initiatives Campaign continue to come to fruition over the next 2 years thanks to your continued generosity and support!

Happy holidays to you all! Talk to you next year!

New Identity Making Its Appearance

In the coming months you will begin to notice both area and national events, as well as some newsletters and other publications, using our organization’s new identity, The Handbell Musicians of America. Instead of seeing an event billed as an “AGEHR Spring Festival,” for instance, you may see an announcement for a “Handbell Musicians of America Spring Festival,”  with the tagline, “an AGEHR Sponsored (or endorsed) Event.” Similarly, you may also see a newsletter you are familiar with using the name Handbell Musicians of America with a smaller tagline reading, “an AGEHR publication.”

You will also see increased use of our new logo. And when the identity change is complete, there will be a special logo available for members to use with their own websites and publications identifying themselves as a member of the Handbell Musicians of America.

Eventually the taglines “an AGEHR Sponsored Event” and “an AGEHR Publication” will disappear and we will only refer to ourselves as the Handbell Musicians of America (or The Guild for short). But it is important to understand that while our identity is changing, we will still be the same organization. As John Pfeiffer said in Nashville, the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers is a name we will always honor and by which will always be known. But in an effort indentify ourselves as true musicians and not just a holiday-time novelty, we are taking on a new look and a new name.

So, what does this mean for you as far as registering for events or renewing your membership? Not a thing. You will still register for events the same way as before, and you will still renew your membership like before.

Of course, while our new identity is perhaps the most outwardly visible piece of the entire New Initiatives Campaign, it really is perhaps the least significant. You have already heard much about all the technology improvements, which will allow us to manage the organization better and greatly improve communication not only at the national level but the area and local levels as well. And you will soon begin to hear more about the most important aspect of the campaign, the development of new, first-rate resources for schools, faith-based organizations, and community/professional groups.

Be sure to keep watching this space, as well as E-Notes and Overtones, for further details as the campaign progresses.